August 15, 2007

PLAINER WORDS …ABSENT FROM THE BODY

Bible Mountaineers should prayerfully consider 2 Corinthians 5:1-9. If we were to do so, it would be realized that trying to defend the “Sudden Death, Instant Glory” belief is like trying to stand on a “two-legged stool.” The “two-legged-stool” is the belief that the Bible teaches “absent from the body, is present with the Lord.” The vast majority of church-going-Christians believe this, as if it were the “Gospel-Truth,” which it is not! In fact, this was the “New Theology” dreamed up by Satan in the Garden of Eden. He sold the idea to our original parents—Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:3-5). As a result of their unbelief, sin entered into the world and because of sin, death made its entrance and passed upon all mankind (Rom. 5:12). However, God has provided a way to escape from the state of death. It is by means of resurrection—“the gates of hell [the grave] shall not prevail” (Matt. 16:18).

A brief analysis will be made of 2 Corinthians 5:1-9. In doing so, we will, first, bring forward two terms from Paul’s First Epistle to the Corinthians, found in 15:49:

“And as we have borne the image of [Adam] the earthy [man], we shall also bear the image of [Christ], the Heavenly [Man].”

The two terms we’ll use are 1). the image of the earthy man, and 2). the image of the Heavenly Man.

We ask our readers to carefully read the passages of Scripture in 2 Corinthians 5:1-9 which follow:

1 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.

2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:

3 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.

4 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.

5 Now He that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.

6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:

7(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.

What the Apostle Paul was saying, in plainer words, in Verses 6 - 8 is that he is always confident, knowing that being at home [here] in the body, we are FROM home, away from being present with the Lord (for we live by faith, not by sight). We are confident, however, and are content rather to be from home [here] out of the body, and to be with the Lord [there].

These words are usually misquoted, “absent from the body, present with the Lord,” as though it means that, at the moment, we are absent from the body, and we are present with the Lord. But, this is exactly what it does not say.

The whole subject of the Context is resurrection, starting from 2 Corinthians 4:14. Our two bodies are contrasted in Verses 1-5: “the earthly house of this tabernacle (i.e., this mortal body)” is contrasted with “our spiritual, or resurrection body” (see Jude 6): “our house which is from heaven,” the future body of glory being called a “house;” as compared with the present body in which we groan, which is called a “tabernacle,” or tent.

The line of reasoning is that while we are in this “tabernacle,” we cannot have that “house;” and while we are in this tent, we are away from our real eternal home, which is with the Lord.

There is no thought, here or elsewhere, of our being at home, or “with the Lord,” apart from resurrection (or change) and our resurrection bodies.

When we consider what the Apostle Paul wrote, we become increasingly aware that he is describing three conditions, or states, of a believer.

The Three States of a Believer

State I is the present mortal state in which man’s mortal body is likened to an “earthly house of this tabernacle.” In Stage I, a believer bears the image of the earthy man. That is to say, the believer bears the image of Adam, the earthy man, inasmuch as we have an earthly house [our body] of this tabernacle (a tent) which can be dissolved (Verses 1 and 4), to wit, turn to dust.

Both phrases, “At home in the body” and “we are absent from the Lord,” refer to the First State (Verse 6). As long as we are in the mortal state, we cannot be present with the Lord.

State II is the condition of being in the condition of death and the grave. This state is said to be that of being “naked” (Verse 3), or “unclothed” (Verse 4). Paul had no desire for this state (Verse 4). The believer in this condition is that of being “naked,” or “unclothed.” His earthy body has dissolved, turned to dust. He is without a body. He is asleep, waiting to be in the third condition. Since he is “unclothed” and “naked,” to wit, without a body, there is no way he can be present with the Lord—for he must be “clothed upon,” bearing the image of the Heavenly Man (Verse 4).

“If so be that being clothed [with our heavenly body] we shall not be found naked” (2 Cor. 5:3).

“For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed [i.e., dying and with no body at all] , but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life” (2 Cor. 5:4).

Verse 4 tells us, in plainer words, we are burdened (troubled) by this life, we groan not for death (Stage II), but for Stage III, being that our life might be swallowed up of life.

Paul mentions in Verse 4, “For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened” expresses the same thought in Romans 8:22-23:

“For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.”

State III is that in which the believer will have a “building of God” which will be a “house not made with hands” (Verse 1). This is likened to being clothed with a house which is from heaven (Verse 2). State III is one for which Paul longed for (Verse 4). State III will be attained, either in resurrection, or change. Resurrection is when corruption puts on incorruption. Change is when this mortality is exchanged for immortality.

State III, in Verse 4, also refers to the condition when mortality will be swallowed up of life (cf. 1 Cor. 15:51-53).

Paul further declared, in Verse 8, that he was confident, and willing to be absent from the [earthy] body, and to be present with the Lord [in his heavenly body]. In this statement, the Apostle Paul by-passes State II because at the time he wrote Second Corinthians, he believed that he would be alive when the “times of refreshing would come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19). Thus, he entertained the hope, at the time, that he would skip State II; that is to say, he would skip being found “naked” and “unclothed.” Thus, he believed that he would put off his earthy body and put on his heavenly body.

In reading 2 Corinthians 5:1, we see two conditions; “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved [Stage I], we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens [Stage III].”

The two conditions were the present and the future. That is, the mortal state and the immortal state. State II is not mentioned, at all, in Verse 1. It is the Intermediate State—the State of death.

State II is the death state. This is described as being “naked” (Verse 3), or “unclothed” (Verse 4). In the state of death, the believer is bodiless. The body is dissolved, turned to dust. He is dead. Being naked, or unclothed is to be ABSENT FROM THE LORD! No “disembodied spirit” can be present with the Lord.

Q & A’s to Consider

How many conditions, or States of being does the Apostle Paul bring into view in 2 Corinthians 5:1-9? Answer: Three States.

While the believer is at home in the earthly house of this tabernacle, what State is he in? Answer: State I.

When the believer is naked and unclothed, what State of being is he in? Answer: State II

Are the dead conscious in a state of bliss, or torment? Answer: No, they have entered into State II. Naked and unclothed in death’s grasp.

What State will the believer be in when he is present with the Lord? Answer: State III.

Should we look forward to being in State II? Answer: No, it is the condition of being dead, to wit, the condition of being naked, or unclothed.

In what two states did the Apostle Paul want to be found, being accepted by the Lord? Answer: States I and III.

What State lies between mortality and immortality? Answer: State II.

If we believe in “Sudden Death, Instant Glory,” then, we must believe that death is another form of life.

We see in the Scriptures that Paul found no place for anyone who is “naked,” or “unclothed,” to be present with the Lord.

“Think on these things” (Phil. 4:8).

Tom L. Ballinger