2 Corinthians 5:8 KJV
We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
Verses 1-8 of this chapter deal with the subject of death and eternity. Paul uses at least three terms to speak of his desire for heaven:
We groan (vs 2)
His desire to go to heaven was more than a passing fancy. It was more than a mere "someday I would rather go to heaven than the other place" sort of thing. Paul longed to go to glory. It was not that he did nothing in this life. Paul was busy about serving the Lord and happy to use every day of life on earth to the glory of the Lord. But his heart was in heaven and every day on earth only emphasized that desire.
We are confident (vs 6, 8)
He was confident that being in this body prevented him from being in the presence od the Lord and equally confident that being disrobed from this body would usher him into that very presence. Paul was assured of his soul's salvation and was certain that His eternal state would be with Christ.
We are...willing (vs 8)
I think I like this term most of all. Paul groaned for heaven, was confident that he would go to heaven and here willing that he could go there any moment.
I am not advocating that the Christian sit in a corner a whine about life. That was certainly not the type of spirit Paul had nor should it be the kind of mentality we ought to possess. We ought to "labour that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of Him." But on the other hand, I am urging that we shake off our love for the things of this life and "groan" for the day we are blessed to live with the Lord.
We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
Verses 1-8 of this chapter deal with the subject of death and eternity. Paul uses at least three terms to speak of his desire for heaven:
We groan (vs 2)
His desire to go to heaven was more than a passing fancy. It was more than a mere "someday I would rather go to heaven than the other place" sort of thing. Paul longed to go to glory. It was not that he did nothing in this life. Paul was busy about serving the Lord and happy to use every day of life on earth to the glory of the Lord. But his heart was in heaven and every day on earth only emphasized that desire.
We are confident (vs 6, 8)
He was confident that being in this body prevented him from being in the presence od the Lord and equally confident that being disrobed from this body would usher him into that very presence. Paul was assured of his soul's salvation and was certain that His eternal state would be with Christ.
We are...willing (vs 8)
I think I like this term most of all. Paul groaned for heaven, was confident that he would go to heaven and here willing that he could go there any moment.
I am not advocating that the Christian sit in a corner a whine about life. That was certainly not the type of spirit Paul had nor should it be the kind of mentality we ought to possess. We ought to "labour that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of Him." But on the other hand, I am urging that we shake off our love for the things of this life and "groan" for the day we are blessed to live with the Lord.
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