Shalom, my dear brothers and sisters and dear friends. We are going to continue with our study of the second letter that Shaul Paul wrote to the Corinthians. And I would like you please to turn to 2nd Corinthians chapter 4 and we are going to read from verse 13 to the end of the chapter and into 2nd Corinthians 5 verses 1 to 8. So please follow me as we are reading 2nd Corinthians 4 from verse 13 and so I'm reading Paul continues to write to the Corinthian believers opening his hearts before them expressing the challenges that he's facing as he's serving the Lord in his ministry and seeking to share with them the burden that he has in his heart.

On the one hand share with them the encouragement that he received from the Lord but on the other hand to encourage them as well and to remind you that Paul had to write a severe letter before these 2nd Corinthians and now that he heard that things are doing fine the Corinthians have repented and changed their mind concerning him. He is writing to them the second epistle opening his heart before the Corinthians and now that he is now saying in 2nd Corinthians chapter 4 verse 13 we having the same spirit of faith according as it is written I believe and therefore I spoke. We also believe and therefore speak knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus and shall present us with you.

For all things are for your sake that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many a redound to the glory of God for which cause we faint not. But though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day for a light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. While we look not at the things which is but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal. Now chapter 5 and verse 1 for we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God and house not made with hands eternal in the heavens.

For in this we groan earnestly desiring to be closed upon with our house which is from heaven if so be that being closed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan being burdened not for that we would be unclosed but closed upon That mortality might be swallowed up in life now he that hath wrought us for the self same thing is God who also has given unto us the earnest of the spirit. Therefore we are always confident 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 confident I say and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Well beloved brothers and sisters I have just read for us all 2nd Corinthians chapter 4 verse 13 to 18 and moved on to chapter 5 verses 1 to 8. And here we are in this section the section that began in 2nd Corinthians 4 verse 1 and continues on to chapter 5 and verse 8. A section in which the apostle Shaul Paul emphasizing the need for courage for the conflict that all believers go in general. But he himself has gone through in particular in his life as he is ministering the word of God in various cities and various localities where he experienced much persecution, much opposition.

Even opposition from among those that he has led to the Lord including the Corinthians which if you remember in our study together of the 2nd epistle he is opening his heart before them because they have turned against him initially. He wanted to minister to minister to them because he wanted to minister to them. They have listened to false teachers that crept in that said certain things about the apostle Paul who would actually establish the local assembly in the city of Corinth. So beloved brothers and sisters 2nd Corinthians chapter 4 verse 1 into 2nd Corinthians 5 verse 8 we have these four times when the apostle Paul used the word we have.

Notice that chapter 4 verse 1 he said already we have this ministry. Chapter 4 verse 7 chapter 4 verse 7 chapter 4 verse 7 chapter 4 verse 13 where we began our reading at this time we having the same spirit of faith. In chapter 5 verse 8 verse 1 we have a building of God and house not made with hands eternal in the heaven. So Paul is emphasizing the fact that all believers, him, those that served with him, the Corinthians and you and I my dear friend, we have this ministry, we have this treasure, we have this same spirit of faith, And we have this same spirit of faith, and we have a building of God and house not made with hands eternal in the heaven.

As we are going on to continue to serve the Lord and as the apostle Paul went to serve the Lord in this ministry that the Lord had given him, he emphasized the fact that we have, we are possessing because of what the Lord Jesus the Messiah has done for us. He forgave our sin, he provided for us redemption. He gave us a ministry that he gave us a ministry that is unique, that is a ministry in a world in which we live in to share the message of the gospel. This new covenant, this ministry of the new covenant mentioned in chapter 3 and verse 6, it's not of the letter but it is of the Spirit.

It is that which gives life. The letter, kill us, the Spirit gives life. This is a glorious ministry according to chapter 3 and verses 7 and 8. The ministration of the Spirit is glorious than the ministration of the letter. In other words, what he is saying, the law, God's holy law was given to the people of Israel and was fulfilled in the person of the Lord Jesus the Messiah and because God's law is holy and mankind is a sinner, the law kills us. But the Spirit gives us life. And therefore he is emphasizing the gospel of the grace of God, this ministration of the Spirit of God, which is glorious than the Lord, which is glorious than the ministration of the law.

