Mixed Metaphors for the Mystery of Christian Existence (Read 5:1-5)⤒🔗

The Christian life is filled with so many remarkable contrasts. For example, believers value redemption most highly when they consider most deeply the power of sin. Again, although Christians are dead to sin, they still struggle with its power in their lives. And, while they may live on earth, they enjoy traces of heaven in the meantime. These are a few of the tensions that keep the faith's bowstring taut.

We heard the apostle compare, in our previous lesson, the 'light' affliction of suffering for Christ's sake with the 'heavy' glory awaiting believers in heaven. (Because our lesson builds so clearly on the preceding verses, please read again 2 Corinthians 4:16-18.) Continuing to unfold his theme of gospel power magnified through human weakness, Paul writes with tones of confidence ('we know,' v.1; 'we are always confident,' vv.6, 8) mixed with yearning groans (vv.2,4).

This confidence and these groans describe apostol­ic experience. Please remember that when Paul employs an array of 'we,' 'us' and 'our' in these verses, he is referring to himself and his missionary compan­ion Timothy. So before we extend these verses to our own experience, we must try to understand them as the apostle's self-description.

Metaphor #1: Earthly Tent Heavenly House←↰⤒🔗

Why is Paul confidently persevering in his apostolic work? Because he realizes that in spite of opposition and persecution, indeed, through such suffering, he is made to yearn more and more for God to show His power and strength. 'For we know,' he writes, 'that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.'

What is this 'earthly house'? The most likely explanation is that it refers to our earthly mode of existence, in the body. In other words, Paul is saying that if, through suffering and exhausting opposition, his body gives out, his earthly existence ceases, he will receive in its place something better.

Now, let's look carefully at why it will be better.

• First, Paul-the-tentmaker observes that this tent of his old existence (denoting impermanence, impover­ishment, fragility) will be replaced with a building (stability, durability, beauty). It's a building from God, that is: this new mode of existence comes from heaven to earth, not the other way around.

• Second, this new dwelling is not manufactured (literally, hand-made), but is spiritual, like the 'circum­cision not made with hands' (Colossians 2:11) and the 'taber­nacle not made with hands' (Hebrews 9:11). This new mode of existence is a spiritual creation, not a human invention.

• And third, this building from God is 'eternal in the heavens,' relating to Jesus Christ Himself, who has ascended to the Father's right hand as the head of His Body, the church.

Every believer, being in Christ, is therefore a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17), and experiences this tension of a salvation that awaits completion. It can be an exhausting burden, sometimes, to live here on earth.

This is what the apostle means in verses 2-4, where he speaks of groaning for and earnestly desiring heaven's way of life, where God's children live in resurrection style. (Question 1)

Metaphor #2: New Clothes←↰⤒🔗

Notice, then, the mixed metaphor in verses 2-4: Paul writes of being clothed with our dwelling!

But the metaphor's point becomes plain when we see that he is not speaking of changing his clothes, but of being over-coated, receiving a new garment to cover his old one. (A more accurate translation, in verse 4, would be: '...not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed with our heavenly dwelling...') Normally, people remove their old clothes before putting on the new ones. But Paul wishes to put the second set right over the old clothes. He longs to avoid being unclothed, and would rather be further clothed. How? Through life swallowing up mortality (v.4).

Here's the point to remember: the principal mystery of Christian living is that 'what is' (mortality) is transformed into 'what shall be' (life eternal). Think of our Lord's post-resurrection body: it was recogniz­able as His body (continuity) even though it was obviously different (transfiguration)! Similarly, our heavenly existence will display continuity with our earthly existence (we'll have bodies), but with some fundamental changes (we'll have transfigured bodies).

Here we come face to face with the mystery of redemption itself: continuity through transformation. This is the mystery of regeneration, for example. Generation we can understand. But regeneration? Who ever heard of a seed germinating twice? Or an egg hatching more than once? The very notion of being spiritually 'born again' involves being over-coated by the Spirit of God. Imagine yourself looking down on the highway of your own spiritual life. As you compare the 'before' and 'after,' it's clear that what lived before regeneration was truly you, and that what lives afterward is the new you. (Question 2)

Now we begin to sense the holy tension in Chris­tian living, between the present and the future. You see, these two sets of clothing represent two modes of existence. Our existence in the present age is tattered with sin, worn threadbare by the struggle against evil. But along with the apostle, we yearn for the coming age, when God's resurrection power will clothe each of us with a new existence: spotless, wrinkle-free and beautiful. We groan for the coming age when our works will be purified and our bodies healed.

