SIH’s Think On These Things: 2 Cor 5:1-4

2Cor 5:1-4 (KJV)  For we know that if our earthly house of [this] tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.  For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:  If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.  For we that are in [this] tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.

“Our house which is from heaven”…. In this text, we have a wonderful promise that causes joy, hope and appreciation spring forth from any Christian’s heart.  The house being spoken of is not made with brick and mortar founded here on earth,  nor is it speaking our eternal home that awaits us as described in Rev 21:1-5… “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.  And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband…. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.” 

This wonderful promise is describing the glorified bodies that will be received at the resurrection of the Christian’s body…

1Cor 15:51-58 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,  In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal [must] put on immortality.  So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.O death, where [is] thy sting? O grave, where [is] thy victory?  The sting of death [is] sin; and the strength of sin [is] the law.  But thanks [be] to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

(see also 1 Cor 15:46-50, 1 John 3:2, 1 Thess 4:13-18, Phil 3:20-21)

In Rev 21: we find just a few of the many blessings that are linked to the receipt of glorified bodies…

“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.  And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.” 

We will be able to be in the very presence of God because our bodies will no longer be touched by sin!  What a day that will be!  No more tears, death, sorrow, crying nor pain.  No wonder our text in 2 Cor. says … “For we that are in [this] tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.”

What grace, love and kindness is on display as we receive all these blessings, not because we deserve them, but because He loved us with an eternal love.

May the Lord bless us as we “Think On These Things”.

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