2nd Corinthians – Godly Social Order

Heaven and Earth

Professor: Dr. R.J. Rushdoony

Subject: Godly Social Order

Lesson: 9-25

Genre: Talk

Track: 9

Dictation Name: RR4165B

Location/Venue:

Year: 1998-2000

[Mark Rushdoony] We have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly into the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Let us pray.

Our most good and gracious God and heavenly Father, we thank you for the opportunity we have to come and gather together on the first day of the morning to celebrate your sons resurrection from the grave, so that we might have the promise of resurrection at the last day, and eternal life. We thank you for the union that we have because of Jesus Christ, we thank you that we have purpose and meaning, direction in our life, because of the salvation that you provide us. We thank you that we have all good things because of you. And we pray now that you would be with those who worship together this day in your name throughout the world; we especially pray for those who are persecuted for your names sake. We pray that you would encourage them, and encourage those who even now seek to relieve their suffering, and to sustain them. We pray that you would bless this time we have together in your word. In Christ our saviors name we pray, amen.

[R. J. Rushdoony] Our scripture is 2nd Corinthians 5:1-10. 2 Corinthians 5:1-10, and our subject: Heaven and Earth.

One of the problems that people in the church have is in their view of heaven. Now, Paul doesn’t use the word heaven in this passage, because what he is basically speaking about is the believer, you and I. Our life here, and our life in the world to come in heaven. Now, over the generations many people in the church have had very erroneous ideas about our relation to heaven. For many, this world because it passes away is seen as not important. And therefore they concentrate on the world to come. They pay little attention to the things of this world, and are heavenly minded as they feel. But the fact that the things of this world pass away does not make them of any less importance. The Bible tells us very plainly that marriage is for time only, and yet it has so much to say about the importance of marriage. Thus the things that are a part of this world only are not to be despised.

But there are some people who are always thinking about heaven, and are unmindful of the things of this world. I knew of one men’s group, a Bible study, made up of fairly prominent people, who met one day each week for a couple of hours, early in the morning, to study the Bible. But their Bible study never told them of their duties in this world. They concentrated on heaven. Now that is wrong.

On the other hand, there are many who believe in the Bible, believe that there is a heaven, and yet they try to think as little about it as possible. They don’t look forward to dying, which is the doorway into the world to come; so that they do not relate themselves to the wholeness of their life. Because Paul’s point here is that if we look at our lives in their fullness we do not see ourselves merely as what we are and what we are doing today, but as people who shall live eternally. And we need to know that there is a relationship between our life here, and that in the world to come.

So, what Paul has to say here is directed against being too heavenly minded to be responsible here, now, or being unwilling to think about the world to come, because after all, that is after death. And they put a great gap between life here, and life in eternity. It is true that they are very different, but it is also true there is a very great continuity there.

Now, Paul begins in verse 1 of chapter 5: “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”

Paul says we know that our earthly bodies are going to be dissolved. But we also know that we have a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. Now, when he says: “Our Earthly house” what he is literally saying in the Greek is, “Our tent house”. In other words, he compares our lives here and our bodies here to a tent.

Now, a tent is not a permanent home. It is also a very limited one. Imagine living all year long in a tent. Well, Paul says, ‘Our life here in the world, no matter how well off we are, is comparable to living in a tent house all our days.’ What we need to not only know but make a part of our lives every day, is the fact that we have a building, a permanent structure, not made with hands, in the heavens.

“For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:”

Those of us who are very much aware of what heaven is and how important it is, we in effect groan. We do our duty here and now, but we also know that this world is full of troubles, of sicknesses, and of sin. And we have a house very different, which is from heaven. Which is eternal. So that at the resurrection we put on the resurrection body, and we live eternally.

Then in verse three, Paul says: “If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.”

What does he mean by being naked? Well, a person without faith is in his eyes naked. But when we put on Christ, we are free from the burden of mortality, free from the tent-house world, because we know that we have a building not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. That is a remarkable dwelling, one that has all eternity as its prerogative.

So he goes on to say: “If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.” If our faith clothes us, our assurance, our knowledge that we are God’s creation, destined for heaven in Christ, then we are not found naked at the end, without any faith; living only in terms of this life, and unwilling to live in terms of eternity.

“For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.”

So, those of us who know the faith, while we are happy to serve the Lord and we enjoy His good gifts here and now, we do look forward, we groan being burdened; we know that real life is ahead of us, a fullness of life. And so, our mortality in time will be swallowed up of life. We shall live forever. So Paul is trying to make these Corinthian believer responsible. Aware of the fact that they are not for today only. Our lives are short; I am 83 and yet it does not seem that long ago that I was an infant. In contrast to this, Paul says, there is eternity. And all our life is a preparation for it. Therefore we are called upon to endure the problem, the difficulties, the trials, the weaknesses of this world, knowing that this is a testing place, a place of growth, a place where we develop our faith, so that we can be in heaven Gods servants eternally.

