2 Corinthians 5:1-10 (HCSB)
For we know that if our temporary, earthly dwelling is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal dwelling in the heavens, not made with hands. Indeed, we groan in this body, desiring to put on our dwelling from heaven, since, when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. Indeed, we groan while we are in this tent, burdened as we are, because we do not want to be unclothed but clothed, so that mortality may be swallowed up by life. And the One who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the Spirit as a down payment.
So, we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight, and we are confident and satisfied to be out of the body and at home with the Lord. Therefore, whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to be pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the tribunal of Christ, so that each may be repaid for what he has done in the body, whether good or worthless.
Paul’s physical body had been used and abused up to this point. He had been beaten, whipped, and stoned. He had experienced times of hunger and cold and had even spent a day and a night treading water in the open sea (2 Corinthians 11:21b-29).
In short, his body hurt, and sometimes got in his way. It’s no wonder then, that as he grew older, the idea of being clothed with a new, perfect, immortal body appealed to him. Paul took it on faith that God would keep his word and clothe him with immortality when his task on earth was completed. And he took the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, working powerfully in and through him every day, as a down payment on what would come to him in the future.
Paul clearly understood, though, that before he received his eternal resurrection body, he would have to stand before the judgment seat of Christ. And he didn’t take that lightly, figuring, “Hey, I’m Paul of Tarsus. Of course He’ll let me skate right on in!”
Instead, that knowledge continually pushed him forward, moving him to work long, hard hours, working not just with all his own strength, but with God’s power to accomplish the task for which he had been saved. He didn’t want to appear before Jesus with any deficits, any tasks undone, any places in his life that he had compromised or been slack in his mission.
Father, Paul lived his whole life in obedience to Your commandments and in diligence in the mission you had given him. He knew that the Holy Spirit working through him was a sign that he was doing well. But he never took that for granted. He never wanted to disappoint you in the least, or to do a single thing that would rob that power from him or cause him to be ashamed when he stood before Jesus on the last day. That didn’t drive him to legalism or pessimism, but to a radical faithfulness to You and Your agenda every day, reminiscent of the faithfulness of Jesus Himself. Lord, there are so many in our churches today who are slack in the work of Your Kingdom, who compromise with the world, and who even outright sin, and who are still cocksure that they will be fine on judgment day. Help us all to see ourselves as You see us, to be so aware of our own obligations to You that, like Paul, we are moved to obedience and diligence, anticipating our new eternal bodies that we will receive from Your hand when our work here is done. Amen.