Although the law is glorious and holy, but the law is because it is holy and we are sinners by nature. The law kills us, but the Spirit gives us life because the fulfillment of the law by the Lord Jesus the Messiah and all who believe on him receive forgiveness and salvation. So now, in chapter 4, he is emphasizing number 1 verses 1 to 6. We have a glorious ministry, which we have covered in our previous meetings together. Number 2, in verses 7 to 12, we have a valuable treasure in our earthen vessels. We have a treasure that we as believers are carrying on here in this world because this treasure is in our bodies, in our self, in our personhood, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us.

In other words, Paul is saying as he ministered the word of God among the Gentiles, among the nations, among the goyim, presenting the gospel of the grace of God, although he have experienced trouble on every side, he was perplexed, he was persecuted, he was cast down, but he is always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Yeshua, the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus might be made manifest in our bodies. So, Paul emphasized the fact that not only do we have a glorious ministry, we have also a valuable treasure, the treasure of the message of the gospel, that all believers can be encouraged to continue on and not to faint as they are following the Lord Jesus and serving here in this world.

You notice that twice he is mentioning in chapter 4 the word we faint not. You see that, beloved brothers and sisters? He is mentioning this in verse 1 of chapter 4. Therefore, seeing we have this ministry as we have received mercy, we faint not. A little bit later, in verse 16, he says, For which cause we faint not, but though our outward men perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. And so now, beloved brothers and sisters, in 2 Corinthians 4, in this chapter, for verses 13 to 18, this is the third thing that the Apostle Paul emphasized, the fact that we have a confident, a sure faith, he is saying to the Corinthians.

Notice that as we are going through this portion of Scripture. In verse 13, God's people, Paul is saying to the Corinthians, should have a faith, attitude, that trust in God. Unbelief, unbelief really shut our mouth. But we believe God which gives us boldness to speak. You notice he said in chapter 4, verse 13, Paul said, We having the same spirit of faith, the same attitude of faith, according as it is written, I believe, and therefore I have spoken. We also believe, and therefore we speak. You see, Paul is saying, we believe the message of the gospel. And because we believe the message of the gospel, of the grace of God, that the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, came down to this world to pay for the sin of this world.

We believe God's message through the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, and the power of the Holy Spirit of God. Well, therefore, we have the same attitude of faith, the same spirit of faith, as it is written and is quoting the Psalms of Israel in Psalm 116. And there we read in verse 10. And let me read to you this psalm. Psalm 116 and verse 10 tells us, I believe, therefore have I spoken. I was greatly afflicted. I said in my haste, all men are liars. What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefit that he hath given to me? This is, of course, the psalmist of Israel who is singing this psalm concerning the goodness of the Lord.

I love the Lord because he had heard my voice and my supplication. Again, to remind you that the Apostle Paul oftentimes quoting the Hebrew scriptures. Why? Because there is a link. Whatever God prophesied, whatever God said concerning the coming Mashiach, the coming Christ, the coming Messiah, had been fulfilled. And you can see that although we live in a different dispensation of the church age, yet Paul oftentimes is quoting what the people of Israel were singing about when they trusted God. When they believed in God, in God's mercy for them. So I believe, the psalmist of Israel said in Psalm 116, 10, therefore because I believe have I spoken.

I was greatly afflicted because I have spoken, but I have spoken. I have preached the word of God. So the psalmist is speaking of the fact that he presented the word of God before the nation of Israel and those that came to be among the nations or the nations surrounding Israel. He believed. He believed that because he believed, he preached, he had spoken on behalf of God. Well, the Apostle Paul believed in the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, and he has spoken. The Corinthians believed the message of the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, and therefore they are speaking. You see, this is very, very important, beloved brothers and sisters.

Unbelief shut our mouths. You remember the verse that we read in Luke chapter 1 and verse 20, where we read in that chapter, verse 20, that, and behold, thou shalt be dumb. The angel said to Zechariah, the father of Yohanan Hamadbiz, John the Baptizer. Why? Because he didn't believe when he was told concerning his son that will be born. So, we read that the angel said to him, behold, thou shalt be dumb and shalt not be able to speak until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season. You see, beloved brothers and sisters, if you don't believe what God says in his word, you will not share anything with anybody else about God's word.

