Wednesday: Shedding the Tent
“Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you, knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me” (2 Pet. 1:13-14, NKJV).
In 1956, Oscar Cullmann wrote a short study called Immortality of the Soul or Resurrection of the Dead?:
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The Witness of the New Testament. He argued that the concept of the resurrection is quite incompatible with the concept of the immortal soul. Furthermore, he said that the New Testament lies squarely on the side of the resurrection of the dead.
“No other publication of mine,” he later wrote, “has provoked such enthusiasm or such violent hostility.”
Read 1 Corinthians 15:12-57. What does Paul imply happens in death?
A study of what the New Testament says about death and resurrection has convinced most New Testament scholars that Cullman was correct. The New Testament indeed assumes the concept of resurrection, not the concept of an immortal soul that survives the death of the body. For example, in
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18, Paul urges those who have lost loved ones to death to be comforted with the knowledge that when Jesus returns again, He will raise the dead. In
1 Corinthians 15:12-57, Paul gives an extended description of resurrection. He begins by pointing out that Christian faith is based on the resurrection of Jesus. If Jesus was not raised, then any faith in Him is futile. But, says Paul, Christ has indeed risen from the dead, as the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. And Christ’s resurrection from the dead makes it possible for all those in Him to rise from the dead, as well.
Paul talks about the resurrection body in 1 Corinthians 15:35-50. He contrasts the new bodies we will receive in the resurrection with our present bodies. What we have now will die; what we will have in the resurrection never will.
| In summary, when the New Testament talks about death, it does so in terms of resurrection, not immortality of the soul. This is important to know as a background to reading 2 Peter 1:12-14. |
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With such plain powerful statements about the hope of eternal life due to the resurrection, I have often been amazed that this truth is twisted and even ignored. Perhaps, it is comforting to some to visualize the spirit of a loved one floating in heaven waiting for their body, but Paul reminds us to comfort one another with the words he had just spoken. One day Jesus will return and when he comes, those that have died in Christ and we who remain will have a great reunion day in the air before going to where Jesus is now! Praise God! May it be soon!
They may be powerful statements to us who believe God Eddie, but we need to understand that many people are not swayed by powerful statements because they see the lives of people who call themselves Christian and act selfishly. Powerful statements are only credible when those who claim to believe them act with the love of God.
As you point out, a church or individuals who have not the spirit of Christ can create a diversion to the power of God's words, but even then our God does not give up and will find another way to reach the heart of hearers of his word. Where sin did abound, grace did much more abound. God will find a way even when we fail.
Thanks! Eddie for making those words clear. What an Awesome Message?
it says in 1 Corinthians 15:12-57 that the righteous arise and see their love ones and that will be day for all of us..amen
I totally accept the resurrection of the righteous dead at the Second Coming etc. But l would love for someone to explain the following verses.2Co 5:1 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.
2Co 5:2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:
2Co 5:3 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.
2Co 5:4 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...2Co 5:6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
2Co 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
2Co 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
Many thanks in anticipation
Paul refers to the taberncle or tent as the physical body that we now carry with us in order to experience his love for us. He wants to shed that tent in favor of the permanent building which will not decompose. The tough verses are
5:1 suggesting our bodies are eternal. This is simply a bad reading, see another version. Not our bodies are eternal, but God's house is. This is to suggest that the body of believers who live in faith will be united, not that individually our bodies are sitting on a rack waiting for us.
5:6 "home in the body" is home in our tent, or perishable body, which means we have not yet received the glorious one. That being the case, we have not access to the face to face which soon we will all enjoy.
5:4 unclothed. That is, no tent or heavenly body which can only mean the grave. Sleeping has no opportunity to praise Jesus.
After reading your text I believe Paul was describing our walk with the Lord. Our relationship with Him. I do not believe Paul was referring to a after death experience at all. These texts would be a way of explaining tonon-believer what prayer is, what a relationship with Christ is, what dying in Him is, and at the same time living with Him is, rather than what life after death is. The dead know not anything including the soul. The soul is The breath of life God gave you when you were born. When it departs from the body it is as dead as the body. No longer a soul, but just hot air that rises towards heaven.
Good question, Marcia. I would also add Peter's own discussion of shedding his "tent" and Paul's discussion in Philippians 1 about being torn between continuing in the body and departing to be with the Lord.
For me personally, these kinds of statements can only make sense in the context of the clear Bible testimony that death is a sleep, and that the precious saints will awaken at the resurrection of the last day, if I bear in mind that in the sleep of death, there is no consciousness of the passage of time. Folks like Peter and Paul would have been well aware of this fact, and that in their personal experience the resurrection to immortality would happen instantly at the point of death. That is, subjectively, this would seem to be the case, regardless of how long they might actually sleep in the grave.
I hope that you will find this helpful.
The curiosity of those that would hypothesize about the immortal soul and resurrection is little more than speculation. No one has experienced any part of this finality promised. Do we trust God? Absolutely. Do we add on? Does the imagination fill in the empty spaces? Quite often.
Death is horrible because we were not meant to die! Thanks to God's love (Jesus), death was conquered! Thus, we have to try to substitute this hard and painful reality for the joy of love! Death is not but a rest. Faith may carry us on. Till morning, till the opening of our eyes!
Physical death does not affect the “soul”. Mat 10:26-28 Death seals the soul’s status or condition. Since believers form the body of Christ, spiritually, they don’t die, *spiritually*. Christ is risen to eternal life, not to see death anymore. Believers are in a gracious, indissoluble, covenant relationship with Christ. Physical death does not affect it. Rom 6:10,11; 8:28-39 Paul talks about the “inner” man residing in the “outer” man. The outer man, the TENT, is decaying while the inner is being daily renewed. 2 Cor 4:16 - 5:9 Believers are being sanctified in order to be presented blameless before God at Christ’s second coming. At death they are sealed blameless. The groaning and sufferings are over (Rom 8:23; 2 Cor 5:2,4). Both Paul and Peter welcomed this transition. Paul - “I am hard-pressed from both, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for it is very much better(Phil 1:23). Peter - “Knowing that the laying aside of my dwelling is imminent...”(2 Pt 1:14).
Believers occupy the heavenly Jerusalem, Christ’s kingdom, seated in heavenly places with Christ, now. Heb 12:22-24 identifies the citizens: “... myriads of angels, the general assembly and church of the firstborns who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the SPIRITS of RIGHTEOUS MADE PERFECT, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than that of Abel.
The righteous dead, spirits made perfect, like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are all ALIVE to God Luk 20:38. They are permanent members of the body of Christ, spiritually. Their lives are still testifying, like the martyrs under the altar Rev 6:9-11.
Thanks Michael and Kenny for your insightful comments