All our life we deal with the complexities of “owning” two homes: “the home of the body” and our “home with the Lord“.
“we have courage,
and are well pleased rather
to be away from the home of the body,
and to be at home with the Lord.”
– 2 Corinthians 5:8
Young’s Literal Translation
Are you comfortable in your body? Don’t get too comfortable! Scripture seems to teach us this is kind of not “normal” as a believer in Christ – to “get comfortable” here. Paul sets the tone. Don’t get too comfortable, because we’re leaving soon! Paul says quite emphatically,
“we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.”
Jesus promised as He was leaving earth, going away in the clouds – that He would prepare a place for us in His Home – called Heaven (John 14). Read: Jesus will return soon, just as He left
Our citizenship is not in this world. We are citizens of Heaven. Believers “live and move and have our being” here, whatever the country may be (Verse 28 of Acts 17). But this world is temporary. So why live as if this is all there is!?
What we can see and touch and feel and smell easily becomes our dominant dwelling place – if we get complacent. It sort of takes a continual “heart check” to keep our eternal perspective in view. Heaven is real, and our home there is real. We must be cautious and active in faith.
Jesus said, (John 14:verses 23-24)
“If anyone [really] loves Me, he will keep My word (teaching); and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling place with him.
24 One who does not [really] love Me does not keep My words.
And the word (teaching) which you hear is not Mine, but is the Father’s who sent Me.
This is the attitude of a true believer while still on earth, while still in this home of the body: we keep His word (His teachings). We acknowledge our citizenship in Heaven when we keep His word.
We have a hope of a new home, and a new life in Heaven. We are not as those who “focus their mind on earthly and temporal things” (v19). Because of our hope in Christ we live by a new pattern of living:
17 Brothers and sisters, together follow my example and observe those who live by the pattern we gave you.
18 For there are many, of whom I have often told you, and now tell you even with tears, who live as enemies of the cross of Christ [rejecting and opposing His way of salvation], 19 whose fate is destruction, whose god is their belly [their worldly appetite, their sensuality, their vanity], and whose glory is in their shame—who focus their mind on earthly and temporal things.
20 But [we are different, because] our citizenship is in heaven. And from there we eagerly await [the coming of] the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; 21 who, by exerting that power which enables Him even to subject everything to Himself, will [not only] transform [but completely refashion] our earthly bodies so that they will be like His glorious resurrected body. – Philippians 3:17-21
There is a place, you know? Another place some will call “home”. “You don’t want to go there.”
Hell Is Home
Hell is home for the walking dead.
You ain’t leavin’ this home.
You don’t want to go there. You don’t want to be one.
But, there is hope in Christ.
Be sure to break new ground,
get out of your living grave –
if you don’t know Him personally.
He saves sinners.
I know, because Jesus saved me.
– Source: Hell Is Home
– verse 9 of 2 Corinthians 5:1-11
FOR MORE:
Heaven. What’s it going to be like?
Be cautious and active in faith
Today is your last day – and Hell is home tonight
Who In Hell Do You Think You Are?
At death we put on immortality
Even if you die, you will live
He who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus
Are you ready to meet your Maker?
For we know that if the earthly tent [our physical body] which is our house is torn down [through death], we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2 For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our [immortal, eternal] celestial dwelling, 3 so that by putting it on we will not be found naked.
4 For while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened [often weighed down, oppressed], not that we want to be unclothed [separated by death from the body], but to be clothed, so that what is mortal [the body] will be swallowed up by life [after the resurrection].
5 Now He who has made us and prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the [Holy] Spirit as a pledge [a guarantee, a down payment on the fulfillment of His promise].
6 So then, being always filled with good courage and confident hope, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight [living our lives in a manner consistent with our confident belief in God’s promises]—
8 we are [as I was saying] of good courage and confident hope, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.
9 Therefore, whether we are at home [on earth] or away from home [and with Him], it is our [constant] ambition to be pleasing to Him. 10 For we [believers will be called to account and] must all appear before the [a]judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be repaid for what has been done in the body, whether good or [b]bad [that is, each will be held responsible for his actions, purposes, goals, motives—the use or misuse of his time, opportunities and abilities].
11 Therefore, since we know the fear of the Lord [and understand the importance of obedience and worship], we persuade people [to be reconciled to Him]….
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