“Ain’t Got No Body!” (A Dozen Thoughts on 2 Corinthians 5:1-10)

Friends: If you’re a regular reader of my blog, you know that my friend Frank (in New Jersey) and I have been doing an email Bible study for over a year. We read the same chapter every day for a week — and then send a brief email of encouragement to each other. We’ve completed most of the epistles of the New Testament — and it’s been a great discipline for both of us.

We’re now working our way through 2 Corinthians. Here’s my outline for several verses in chapter four:

“Ain’t Got No Body!” (A Dozen Thoughts on 2 Cor. 5:1-10)

1. The body we have is an earthly body (v. 1).
2. The body we have is subject to destruction (v. 1)
3. A replacement body is waiting for us in heaven (v. 1)
4. We should not be content with this earthly body, but groan and long for our heavenly dwelling (v. 2)
5. God’s plan is that we be clothed with our heavenly dwelling and not be unclothed (v. 4)
6. This heavenly dwelling shows that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life (v. 4)
7. God’s Spirit has been given us as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come (v. 5)
8. While we are in this earthly body, we are away from the Lord (v. 6)
9. This situation — being “away from the Lord” — gives us the opportunity to live by faith and not by sight (v. 7)
10. Our preference should be to be away from the body and at home with the Lord (v. 8)
11. In either case, we should make it our goal to please Him (v. 9)
12. What we do in this body matters. We will appear before the judgment seat of Christ to give an account of the things — good or bad — we did in the body (v. 10)

Today’s Challenge: What are you doing with your earthly body? Ignoring it? Abusing it? Worshiping it? Recognize that there is a much better body waiting for you in heaven, but use the body you’ve got now to serve Him!