2 Corinthians 5

Awaiting the New Body

5 For we know that if the earthly tent [our body] we live in is destroyed, we have a building [a body] from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. 2 Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling [body], 3 because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. 4 For while we are in this tent [body], we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling [body], so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

Literal Greek translation: 1. For we know that if our earthly house of the (our) tabernacle is destroyed, a building from God we have, a house not made with hands eternal in the heavens. 2. For indeed in this we groan, the dwelling of us from heaven to be clothed with longing.

NOTES: We are longing for a body from God reserved in heaven for us at the Second Coming when the dead will be resurrected to immortal spiritual bodies of flesh and bone and those alive at that time will be instantly in the twinkling of the eye changed to immortal spiritual bodies of flesh and bone.

6 Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the [this] body we are away from the Lord. 7For we live by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the [this] body and at home with the Lord. 9 So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the [this] body or away from it. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

NOTES: We long to be away from this earthly body and be at home with the Lord in our new immortal spiritual flesh and bone body from God from heaven. Jesus did not suffer decay and therefore his body was changed to an immortal spiritual flesh and bone body (Luke 24:36-48).

The Ministry of Reconciliation  (the gospel)

11 Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. 12 We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. 13 If we are “out of our mind,” as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God [by accepting Christ]. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin[b] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

NOTES: We are to proclaim the gospel that God has reconciled (objectively) the world to himself and has not counted people’s sins against them. He has objectively forgiven everybody but they must believe in Jesus subjectively [personally] about what he has done for them to be reconciled to God in order to enter the everlasting Kingdom of God to be established on this earth when Christ returns.

Here is a short list of some Scriptures showing that Jesus is the Savior of the world (mankind), not just those who are Christians in this church age: First Timothy 2:3-6: First Timothy 4:10 and First John 2:2. The church is referred to three times as the first fruits (James 1:18; Revelation 14:4 and Romans 8:23). If the church is the first fruits then that implies a larger harvest after Christ returns.