OUR HOUSE FROM HEAVEN

"For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven; inasmuch as we, having put it on, shall not be found naked. For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed, but to be clothed, in order that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge. Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord--for we walk by faith, not by sight--we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:1-8).

Devotion 2 of 12
A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE

So, why were believers in old time so different? It was because they had a different perspective. They saw life differently. Their attitude was shaped by their exposure to God and His promises. Abraham was not noted for his recollection of Ur, but, rather, his anticipation of the promised land. Joseph's ultimate consideration was not Egypt, but Canaan. He even wanted his bones transported there after he died. Joshua and Caleb did not consider the formidable walls and giant people of Canaan, but the inheritance that God had given them. Paul did not ponder prison, but the "crown of righteousness" that awaited him. Those living by faith have always had a different perspective. The ultimate One, the Lord Jesus Christ, "for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame . . . " (Heb 12:2).

A consistent representation

In Scripture, there is a consistency to this frame of mind that defies opposition. Saints of old
"confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth" (Heb 11:13). I would not hesitate to challenge any person anywhere to produce a God-accepted individual of Scriptural record that was dominated by "this present evil world." Read through the eleventh chapter of Hebrews, and you will find how faith reacts in this world. It always lives in view of God, ponders His promises, and subjugates earthly views.

Setting the stage

This is certainly not intended to be a mere vituperation against the religious world. It is intended to set the stage for a review of one aspect of Divine purpose that has been obscured--yea, hidden--from the minds of the religious masses by these conditions.

The heart of Divine purpose

The consideration of "our house from heaven" brings us into the heart of Divine purpose. By its
very nature, it moves us away from the periphery of life. It does not deal with the resolution of problems that attend a wayward life, or difficulties that result from walking on the broad road that leads to destruction. The purpose of the Spirit is not to smooth the road of mediocrity. Candidly, if people choose to live at a distance from God, we have nothing to offer them--nor does God. Jesus brings no nourishment to the table of slothful servants. He offers no word of encouragement to those who walk in the flesh. He is not a Counselor for individuals that quench and grieve the Spirit. If the people do not company with Him, they will not eat at His table. If they do not look where He is pointing, they will not see His point. That is simply the way things are in the Kingdom.

AN OVERVIEW OF OUR TEXT
Summation #1

Individuals who are dominated by faith see human experience more as "affliction." This does not dissuade them from following Christ, because their life is actually an investment in eternity. They do not adjust their focus to circumstance, but to eternity, choosing to let "things which are not seen" dominate their vision. Their present tenure in the body is perceived as temporary and inferior. For them, life in the body also produces a longing to inhabit an incorruptible frame, compatible with their renewed nature. In Christ, God has recreated them to inhabit an immortal frame in an eternal realm. Knowing this, they live confidently in the midst of handicap, preferring to leave this realm and enter into the presence of the Lord.

Summation #2

Although we have been justified and possess the Holy Spirit, we endure an incessant struggle with sin. This is because we hold a heavenly "treasure" in an "earthen vessel" (2 Cor 4:7). The prospect of deliverance is directly related to the resurrection of the dead. At that time we will be clothed with an incorruptible frame--an immortal body.

The resurrection body will consummate our adoption. Therefore the Spirit depicts the yearning of the believer in these words: "we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body" (Rom 8:23).
We are not complete until our whole person, "spirit, soul, and body," are "swallowed up of life." Just as the fall was thorough, so is the redemption from it! Everything blighted will be healed!

PRAYER POINT: Father, I sense in my spirit that I do not belong to this world. I year deeply for a better country, one that is heavenly. In Jesus' name, I thank and praise You for revealing in Your Word that this is evidence I have been born again!

-- TOMORROW: CLEARING UP JOHN 14:14:2 --