Confidence In Our Glorious Future (Part 2)

We, as the universal and true church have learned a few things in the last 14 months. One thing in particular that relates to our current study, is that we have seen the impact that the fear of death has had on many people. Whatever your view of this flu strain that we have dealt with since March of 2020, fear’s influence and impact has left its mark on many.

For the believer, while we should not presume upon God and take reckless and unnecessary risks unless we have a clear leading from the Holy Spirit, fear of death should never consume and control our lives. For the believer, physical death is the beginning of eternal reward, the beginning of love, peace, and joy that we have never approached experiencing, the beginning of forever being in the direct presence of Jesus, and the beginning of our indescribable life in the glories of heaven.

To live our lives in constant fear of anything on this planet is not consistent with the reality of being a justified and sanctified believer in Jesus Christ. The passage that we will continue to work through this morning is bursting with encouragement and confidence that should infuse and empower every believer to eradicate the fear of death.

Turn with me in your Bible to the Book of 2nd Corinthians.

2 Corinthians 5:1-8

Let’s pray.

Last week I mentioned that there are three primary aspects of encouragement and comfort that Paul gives us in this passage:

1. We will one day possess a much superior form of habitation, or a much superior body.

2. The giving to us of the Holy Spirit guarantees our future heavenly existence.

3. Physical death means being in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I only dealt with the first encouragement last week, that of our future and somewhat mysterious eternal and heavenly bodies we will receive, primarily unpacking and expanding on verse 1 with some mention of verse 2-4. I will very briefly touch on a few additional principles from these first four verses and then dig into verses 5-8.

2 Corinthians 5:1-4

Paul makes it very clear that our current physical bodies, no matter how well we have conditioned and maintained them, are similar to a common tent – they are temporary, they are not designed to last and endure for a lengthy period of time, and they only provide a small measure of protection. When Paul wrote his first Letter to Pastor Timothy, he reminds him that disciplining your body is of some benefit, but it pales in comparison to discipline in godliness (4:7-8). So, we glean from that to not purposely neglect the physical side of things, but to be more concerned about neglecting the spiritual side of things.

We talked about how different our new bodies will be through a quick look at 1st Corinthians 15, and speculated a bit on what could potentially be at least a few characteristics of those bodies based on some things that Jesus was able to do in His resurrected body, but we can only speculate.

I then made a few connections and through Paul’s writings that he was hopeful and anticipating that Christ would return in his lifetime. While in his earthly tent, Paul desired to live on and remain until the return of Christ, so that he would immediately receive his new body. Paul’s second choice, if Christ’s return were too far in the future, were to experience physical death so he could be in the presence of Jesus. Paul’s final choice was to live a long life in his physical body.

It was in God’s providence that Paul received choice number two. History and tradition tell us that the Apostle Paul was executed for his faith in Jesus Christ, so he was and still is in the presence of Jesus awaiting his glorified resurrected body, as is every other believer who has left their earthly tents and experienced physical death.

Paul then says in verse 2, that we groan in these physical bodies – and the older I get the more experience groaning. But the kind of groaning that Paul refers to is the groaning of our souls to be rid of the chains of our earthly existence and to receive our glorious, resurrected bodies. Our souls groan for the day that we will be truly free of the shackles of our earthy confinement, free from the curse, and above all, free from the presence of and constant battle with sin.

In Romans 8:22, Paul relates that all creation has been groaning since the curse of sin in the Garden of Eden. As beautiful as God’s created world and universe is, it too has been chained and shackled and restrained from what it was created to be, because of sin. So, it’s not just us as believers, but all of creation that is groaning for the day when perfect and complete freedom is ours to fully and truly be all that we can be.

Then in verses 3-4, we learned that Paul allusion to being naked and unclothed is in reference to the waiting period between physical death and receiving the resurrected body. Those who have died in Christ are in the presence of Jesus in a glorious state of being, but they do not yet have the resurrected bodies we briefly looked at last week. The Bible is virtually silent on what this heavenly existence is while awaiting the new bodies, but it is clearly an amazing experience of its own – much preferable to our earthly bodies.

Notice quickly how Paul describes things at the end of this verse: “so that which is mortal will be swallowed up by life”. In other words, our earthly existence cannot even be called life in comparison to what is to come. And the terminology of our eternal state swallowing up our mortality gives us the sense of just how transient and temporary and by comparison how really insignificant this earthly existence is. No wonder the Apostle Paul was longing for Jesus to return, or if that were not possible in his lifetime, to physically die and get on with eternity.