If you don't believe in the Lord Jesus, the Lord Yeshua, the Messiah, you will not tell others about him. So, believing on him will produce in us a desire to share that message of the gospel. We who believe God, which gave us boldness to speak. That's why Paul said in Romans 1 verse 16, For I am not ashamed of the gospel of the Messiah, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes. He is not ashamed. He is sharing that message with those that are coming before him. And he was called to be the apostle to the Gentiles, to the nations of the world.

In Romans chapter 10, we do read, beloved brothers and sisters, in verse 17, we read, Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. How would people hear the message? How would they believe the message of the gospel? Unless the preacher, the people of God, will believe and speak on behalf of the Lord. And so, Paul is pointing to the confidence that he has, and you and I should have, to continue on, in spite of the conflict that we have here in this world, by simply having confident faith, true faith in the person and the work of the Lord Jesus, the Messiah. After all, beloved friend, he died for our sins.

We have all come short of the glory of God. God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth on him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. Well, Paul continues in 2 Corinthians 4, and this time in verse 14, Paul was sure of the ultimate victory that he and all believers will ultimately have. God will raise his own people to be with him. We have a sure victory because what the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, has done for us. And so we read in verse 14, In other words, notice that he is speaking to the Corinthians. Again, to remind you, the Corinthians were saints, although they did not have a right attitude in their lives as believers.

Yes, they, according to the record that we have in the New Covenant, in the Brit HaChadasha, in the New Testament, the record of the behavior of the Corinthians was very poor. One would wonder whether they were saints all together, but apparently they were believers. They were born again, born of the Spirit of God, but they were not always in the right spiritual state. And maybe you and I, as well, in our lifetime, we are sometime up, sometime down. Sometime we are walking with the Lord. Sometime we are turning away from the Lord. When we are going in the flesh, when we are not walking in the light of the glory of God, and the power of the Holy Spirit of God, and therefore, beloved brothers and sisters, yet Paul is telling there to the Corinthians that he was sure of the ultimate victory.

God will raise his own people. Every believer that belonged to the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, God will raise, as he raised the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, from his death, and he raised him for our justification. He will also raise up us, me, Paul, you, Corinthians, and you and I, if you are a believer, my dear friend, he will raise us up, beloved brothers and sisters, and he will present us, Paul and those that serve with him, along with the Corinthians, and along with you and I, if you are a believer, he will present us there in the presence of the Lord, with all those that truly belong to the Lord Jesus, the Messiah.

Notice what we read in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, that which is connected with the rapture of the church, of the assembly. We do read in verse 13, But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep. In other words, those believers that have died already. That ye saw not, even as others which have no hope. Verse 14, For if we believe that Jesus, that Yeshua died and rose again, and even so, them also which sleep, that died through Jesus, that sleep through Jesus, will God bring with him. For this we say unto you, by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not precede them which are asleep.

In other words, that word for sleep apply only to believers, in Jesus the Messiah, to those who are forgiven. They, we call them, they have died, but really they are sleeping, waiting the day of resurrection, to be with the Lord. And so we continue in verse 16 of 1 Thessalonians 4, For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God, and not as dead. The dead in Christ shall rise first. There will be the resurrection. And we which are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them, in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Wherefore comfort one another with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4 verses 13 to 18. The truth of the resurrection of the believers is sure. The victory of the believers in the Lord Jesus, the Messiah is sure. And the grave has no power, no victory, because the tomb, the grave was defeated by the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, the Messiah. Remember what we read in 1 Corinthians chapter 15, where we do read, beloved brothers and sisters, in verse 55, O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ, our Lord Jesus, the Messiah.

