Saturday, March 15, 2008

2 Corinthians 5:7

For we walk by faith, not by sight.

Another famous passage. Oddly, though this passage is very often taken out of context, the section, vss. 1-10, is actually about confidence in facing death. Paul uses the analogies of a "tent" and a "building" to represent death and resurrection.

Paul is saying, once more, death has no power over us ["... we will not be found naked."]. Not only is there life after death, there is life after life after death. Just as Jesus has a glorious resurrected body, so will we (1 Cor. 15:44-50), and we will be "further clothed."

It isn't what is mortal is bad. God created us in the image of God. It's the mortal body is subject to sickness and death and decay. Our resurrected body won't ["what is mortal will be swallowed up in life"]. We have God's Spirit as the guarantee. We have confidence.

The "punch line" to this, for Paul and for us as we walk to Jerusalem, is we aren't to wait passively until we die and are resurrected. "So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please [God]. For all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ ..."

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