In verse 5 Paul continues: “Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.”

It is God who hath prepared us for this, a testing time in this world, an eternal reward in heaven. Therefore, we should walk in that faith, trusting that God who is altogether righteous, will bless, guide, and protect us. Moreover, God has given us the earnest, the promise, the certain pledge of the Holy Spirit, so that here and now we know through the Spirit that we are through eternity.

Then in verse 6: “Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:”

As long as we are in this world, we are absent or not with Christ. Paul knows, and elsewhere tells us, that in this life we always have the Holy Spirit, and Christ’s presence to bless us. But he means here the actual, physical body. So that in this world, we are as it were, not fully at home. To be fully at home will be heaven.

“(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)”

We know this by faith, and faith is the gift of God. So it is not our beliefs, but God’s gift of knowledge to us. That is what Biblical faith is about.

“We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”

Paul says we have the confidence that with death, we shall be present with the Lord. That death does not end things for us, but is the doorway to eternity.

“Wherefore we labour,” (or endeavor) “that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.”

So, Paul says: ‘We work here and now in order to please God. To do His will. Knowing that in a life to come which is eternal, we will be always present with the Lord.”

“For we must all appear” (verse 10) “before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”

We are saved by faith, we are rewarded by our works. There is in the eternal kingdom of God, stations and degrees of importance. We are all saved who are in heaven, but some are called to be, as our Lord in His parable says: “Ruler over ten cities.” Others over five cities, and others of us simply citizens of the eternal kingdom. It speaks of those who have by faith gained entrance into heaven, but it says: “They receive their reward according as each hath done, whether it be good or bad.”

Now, what Paul has done in these 10 verses, is to tell us of the continuity of heaven and earth. There is a vast difference of course. Sin and death are commonplace in this world. They are universal. And yet, we are creatures made by God for His purpose, and therefore when we meet His purposes, we have eternal life. We live in the joy of salvation. We live in a very real world, more real one might say than this, because it is permanent, and it is a joyful place. We are told that there is neither death nor dying, nor tears in that eternal kingdom. So, Paul is telling the Corinthians: ‘You are sinning in failing to bear in mind that this is your future.’

You live in terms of your future. We are always future oriented whether we admit it or not. We live in terms of doing our work, tomorrow and the day after, doing what we believe is meaningful and important work. We live in the expectation that what will come is better; so that we are working to better things here, and in the knowledge that with eternal life we have a glory that lasts without end.

And so, Paul writing to Corinthians who are content to be saved, but not to grow in grace or in sanctification, who committed sins and saw themselves still as good Christians; they were not growing. They were not facing the fact that there is an essential relationship between what we are and what we do here, and eternity.

Now, what is interesting about Paul’s treatment here of heaven is that he never uses the word! Because, while it is a place, he isn’t asking us to think of it in that sense, but to think of it in a very personal sense. ‘I am alive here and now, I shall be alive eternally, and what my life is throughout all eternity depends on how I live here, how I serve God, on my faith.’

This is a totally different approach, it is personal. Eternal life is personal. And so Paul here emphatically says: ‘Believe. Live your life with heaven in mind, as well as this earth, not just the one but both. Your duty is here and now, and your reward and bliss in the world to come.’

Let us pray. Almighty God our heavenly Father, we give thanks unto Thee for this Thy word. We pray that Thou wouldst make us mindful of our daily lives and their relationship to our eternal life, so that we may always walk mindful, that when our earthly house, our tent, disintegrates and is finished, we have a house, an eternal dwelling place, not built with hands in heaven. How great Thou art oh Lord, and we praise Thee. In Christ’s name, amen.

Are there any questions now about our lesson?

As you can see from the text, while Paul writes at times with a great deal of bluntness, citing the sins of people unsparingly, he also writes with a great deal of tenderness; to make them mindful of their privileges.

If there are no questions, let us conclude with prayer. Our Lord and our God, it is good for us to be here. Thy word is truth, and Thy presence and Thy Spirit of blessedness, that we thank and praise Thee for. Make us mindful day by day that we are not only citizens of this world, but also of heaven. That we must walk in obedience to Thy word, knowing that eternal life requires that we be faithful, that we believe and obey. We thank Thee our Father.

And now go in peace, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost bless you and keep you, guide and protect you, this day and always, amen.