2 Corinthians chapter 5

vs 1

God lived in a tent. Sure, it was big and flashy, but it was still a tent. And he came and 'tabernacled' with us when he sent Christ, who lived in a tent of a body. But those things were temporary, just like our own bodies are temporary. God's got eternal bodies for us which are less like tents, and more like houses.

vs 2

Way to cross your metaphors, Paul. Our heavenly bodies are houses which we long to be clothed in. Checkmate.

vs 3

And then follow up a mixed metaphor with a truism! Of course if you're clothed you're not naked, so obviously Paul is referring to something else here. It could be linked to Genesis, so that once we wear our heavenly body, we will no longer be ashamed.

vs 4

Yeah, this human body-tent is the equivalent of being unclothed, that is, naked, that is, ashamed after the Fall. We all want that to change. We want this shameful bit to be over.The heavenly body is not a replacement, mind - it is a renewal, a new creation. Our bodies aren't evil, they're just a symbol of our sinfulness. Sinfulness doesn't come from "the flesh" (to use the old term) in that physical matter is evil, it comes from our marriage to the world, or to ourselves, ahead of God.

vs 5

God made us this way, knowing full well what we'd go through. And that's why we have the Holy Spirit, at least in part. He is a guarantee to us that this mortal body isn't the end. The Holy Spirit is a deposit on what heaven will be like. Cool.

vs 6

I don't think Paul is talking about whether by our attitude we call our body "home" and are happy to be here. There's nothing wrong with enjoying our lives here. But the fact is that while we're alive on this planet (at home in the body) we're not in heaven.

vs 7

And hence the need to live by faith, and not by sight. Because if we live by sight (like, say, scientists do) then all we have to go on is what we see. And that is, well, the home we've got here in the body. But we know there's another home, with God in heaven. So it's better to treat this home like a holiday home, because we won't be here forever. I'm not saying that we should trash it, or treat it badly, or get up to no good. Gee, what do you guys do on your holidays? But I am saying that we can enjoy it, and that it won't last forever.

vs 8

Of course, holidays are good, but really we all want to be home, and that's with God. And we want this because we are confident of the truth of it. When you go on holiday, you always know that eventually you'll be headed home. We've even got a deposit, the Holy Spirit, which guarantees our trip back.

vs 9

And so, regardless of where we are at the time, since God has given us this confidence, this guarantee, we can seek to serve and please God wherever we are. So we don't slack off while we're on holiday. We enjoy ourselves, but we're still serving God. Which will be enjoyable, at least sometimes.

vs 10

Ooh, we've got to be careful we don't trash our holiday home, or use it to get up to mischief, because apparently, our boss owns the holiday home too! So when we get home, he's going to have a long list of angry phone call complaints and bills for repair, if we're not careful. Now, your boss doesn't get angry with you if, while staying at his holiday house for your holiday, you go to the beach and have fun swimming and eating fish and chips. But he does get a little peeved when you do burnouts in the middle of the town at midnight in the company car. Or when you've got music blazing at all hours keeping his neighbours up. And he'd be happy if, while you were up there, you waxed his wooden floor for him. I think this analogy has stretched sufficiently.