How is your tent doing?

2 Corinthians 5:1-5

“For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.”

Has anyone ever asked how is your tent doing?  Now I may be wrong about that because I do recall my basic training or as we called it “Boot Camp” and about the third week going camping it was called "Bivouac,” and not being a boy scout, I had never put up a tent.  I do recall the Sargent and that crazy 2nd Lieutenant saying things about my tent that I will not repeat.

I hope it is clear that the apostle Paul is not talking about that kind of tent, and in that his profession was tent-making maybe we should listen to what he is telling us.  He is comparing our physical body to our spiritual body after the physical has taken its last breath and the heart has pumped its last drop of blood and what is referred to as physical death has taken place, but life for all who are in Christ extends forever.  Paul has almost been stoned to death, and this may have something to do with the writing of this chapter. 

As we age, the death of this earth suit is more frequently in our thoughts.  As we see our friends and neighbors, our age or younger dying it seems the thought of death is more on our mind.  That is what Paul is telling us in this first verse; “For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”  And in verses two through four he is telling us it is the norm for this earthly body to break-down with all kinds of health problems; “For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked.  For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.”  Our spirit will put on new clothes, if not we would be naked but these new clothes come without blemishes and will never have any pain or death, they are eternal.  This is the final state of the one who is in Christ and Christ is in them.

In verse five we are once more reminded that God keeps His promises, look back to 2 Corinthians 1:20-22, “For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.”

From the Back Porch,

 Bob Rice