For What Purpose Did God Make Us? Series

A BETTER BODY: Our current body is like a leaky tent; our resurrection body is like a solid building.

- 2 Corinthians 5:1-2, 4, 8.

- Verse 1 compares our earthly body to a tent. If you’ve been camping you know that most tents can be leaky, drafty, decidedly rough. But we have a second body to look forward to, if you want to put it that way. That “second body” is our resurrection body. Just as Jesus had a resurrection body that was clearly different from his original earthly body, so too will we. We know Jesus’ resurrection body was different because, just to cite one example, of the way He could appear in a room with locked doors.

- As we look at the world to come and the eternity that Christ has prepared for us, we too will have a resurrected body. Although we don’t know all the specifics, we can presume that it will be a significant upgrade over the one we now have.

- Without going too deep into it, it’s important here to understand the larger picture of our eternity. Our eternity is not all in heaven, although that is our first stop after our death. Rather, Revelation 21 and 22 envision a new heaven, new earth, and New Jerusalem. We will rule with Christ in those. It’s a vision of work, creativity, expansion, responsibility, and purpose. And far more interesting and compelling than strumming harps on a bunch of white clouds.

- Compared to that earthly tent, our resurrection body will be like a solid building, far better in every aspect.

- Verse 2 poses a challenging question.

- It says that among our groaning here on earth we long for that resurrection body. But do we? I don’t think most American Christians do. We don’t generally have a vision beyond this life. We’re just obsessed with the here and now.

- In fact, beyond the idea of actually longing for it I’m not sure if most American Christians even think about it. All we think about eternity is by way of concession. Hold onto this world as long as you can and then when you can’t anymore at least you have heaven to look forward to.

- Verse 4 speaks to the groaning that we do while we’re in this life. Our present body does have significant problems associated with it. We “groan and are burdened.”

- Again, though, Paul gives us more credit than American Christians deserve. He states part of our groaning is because we long for that second body (“the heavenly dwelling”). I’m not sure we do, though.

- Verse 8 flatly states that we would prefer to be with Him than here. With the exception of those who are death’s door, that’s just not true of most of us today.

- So when you add all this up, we have to ask the obvious question: why are we completely disinterested in something that Paul paints with such impressive words?

OUR FUTURE: Our mortal existence will be swallowed up in full life.

- 2 Corinthians 5:4-5.

- We don’t have a clear picture of who we are or where we’re going. Let’s see if we can get a clearer picture from Paul.

- The end of verse 4 tells us something important: “so that what is mortal may be swallowed up in life.” What does that mean?

- The “mortal” aspect of it is obviously a commentary on our current life and body. But the rest of the phrase leaves us wondering.

- What does it mean that it will be “swallowed up by life”? The word “life” there means the full, glorious, abundant life that Jesus offers us. This is life overflowing, life at its best. This is life without sin holding us back. This is life in our second body. This is life fully ably and eager to serve Christ.

- Verse 5 continues by telling us that: “Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose . . .”

- This is a substantial statement. It’s is the direct answer to the existential question “For what purpose did God make us?” The questions don’t get a whole lot bigger than that. What’s the answer this passage gives us?

- The given answer is that we have been that our mortal beings may be swallowed up in life. Even though we are sinful and corrupted now, even though we are incapable of earning all that God desires to bring into our lives, nonetheless God has opened up a breathtaking door of opportunity. That opportunity is for us to have our mortal being swallowed up in true, deep, abiding, overflowing, incredible life. God has made us to participate in this life.

- It’s not an afterthought or a consolation prize. It’s the very thing God had in mind when He created us.