The grave is no more have any victory over those that belong to Yeshua, the Messiah, my dear friend. And so Paul continued to emphasize the need to have sure, confident faith, as we are entering in our lives through various conflicts that exist here in this world. He says, Now, in verse 15 of 2 Corinthians chapter 4, Paul was sure that God will be glorified. Beloved brothers and sisters, how wonderful is to know that God will ultimately be glorified through His own people, although we fail Him many, many, many times. And so we read in verse 15, Whatever happened to the Apostle Paul in his ministry was ultimately for the sake, for the benefit of the believers at Corinth.

that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many overflow or abound or remain to the glory of God. Whatever happened to the believers in our life, all things are for the benefit of whatever trials and tribulations and conflicts and sorrows here in this world. Ultimately God is using these for the glory of God, for the benefit of His people. Remind us, doesn't it, of Roman 8 and verse 28, where Paul said to the Roman believers, And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are the called according to His, to God's purpose. See, ultimately God will be glorified from the challenges and the conflicts and the trials of His own people.

God eventually will receive the glory from His people. As it was in days of all in the history of our people of Israel, God throughout the trial that He allowed to Israel to experience, He ultimately did receive glory from His own people. For the Lord God is a son and a shield. The Lord will give grace and glory. No good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly. The Lord of hosts blessed is the man that trusts in Thee. This is Psalm 84 verses 11 and 12. As the people of Israel have experienced challenges in the history of their journey. O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer, give ear, O God of Jacob's cellar.

The prayer was, in spite of trial, give ear, O God of Jacob. We, the psalmists have said, well, we read, for the Lord God is a son and shield. The Lord will give grace and glory. No good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly. Ultimately, the Lord will receive glory from the life of His own people even though at times they are experiencing trials in their lives. And so now, as we continue in verses 16 and 17 of 2 Corinthians 4, Paul was sure that his trials were working for him. Notice these brothers and sisters, sometimes we go through trials. We don't like trials. We don't look for them.

We don't search for them. We don't pray to have trials in our life. In fact, we wish not to have trials. But we read that the trials of your faith are much more precious than of gold. Although we don't like them as far as God is concerned, trials in the life of God's people is very precious. The Lord is using the trials to shape His own people, to mold His own people, to be a little bit more like the Lord Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah. And so we read in verses 16 and 17, for this cause, Paul is saying, We faint not, but though our outward men perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

Verse 17, Now, to say this, beloved brothers and sisters, when you are under persecution, under experiences of trials, like Paul mentioned already in verse 8 and 9 of this fourth chapter, We are troubled on every side, he said, yet not distressed. We are perplexed, but not in despair, persecuted, but not forsaken, cast down, but not destroyed, he said earlier in this fourth chapter. So, Paul is, beloved brothers and sisters, is very practical. Very practical. He is sharing with the Corinthians that the trials which he and those that follow him and serve with him, and also the trials which the Corinthians themselves will experience in their lives, and the trials which you and I will experience in our days.

These trials will ultimately work for the benefit of those that go through these trials. This is not easy to go through, although as we read the text, we can kind of read it without to recognize how serious it is and how real it is. Notice what Paul is saying in verse 16. The inward man and the outward man. This is a very interesting expression. In other words, he says in verse 16, For which cause we faint not? Why? Because though our outward man, this is the physical body, perishes as he gets older and he gets going through trials and he's going through opposition and hurts and persecution, the body is fainting.

The body is getting tired and weak. So he says even though our outward man, this is another expression of the body, is perishing, decayed, and he's perishing in the very interesting expression in verse 16 in Hebrew, it's called Ha'adam Ha'chitzon, the outward man. This is in yikale, yikale in Hebrew, it means it's really perishing, it's becoming weaker. Greek, the word perish is, in the Greek it is called diaf therior, and it really has to do change or worsen or being corrupted and being ruined and destroyed. And the bodily vigor and strength is weakened. And so he said even though the outward man perish, yet notice he used another expression, the inward man is renewed day by day.

Notice he is comparing the outward man and the inward man. The outward man representing the old nature and representing the body of the believer. The inward man representing the soul and the spirit and that which is inwardly is that which we have inwardly, the soul and the spirit and the new life that we have in Christ, in the Messiah. There is a verse in the gospel in Luke chapter 11 and verse 3. We read, give us day by day our daily bread. Notice, give us day by day our daily bread. Well, the body needs to be fed and needs to be taken care of. And so the outward man needs to be fed, taken care of.

