2 Corinthians 5 -- Be reconciled to God

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ZNP

Well-known member
Sep 14, 2020
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Talk about super spiritual, the things which are seen are temporal while the things that aren’t are eternal? What about food, clothing and a place to live. They may be temporal, but they are still necessary.

1 For 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.

This is the ace in the hole. This is an essential part of the ministry, of the gospel message in the New Testament.

2 Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, 3 because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked.

So yes, you can be reduced to a situation where you don’t have clothes, or food or a place to live. You might be found naked in this age. But that is because you have given everything to follow the Lord and that is the “letter of commendation” in Luke. In Luke the message is to leave everything and to accept everyone, especially outcasts, poor, and even enemies.

4 For 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.

There are a lot of things we “don’t wish” to happen, doesn’t mean they won’t. So yes, the Lord realizes we might go through all kinds of experiences we “don’t wish” to go through. This is the narrow way that leads to life. If you want to go through the eye of the needle you will have to leave behind the camel loaded down with all those goods from this world.

5 Now 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.

We have been fashioned for this purpose. Often you are forced to go through things you never thought you could. As the Lord leads us through it strengthens our faith, guaranteeing that He will lead us through whatever we are to face.
 

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We are not super spiritual, we are not out of our mind. We are very logical. If Jesus died for you to save you from your sins and eternal damnation then it is quite reasonable that you would live for him. If that means that you suffer some depravations in this life, even if it means you will be killed as a witness for Him it is still reasonable because remember, not only did He die for you but He also rose from the dead so that we also could have the resurrection life.
 
6 Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. The ministry is like walking on a high wire. You have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty.

People are not going to like that, they will take action and they may even kill you. But there is a net below us that if we do die we will be with the Lord.

7 For we live by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

Paul is not saying that everyone feels this way, he is saying that as an apostle of the Lord sent to speak some very tough words to this evil generation this is the mindset you have to have. Then the threat of death is no threat at all.

9 So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.

Oops, don’t forget that little point. If you are living and walking with this mindset that it is no threat to me that they might kill me because I would rather be with the Lord, well then you better make sure that your goal is to please Him. So as long as you are pleasing the Lord, being obedient to His word, what can the enemy do? Where O death is your sting?