2 Corinthians 5:2 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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2 Corinthians 5:2

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The word translated ‘groan’ literally in the Greek is pressured, narrowed. The word ‘groan’ has rather a negative feel to us. A sigh would be rather better, that is the sense. Well, of course, we sigh – not that we want to leave our Christian service and our families and die – the apostle assures us of that in just a few moments – but we sigh when we consider the inadequacies of this present body and this present life. Why, we have declining bodies, we have sinfulness still. We long to be free from sin and to please the Lord and we fight against it and at times we are so despondent with ourselves and disgusted with ourselves and we look around us and there’s all the tragedy of this present, lost world. Then there is death of loved ones and parting. Oh how we sigh for that resurrection state – no more death, no more sighing, perfect holiness, communion with the Lord. Of course, we do because the resurrection body will be completely righteousness, perfectly free, having all dignity and communion with God.These are not groans of complaint, though sometimes sadly they are. They are sighs of longing. We are willing to be in this body if we are like the apostle Paul and like the Lord, because for the time being it is our calling, and we will honour him and serve him no matter what he calls us to do. But yet there is a part of us that wants to end the battle with sin and wants to see the Lord with unclouded, unveiled eyes. We could not stay in this condition forever. And we will obey and serve him here, but we earnestly desire to be clothed upon with that heavenly glory.If truly saved, in the final day you will not be found naked, without a resurrection body, a glorified body, a body fit for eternity. If you are truly saved, you are clothed with Christ’s triumph. Christ will be fully glorified. He is going to restore God’s original intention for this world. This earth is going to be destroyed and judged, reconstituted marvellously and wonderfully, better than even it was in the first place. It is going to be united, somehow, with heaven and those who are saved will receive resurrected, glorified bodies and the original intention of God will be reinstated and restored.

Application

Do we dear friends? Are we cold and distant on these things? ‘To be clothed upon’, is the apostle’s words, vastly superior: no flaw, no deterioration, but beauty, stability of soul, security. No temptation, no failure, no loss. That is the condition of the soul in the future, in a place of wonder and of love, a mansion in heaven even before the resurrection. Says the Lord, ‘I go to prepare a place for you’, a place where the soul is conscious and thrives and thrills to glorious surroundings. We earnestly desire to be clothed with our heavenly family, with those powers of recognition and fellowship, with acceptance and honour and glory. You can see how he is ready to accept any trial, any difficulty in the service of Christ because of what he is looking forward to.

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2 Corinthians 5:2 Commentary and Bible Study