But when there is persecution and trials, it's weak and it's getting weak and feeble and perishing, you know, decay. But then on the other hand, we have the inward man. And that is the soul of the believer. In fact, what we read in Matthew, and I just read another verse, beloved brothers and sisters, Matthew chapter 10 and verse 28, we read, And fear not them which kill the body, this is the outward man, but are not able to kill the soul. This is the inward man. But rather fear him which is able to destroy both the soul and the body, the outward and the inward person. So we have the soul and the spirit, and we also have the body.

And therefore, Paul is just expressing, he says, For this cause we face not, but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. And of course, the inward man also, beloved brothers and sisters, has a reference to the fact that we are now born of the spirit, born again, belong to the Lord. We have a new life, a new nature. In Romans chapter 7, we read in verse 22, For I delight in the law of God after the inward man. You notice there, the inward man, this is the divine nature, the inward man. Sometimes that expression, the inward man, in contrast with the outward man, speaking about really the two natures that we have.

But in the context here, 2 Corinthians chapter 4, he's speaking about the fact that the body is getting weaker and weaker because of persecutions and trials in the life of the apostle Shaul Paul and those that follow after him. And so he's saying here, beloved brothers and sisters, in 2 Corinthians, in chapter 4, in verse 16, he's saying, For which cause we feign not, but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. This is very interesting. There is a verse I want to read in Ephesians chapter 3. And there we read, notice that in verse 14, Ephesians chapter 3, and there in verse 14 we read, For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole or every family in heaven and in earth are his name, and that he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strength and honest with might by his Spirit in the inner man, that Christ, that the Mashiach may dwell in your heart by faith, that ye being rooted and grounded in love may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and the length and the depth and the height, and to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge.

You notice that? Passes knowledge that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the assembly by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. And you see, to be day by day strengthened in the inner man, to be renewed day by day is, that is exactly what Paul wrote to the Ephesians in Ephesians 3 verses 14 to 21. The soul, the spirit, the inner man, the new nature that God had given to us is day by day.

Paul is saying in 2 Corinthians 4 and verse 16, he is emphasizing the fact that it is renewed day by day, although the outward man is perishing. He continues in verse 17, and in verse 17 he says, the light affliction works in us an eternal weight of glory. Even though we are experiencing affliction, according to verse 17, he called it light affliction. I don't know how he can call it light affliction, because he was afflicted on every hand. He was persecuted, and he experienced much sorrows and much tribulation in his life. We'll read about it in chapter 6 and chapter 11 later on. But he says he's calling it a light affliction, which is bad for a moment.

In other words, the walk here on earth is bad for a moment. It's for a short season. But what does it do? It worketh in us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. So, what Paul is saying in verse 17, trials are actually working ultimately for the benefit of God's people. Peter said, as I mentioned earlier, beloved brothers and sisters, in 1 Peter chapter 1 and verse 7, the trials of your faith being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ, at the appearing of Jesus the Messiah.

And chapter 4 of 2 Corinthians is ending with verse 18, where Paul was sure that the invisible world was real. Although we don't see the invisible world, we are here on earth very much touching things and seeing things and handling things, but there is things that are not seen, not seen to the natural eye. And yet, by faith, we trust that these things that were promised by God are real. That's why Paul said in verse 18, we read, while we look not at the things which are seen, trouble, trials, problems, situation in this life, much, much to discourage the natural man. He said, but we are looking at the things which are not seen.

For the things which are seen really are temporary or temporal. But the things which are not seen are eternal. And you see, this visible world is sinful. This visible world is filled with temporary sinful trials, disappointments. That's why we read in 1 John chapter 2, where the apostle Yohanan, John says to the believers, he says, love not the world, nor the things which are in the world. For all that is in the world is the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. 1 John chapter 2, and verses 15, 16, and 17. That's why he continued to say, he says in verse 17, and the world passes away, and the lust thereof, but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.