Why do we long so deeply for our new clothes? Because God Himself has created that yearning deep within us, when He gave His Spirit to dwell (again the building metaphor!) within the church. This Holy Spirit is a guarantee — or better: a deposit — of the coming new age. Quite unlike the guarantees we receive with our home appliances, this deposit is of the same nature as the thing guaranteed, a first install­ment. This means that there can be no failure or frustration of God's plan for believers! His own Spirit serves as an internal life-force, working powerfully within, assuring all believers that the very same power at work in Christ's resurrection and in their regenera­tion is preparing their mortal bodies for the consum­mation of redemption. Having experienced regeneration, we now long for the completion of God's re­creation! (Question 3)

Application #1: Confidence for the Present (Read 5:6-8)←↰⤒🔗

The apostle turns now to apply his metaphors of Christian existence to his own apostolic life and labors. He speaks of a constant, present-day confidence ('always confident'), a certainty not dependent on moods or circumstances. His courage is enhanced by knowledge: 'knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord.'

Scripture does not mean to suggest here that anyone who feels 'at home' in this life is thereby not living close to Christ. Nor are we to learn from this passage that Christ is not near to those on earth who love and believe in Him. Rather, the phrases 'at home' and 'absent' describe two kinds of existence, consistent with the thought of the preceding verses.

Another description is found in verse 7: 'For we walk by faith, not by sight.' Throughout the Bible, the metaphor of 'walking' describes living in God's pres­ence (see Psalm 1, for example). Believers living after Pentecost 'walk' not according to the flesh, but by the Spirit (Romans 8:1). Here in verse 7, two quite distinct manners of living are identified: 'by faith' and 'by sight.' These describe different orientations, distinct mind-sets, contrasting life-principles.

But let us be careful to understand from the context how 'faith' and 'sight' are related. Remember what we learned earlier: the main point of the clothing meta­phor was continuity through transformation (mortality is swallowed up by life). Similarly, 'faith' is the over­coat covering 'sight.' Faith goes deeper, reaches higher, encompasses more, than sight. The problem is not that 'sight' is always wrong, but that it's never enough! It is by faith — not as instrument, but as neces­sary condition — that God transforms mere sight into perspective. As the apostle had put it a few verses earlier: 'the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal' (2 Corinthians 4:18).

One reason for pausing to reflect on the relation­ship between these two manners of existence is the common assertion that faith contradicts sight. But this way of putting the matter seems to confuse the categories of faith/sight with those of flesh/Spirit. Without question, the Spirit contradicts and opposes the flesh (see Galatians 5:16ff., where 'flesh' denotes the old way of life-governed-by-sin). But not so with 'faith' and 'sight.' The problem with living by sight is not inaccuracy, but inadequacy. As Hebrews 11:1 teaches: 'Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.' (Question 4)

Summarizing the apostle's point, then, we learn that although the believer's future manner of life will be better than his present earthly existence, its certain­ty encourages us to prepare now, by the way we live, to enjoy our 'new clothes.'

Application #2: Confidence for the Future (Read 5:9-11)←↰⤒🔗

If our deepest desire is to be transformed, finally, into the image of Christ, then that longing must fuel our daily progress toward Christlikeness. Another motive for present faithfulness is the future judgment. We desire to please God with an eye to standing, one day, before His throne of judgment, where everything done on earth will undergo scrutiny and evaluation.

Therein lies the meaning of the final judgment for the believer: it is a judgment of evaluation, not con­demnation. Divine rewards, proceeding from grace, varying in proportion according to our earthly perfor­mance, await us in heaven. (Question 5)

Knowing the terror of the Lord (v.11; notice, again, how much the Christian faith involves knowing!), the apostle is filled with reverential awe for his Master and solemn regard for his own ministry. This realization compels him to persuade those within the Corinthian congregation who doubt his sincerity and challenge his apostolic authority. Deep down, they know he's right. In their consciences (that private 'throne of judgment,' where the absolute demands of a holy God are privately applied), they know that Paul is whole-hearted and single-minded in his presentation of the claims of Christ. Consequently, in view of both the coming eternal judgment before God, and the present temporal judgment among the Corinthians, the apostle acknowledges his own integrity and willingness to be well-pleasing to God.

Questions for Reflection and Reply←⤒🔗

1. Review the three differences between the earthly tent and the heavenly house. Each emphasizes that God is the source of every spiritual blessing. Do you believe it is proper, then, to speak of ourselves as 'building the kingdom of God'? Why (not)?

2. Compare the meanings of the word 'new' in the following statements: 'Last week I bought a new car' and 'When that carpenter was finished remod­eling, I had a new kitchen!' Which statement depicts 'continuity through transformation'? In which of these two senses will we have 'new' bodies in heaven?

3. Mention some ways in which a believer's longing 'for the completion of God's recreation' comes to expression.

4. In view of the contrast between 'faith' and 'sight,' how will the Christian scientist work differently than the anti-Christian scientist? Will their meth­od(s) differ? They experiments? Their findings? (Hint: think of the difference between 'sight' and 'perspective.')

5. In light of Heidelberg Catechism, Lord's Day 19, QA 52, why should we look forward to the last judgment? Why don't we, so often?