1 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. 2 For indeed in this we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, 3 inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. 4 For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. 5 Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge.
2 Corinthians 5:1-10 (LSB) Read verses 6-10 on the site.
If we read this passage phrase by phrase, we see that Paul is telling the Corinthian Church that “we know” things. What things? We know that our bodies will die, but at that moment we have a body “made not with hands” that is eternal. Knowing this, we “walk by faith” instead of by sight. What does Paul mean by this?
Paul uses this entire passage to explain how and why he does what he does. How can he take the Gospel into hostile territory? How can he endure beatings, persecutions, slanders, lies, and merciless attacks from the enemies of truth? He can do this because, instead of focusing on the evil circumstances he constantly finds himself in, he focuses on God, what He has done as well as on Jesus Christ his savior and what He has done. Knowing and believing the truth of the Gospel, he then obeys God in all that he does no matter how much he is threatened. He is not obeying blindly. He knows that God has proven His Word to Him. He believes truth. He is not hoping in a dream or a fantasy, but in God and His truth.