Living Understanding Pt 19: New bodies
2Corinthians 5:1-5 1For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. 2Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, 3because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. 4For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
2Corinthians 4:16-17 16Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
Earthly tent; building from God.
Tents were a common sight in the days of Paul’s ministry as they were used when people traveled. They were used also as temporary shelters while people waited for the construction of more permanent dwellings, so Paul used this metaphor to describe the current state of believers as opposed to their eternal state. The fall in the Garden created in mankind a seemingly permanent separation between God and human beings. Our sun nature separates us because God in his holiness cannot associate with sin. In that condition humans seem to have a limited existence facing 70-80 years of life followed by oblivion.
But the acceptance of Jesus as Savior opens a new existence. Now this temporary dwelling, this tent of 70-80 years, is followed by a future permanent dwelling place of resurrected bodies. When we die we will come before Jesus to receive adjudication of how we used our earthly tent, our bodies of 70-80 years, receive our rewards and reception of our heavenly resurrected bodies.
Our earthly tent is fragile though and subject to death; that is the inevitable fate of every human being. Our bodies waste away over those years, but even more in Paul’s mind was the impending persecution which comes upon those who follow Godly precepts and name the Name of Jesus Christ. That persecution accelerates the wasting.
Not be found naked.
Paul changes to another metaphor when he uses language related to clothing. Adam and Eve were naked in the Garden and felt no shame. But when they sinned and realized their nakedness they immediately did feel shame. God provided clothing and from then on the use of clothing became the normal human condition. In this sense it is no longer normal to be naked, and Paul uses this to describe the believer’s condition after death—that he will not be found naked, but be clothed with a resurrected body of eternity.
In Paul’s day the Greek dualistic notion of the separation of body and spirit—that everything spiritual was good and everything fleshly was bad—was having impact on some of the churches. No, Paul says, that is not true. In the course of the fullness of our lives we live in two dwellings, our earthly one, called our body, which gradually wastes away while simultaneously our inner selves gradually mature and grow in holiness, and our heavenly building, called our resurrected body. The physical body is not shed at death, contrary to dualistic thinking, but is transformed, resurrected, into a purified, sin-free, righteous body reminiscent of Jesus’.
Groan and burdened
But in the meantime, we groan. Why?
22We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the Firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.
Usually the word groan has to do with the physical discomfort associated with pain. Certainly all humans experience that at various times in their lives. Another groaning that believers feel is the wishful longing for the return of Jesus and the restoration of the earth to Garden-like conditions. That is closer, but even this understanding does not approach Paul’s meaning here. No, this groaning refers to the crying out we feel in our hearts for our heavenly dwelling, i.e., our resurrected bodies.
When Jesus returns those believers who have died will rise to join Jesus the Cloud Rider, and then we who are alive at his return will rise (called the Rapture) the meet them and Jesus in the air. We will return with him to conquer evil, defeat Satan and his armies and restore the earth to righteousness. Of course we resurrected humans will mostly be bystanders watching evil fall at the force of Jesus’ breath, but at least we will be there. For 1000 years Jesus will clean the planet of every vestige of evil and sin so that his Father, our LORD, can walk on the earth with us.
Yet as we look forward to that day we groan in the realization that our present bodies are in no way similar to our heavenly dwelling, our resurrected bodies. Although certainly not divine, in that state we will see more as Jesus sees, we will understand the pains in the natural bodies of those who survived the Great Tribulation, we will govern the nations in ways great and small as Jesus guides. It will be glorious!
What about me?
But in the meantime, what about our time in the here and now? We are eager to put off these sinful bodies; we are eager to walk and love like Jesus. How do we do that? The only way is to develop intimacy with Jesus and that means to change the way we think about things.
1Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:1-2)
Renewing one’s mind is very hard, especially if you try to do it by yourself. My believing friend, find yourself a community of like-minded believers, especially one that loves and cares about you. Seek out new friendships in that community; find people you can trust. You will need to lean on them when times get difficult. Spend time in the Word and pray often. Schedule a regular time with God and use the time to dump all your worries, fears, joys, and struggles on him. He knows them anyway so why not? This will help your inner person grow in righteousness and holiness. You won’t notice much change at first but there will come a day when you will surprise yourself. “Hey! I did that right!”