The Promise, Not the Present

2 Corinthians 5:1-8

It is fitting to open this devotion with the last verse of the preceding chapter, “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18). Paul is encouraging the reader to live beyond the things that they see, and hold fast to the unseen promises of glory. He continues with the theme into chapter 5.

Remember that there is a distinct difference between the promise and present. Oftentimes the present seems dark and discouraging, with persecutions and trials, but we can rest in the knowledge that we are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus and that we have an eternal inheritance. I am not saying that Christianity is gloom and doom, for I don’t believe that in the least, but there are going to be rough seas on this journey, and persecutions will come (Mark 10:30).

Paul uses this section of his letter to give hope to the church, that there is more than meets the eye. He differentiates between the physical body of the believer and the spirit man. If we were to have this physical body stripped away, he assures us that we have a glorified spirit body that we will live in forever in heaven. The burden that is faced by the saint is “not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life” (2 Corinthians 5:4). We are not groaning to “be unclothed”, which means that as saints we are not begging God to kill us so that we can escape this world; instead we are longing for the glory that will come with being in His presence.

God actually implanted the desire inside of us to be with Him (5:5), and then gave us the “earnest of the Spirit”. The “earnest” is the “down-payment” in Greek, meaning that God put a down-payment on our eternity by placing the Holy Spirit in each one of us. We get a taste of His heavenly goodness everyday due to the presence of the Holy Ghost as He speaks to us and ministers to us of God’s love. Remember, the Holy Spirit’s first job within the heart of every believer is to shed the love of God abroad in every area of our heart (Romans 5:5).

Because we have this down-payment in our hearts, “we are always confident, knowing that, while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (for we walk by faith, not by sight)” (2 Corinthians 5:6, 7). The Lord is not absent from us, for He never leaves us nor forsakes us, but we are absent from His physical presence. We know this for we do not walk by what we see, but by faith. Paul has already stated this case to the Romans when he said, “The just shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17).

Paul’s final piece of “blessed assurance” as I like to call it is to guarantee the believer that if we are absent from our body, we shall be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). This is a glorious promise for those who have lost a loved one who was a Christian, for we can know that they are at home with Jesus. They are not in some state of spiritual limbo, nor are they in a deep spiritual sleep awaiting the resurrection, but rather they are presently with the Lord Jesus Christ, and they are fully aware of all that is happening around them (Luke 15:19-31; Revelation 6:9-11).

Don’t fall into the trap of always looking at your surroundings. They will deceive you and cause you to fear the circumstances. Keep your heart focused on the promise that we have eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Promise, Not the Present

2 Corinthians 5:1-8

It is fitting to open this devotion with the last verse of the preceding chapter, “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18). Paul is encouraging the reader to live beyond the things that they see, and hold fast to the unseen promises of glory. He continues with the theme into chapter 5.

Remember that there is a distinct difference between the promise and present. Oftentimes the present seems dark and discouraging, with persecutions and trials, but we can rest in the knowledge that we are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus and that we have an eternal inheritance. I am not saying that Christianity is gloom and doom, for I don’t believe that in the least, but there are going to be rough seas on this journey, and persecutions will come (Mark 10:30).

Paul uses this section of his letter to give hope to the church, that there is more than meets the eye. He differentiates between the physical body of the believer and the spirit man. If we were to have this physical body stripped away, he assures us that we have a glorified spirit body that we will live in forever in heaven. The burden that is faced by the saint is “not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life” (2 Corinthians 5:4). We are not groaning to “be unclothed”, which means that as saints we are not begging God to kill us so that we can escape this world; instead we are longing for the glory that will come with being in His presence.

God actually implanted the desire inside of us to be with Him (5:5), and then gave us the “earnest of the Spirit”. The “earnest” is the “down-payment” in Greek, meaning that God put a down-payment on our eternity by placing the Holy Spirit in each one of us. We get a taste of His heavenly goodness everyday due to the presence of the Holy Ghost as He speaks to us and ministers to us of God’s love. Remember, the Holy Spirit’s first job within the heart of every believer is to shed the love of God abroad in every area of our heart (Romans 5:5).

Because we have this down-payment in our hearts, “we are always confident, knowing that, while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (for we walk by faith, not by sight)” (2 Corinthians 5:6, 7). The Lord is not absent from us, for He never leaves us nor forsakes us, but we are absent from His physical presence. We know this for we do not walk by what we see, but by faith. Paul has already stated this case to the Romans when he said, “The just shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17).

Paul’s final piece of “blessed assurance” as I like to call it is to guarantee the believer that if we are absent from our body, we shall be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). This is a glorious promise for those who have lost a loved one who was a Christian, for we can know that they are at home with Jesus. They are not in some state of spiritual limbo, nor are they in a deep spiritual sleep awaiting the resurrection, but rather they are presently with the Lord Jesus Christ, and they are fully aware of all that is happening around them (Luke 15:19-31; Revelation 6:9-11).

Don’t fall into the trap of always looking at your surroundings. They will deceive you and cause you to fear the circumstances. Keep your heart focused on the promise that we have eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Down-Payment on Your Inheritance

2 Corinthians 1:21, 22

Jesus promised that He was going away to prepare a place for us to dwell, and that when He was finished, He would return again and take us home (John 14:1-3). The Bible calls this place, heaven; a place where Jesus is the light and we will never die. Heaven is the final piece of our inheritance, one which is due to us as adopted sons of the Father (Galatians 4:7).

When you buy a home, the bank often requires that you make some form of down-payment on the property. This assures that your collateral has value from the first day of your loan, and it provides the bank with security, that you have a vested interest in repaying the note. Your down-payment can also be used to hold a property, allowing you to secure the remainder of the funds.

Christ has paid for all of our inheritance. His payment was not only adequate in the eyes of God, but was actually an overpayment for our sins. So great was the finished work of Christ, that God sees no more sin in the life of the believer, and He provides all abounding grace every time we fail (Romans 5:20).

We cannot take possession of all of our inheritance yet, as much of it is not of this world. But God has established us in Christ and anointed us as His vessels (2 Corinthians 1:21). Furthermore, He has sealed us and given us the earnest of His Spirit in our hearts (1:22). The seal of the Spirit is not to bind us with unbreakable cords to a life of slavery and hardship, but rather, the seal is to keep us secure in the Father, with no fear of contamination from a world of sin and pain.

The word “earnest” in the King James Version of the Bible is “arrabon” in Greek, meaning “money given as down-payment; or earnest money”. Paul uses it again in 2 Corinthians 5:5: “Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit”. Again, in Ephesians 1:14, “Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory”. Every time, it is referring to the Holy Spirit in us as a down-payment by God, assuring us that the inheritance is ours.

Don’t view the Holy Spirit inside of you as a traffic cop, blowing His whistle to tell you when to go, and staring you down when you disobey. He is your Comforter, and He loves you unconditionally. He has been placed in you by the Father to remind you of your right standing, regardless of how bad things might get (John 16:10). He is the guarantee in all believers that we are the righteousness of God in Christ, and that we will make heaven as our eternal home.

Rejoice in the Lord today for the seal of the Spirit in your heart. You are guarded by the Spirit from every harmful attack of the enemy, and nothing can penetrate your heart, to take away what is rightfully yours by Jesus’ blood. Praise the Lord!