2 Corinthians 5:5

The second encouragement and comfort that we are given in this passage, concerning physical death, is that the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives guarantees this future and glorious state of being. In the sovereign will and providence of our great God, that which is yet future for us was prepared by God before we even existed. These incredible resurrected bodies that we will receive at God’s appointed time, is the fulfillment of God’s promise to believers. It says for this very purpose, meaning that bound up in God’s sovereign plan through all eternity He has everything down to the smallest detail planned out for you and me, if you are indeed a born-again believer.

In Romans 8:28-30, we have the very familiar words that reveals God’s ultimate plan in saving us: “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.”

That ultimate plan is glorification, meaning the believer’s eternal existence in heaven, in His presence, in perfect and utter love, joy, peace, and with our imperishable, immortal, supremely powerful, perfect, resurrected bodies. The process of being justified and sanctified by His grace are wondrous in their own right, but as amazing and profound and tremendous as that is, the ultimate plan is being glorified by His grace.

Are you beginning to see why it is unconscionable to fear physical death? I am not suggesting that we get all giddy about the process and pain of dying, but to desperately cling to this life is foolish, unless of course you are going through this life without Christ.

Steve Jobs, the late founder, and CEO of Apple, had the following to say on his death bed:

“I have come to the pinnacle of success in business. In the eyes of others, my life has been the symbol of success. However, apart from work, I have little joy. Finally, my wealth is simply a fact to which I am accustomed. At this time, lying on the hospital bed and remembering all my life, I realize that all the accolades and riches of which I was once so proud, have become insignificant with my imminent death. In the dark, when I look at green lights, of the equipment for artificial respiration and feel the buzz of their mechanical sounds, I can feel the breath of my approaching death looming over me.”

“Only now do I understand that once you accumulate enough money for the rest of your life, you have to pursue objectives that are not related to wealth. It should be something more important: For example, stories of love, art, dreams of my childhood. No, stop pursuing wealth, it can only make a person into a twisted being, just like me.”

“God has made us one way, we can feel the love in the heart of each of us, and not illusions built by fame or money, like I made in my life, I cannot take them with me. I can only take with me the memories that were strengthened by love. This is the true wealth that will follow you; will accompany you, he will give strength and light to go ahead. Love can travel thousands of miles and so life has no limits. Move to where you want to go. Strive to reach the goals you want to achieve. Everything is in your heart and in your hands.”

“What is the world’s most expensive bed? – the hospital bed. You, if you have money, you can hire someone to drive your car, but you cannot hire someone to take your illness that is killing you. Material things lost can be found. But one thing you can never find when you lose: life. Whatever stage of life where we are right now, at the end we will have to face the day when the curtain falls. Please treasure your family love, love for your spouse, love for your friends… Treat everyone well and stay friendly with your neighbors.”

Tragically, even though Mr. Jobs mentions God, it is evident that he did not have the Holy Spirit within to encourage him in his final moments. He had some clarity concerning the brevity and futility of this physical life, but he had no assurance of the glorious eternal life that awaits us as believers.

This reminds me also of an article I read some years ago about the most popular songs requested at funerals. This was probably 8-10 years ago, but “Amazing Grace” was number one while “My Way” was number two and gaining each year. How sad, to come to the end of your life with the thought that you did it your way instead of God’s way, that you are proud of your earthly accomplishments but will spend eternity in hell and the lake of fire.

2 Corinthians 5:6-8

This brings us to the third and final encouragement and comfort that we are given in this passage, concerning physical death, that the physical death of believers means the start of our promised eternity in the presence of Jesus.

Paul was admonishing the Corinthians and us to be always of good courage, or to be courageous in this temporary condition that we must endure. Regardless of the troubles you face, the trials you endure, the persecution you are confronted with, the sometimes, depressing nature of aging with all of its aches and pains, the state of our nation and world, or any other affliction that comes with the territory of being in the earthly tents, be always of good courage.

But the context is that we should also be always of good courage in the face of death, in the reality of the knowledge that earthly physical life is by its very nature, temporary, like a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

Why? – because this temporary separation from the full presence of Jesus is only for a little while longer, because we walk by faith, not by sight, and because we will one day soon be forever in the presence of our Lord and Savior.

Several years after writing this Letter to the Corinthian church, Paul’s view of this did not change. He wrote the following to Pastor Timothy in what was his last Letter that God saw fit to ordain and include as Scripture: “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing” (2 Timothy 4:6-8).

Paul was in a Roman prison, condemned to death, awaiting his execution, and he is content and satisfied that he had fought the good fight, finished his course in this life, and kept the faith. He is more than ready for his earthly existence to be over, so that he can be with Jesus. No more pain, no more trials, no more persecution, no more agonizing concern for the churches under his care, no more dealing with the body of this death, and no more endless battles with sin.

What a day that will be

When my Jesus I will see

And I look upon His face

The One who saved me by His grace

When He takes me by the hand

And leads me through the Promised Land

What a day, glorious day that will be

Let’s pray.