So, love not the world. This is the system of this world, which is headed up by Satan. But the world, the material world, we are to be thankful for what the Lord has given to us. But the system that leads this world, we are not to love. Yet, we realize that the things which are seen are temporal. But the things which are not seen, they are eternal, beloved brothers and sisters. So, the invisible world is eternal. It really is eternal. We read in Hebrews chapter 11, beloved brothers and sisters, verses 1, 2, and 3. Now, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

For by it, the elders obtain a good report. Through faith, they understood that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of the things which do appear. In verse 10, we read of Hebrews chapter 11, For he looked about Abraham, he looked for a city which has foundation, whose builder and maker is God. In verse 13, we read, For all these died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, they were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. We read in verse 14, For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.

In verse 27 of Hebrews chapter 11, we do read, By faith he, that is Moshe, he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king, for he endued a sin, him who is invisible, the God of Israel. The invisible God. He lived, this is Moshe, Moses, in the desert, and was close to God in the midst here in this world that is filled with sadness and sorrow. And that's how 2 Corinthians chapter 4, verses 13 to 18 is closing for us. We have a sure faith, a confident faith to trust in God, to have a faith attitude that encourages us in the midst of a conflict not to faint. But though our outward men perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

How good to know that, beloved brothers and sisters, as we walk here in this world. Well, now as we enter into the fifth chapter, 2 Corinthians chapter 5, verses 1 to 8, this is the fourth thing that the Apostle Paul emphasized here in 2 Corinthians to encourage us to have courage for the conflict that we all experience in our life. And he is sharing this now in the first eight verses of chapter 5. And what he is emphasizing here in these verses, that the believers have a future hope. Again, he used the word we have. And he began with verse 1 of chapter 5, and he said, For we know that if our earthly house, this is the temporary tent, this is the body that we have, if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have, notice the word here, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands eternal in the heavens.

A permanent house, a glorified body that will be eternally in the Lord. It is eternal in the heavens. So we know, notice he used the word we know. We know. He is speaking here as he is writing. We are assured on what we, why we are assured? Because God said it. God said it. You remember we already said in the earlier verses that we have, we are sure, we have it. We know that we have that. In chapter 4 and verse 14, he said, Knowing, we know, knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus and shall present us with you.

We know it. Again, in chapter 5, verse 1, we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God and house not made with hands eternal in the heaven. We have a solid building eternal in heaven. We have to realize this, beloved brothers and sisters, the blessing that we possess as believers. We have a future hope. A building that is eternal and it is in heaven. It is in heaven. To remind you that we have already read 1 Corinthians chapter 15 of the fact that there will be the resurrection. We have already read in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 of the rapture of the church.

We which are alive and remain shall not prevent them that are asleep and there will be the resurrection of those that sleep through Jesus and we which are alive shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the clouds and to be with Him forever. You see, to the Philippians, the apostles said in Philippians chapter 3, verses 20, He said to them in verse 20 and 21, He said, For our politic or our citizenship or our conversation is in heaven. For whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who not as dead, who shall change, verse 21 of Philippians 3, who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself.

You see, the Lord will change this vile body that perishes here in this world and He will give us, He will give us a glorious body suitable for the presence of God. Amazing, isn't it, beloved brothers and sisters? At the resurrection, we will be receiving a body that is suitable for the presence of the Lord, beloved brothers and sisters. This is very important. I just want to read one more time in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and listen to what we read in verse 35 concerning the resurrection. We read in verse 35, but some men will say, how are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?

So Paul continued to say to the same Corinthians in his first letter, he's saying to them, that which thou sowest is not raised or quickened except it die. In other words, even when you sow a seed in the ground, you're sowing it and then it die, then it rise different, in a different shape. He said, and that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but some grain. It may change of wheat or some other grain, but God gives it a body as it has pleased him. And to every seed, his own body. All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of man, another flesh of beast, another of fish, another of bird.

There are also celestial bodies, in other words, heavenly bodies, and terrestrial bodies, and these are the earthly body, but the glory of the celestial is one and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun and another glory of the moon and another glory of the stars, for one star different from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption. It is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor. It is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness. It is raised in power. It is sown a natural body. It is raised spiritual body.

