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2 Corinthians 5:6-8
In 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 we find what at first may seem to be a contradiction, but if we take if piece by piece in the proper context of what the Apostle Paul has been leading those of the church at Corinth, it further solidifies the confidence of the Christian, even while in the earthly/fleshly body, while yet being excited/yearning to receive the blessing of the spiritual eternal body – in Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:6 is speaking of the confidence we have while in the earthly/physical body as a Christian; we are confident of our hope in the Lord Jesus Christ and of our salvation while yet still being in the physical body.
2 Corinthians 5:7 is the connection of the hope we find while still yet being in the physical body as the Apostle Paul states, “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (NKJV). Faith is believing what we cannot physically see. Our relationship with God is spiritual, not physical, even though God can work in us and through us physically. The Bible teaches us the words of Jesus in John 4:23-24, “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
And in 2 Corinthians 5:8 the Apostle Paul teaches us that we have the ability to know, or as he puts it, to be “well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” We have the ability to reason that it is/will be better for us when we are gone from our temporary earthly body and gain our eternal spiritual body.
This is a promise that we can be confident while in our earthly/physical bodies that a time will come – in Christ – that we will receive new spiritual bodies.
Our physical/earthly bodies may be young, old, tall, short, fat, skinny, or anything in between, but our physical bodies are always working towards an end; our earthly/physical bodies are temporary. But while we are still yet in our physical/earthly bodies there is a very important choice that we all will make that leads to our spiritual/eternal bodies; and that choice is whether we will or will not put God first in our lives. One very important fact about the blessings of the Bible is that they will only be to those who put God first in their lives. The Apostle Paul does not write his letters to anyone and everyone, but to the saints and all those in Christ Jesus as we can see at the beginning of most of the letters that the Apostle Paul wrote as inspired by God’s Holy Spirit. I want these blessings in my life, and I’m sure that you do to; put your faith in Jesus today and you too will gain a confidence while still yet being in your physical/earthly body of a much better spiritual/eternal body that God has waiting…for you!
Dear LORD,
You have shown us that our earthly/physical bodies are but a shell – a tent as the Apostle Paul puts it, and we are in this body only for a short time while we make the decision to follow You or to follow the ways of this world as is ruled by Satan. But You LORD are still yet confident in us, even in Satan’s environment, that we will put our faith in You. You are powerful, You are salvation in a dying world. Please speak to our hearts that we would heed You call on our lives to give us a new eternal/spiritual body – in Christ. Please let it be so LORD. In Jesus name I pray, amen.