There is a natural body and there is a spiritual body. So as it is written, the first man Adam was a living soul, the last Adam was made or became a quickening spirit. You see, beloved brothers and sisters, what we learn here from 2 Corinthians 5 and verse 1, we know that our earthly house and if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hand, but eternal in the heaven. How wonderful to know that when the Lord takes us out of here, should we go through the process of death, which is appointed unto every man once to die?

Well, when the resurrection will take place, we will have a glorified body, a body that is suitable for heaven. Just like to read it again, verse 43 of 1 Corinthians 15. This body, it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory, it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power, it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. You see that? We will receive a spiritual body, a house not made with hand, which is eternal in the heaven. And so in verses 2, 3, 4, and 5, the apostle emphasized the fact in 2 Corinthians 5, verses 2, 3, 4, and 5, that this body, in this tent, in this house that we have, this body of ours, we are groaning all the time, the pain, the sorrow, the decay.

You remember what God said to Adam, to Adam and Eve, specifically to Adam in Genesis chapter 2. You remember what He said to him? Very clear, God said to Adam, He says, And the Lord God commanded a man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou may have freely eat, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it, for in the day that thou shalt eat of it thou shalt surely die. Verses 16 and 17. In Hebrew it says mot tamut. Mot tamut. You shall surely die. Mot, it means you will die. Tamut, we will, the English says surely die.

Mot tamutun, mot tamutun simply means dying, you shall die. In other words, the moment sin entered into this world, Adam died spiritually that moment, while his body continued to live on earth, but decayed from day to day, from day to day, there was a decay which ultimately brought him to die. Although he died after many, many, many years, but he eventually died. And the word death in Hebrew mavet or mot or tamut, simply saying there will be a separation. The body will be separated from the soul and the spirit. This is physical death. Spiritual death is that the soul is separated from God when sin came in.

Eternal death simply means that there is eternal separation from God. The believers, the Corinthians, Paul, you and I, if you are believers, we will never be separated from God anymore because we receive forgiveness. And therefore, we are now new creation. And so, when the body is, as it says here, we know that this earthly house and this tabernacle will dissolve, well, God is going to give us a body that will be suitable for his presence. We have a building of God and house not made with hands and it is eternal in the heavens. And so, now in verses 2, 3, 4, and 5, Paul is emphasizing the pain and the groaning that all believers do experience here upon the face of this earth, beloved brothers and sisters.

And oh, how true it is, dear brothers and sisters. Notice what we read here in these next verses. Verse 2, For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be closed upon with a house which is from heaven. If so be that being closed, we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened, not that we should be unclosed, but closed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of life. Now he that has wrought in us for the self same thing is God who also has given unto us the earnest of the spirit. And so notice verses 2, 3, 4, and 5 we learn in verse 2 we desire to be closed.

What he means? We desire to be transformed to have the glorious body, the glorified body which is from heaven, the building of God, the house that is not made with hand that is eternal in the heaven. So in this body we are groaning. We are groaning. The whole creation is groaning and even we ourselves are groaning. A stenazo in the Greek. Stenazo simply means that we are in grief and we are sighing and we are groaning here in this body, here in this world. But all beloved brothers and sisters, when the Hebrew word is ne'enachim, you know, when you always say you're breathing heavily because of the trial that we have in this world.

And we are longing to go to receive that body that is suitable for heaven, for God. So in verse 3, in this body we groan. Paul continued to say in verse 3 of our chapter, if so be that being clothed, we still have this body, we shall not be found naked. In other words, when we are still having this body, we're longing to be clothed with that new body, the glorified body. So as long that we are here, we don't want to only leave this body and pass out of this sin and get to heaven, but we want to have this glorified body, suitable for the presence of God eternally in heaven.

And so in verse 4, in this body, in this tent, we are burdened and we desire to have our glorified body, which will be in the presence of the Lord. And so verse 4 we read, for we that are in this tabernacle, in other words, this body, this tent, we do groan, we are burdened, being burdened, not that we would be unclothed, in other words, not only that we will leave this body, but we want to be living this body, but closed upon that mortality might be swatted up in life, or up of life. in other words, we don't want to be only in the intermediate state, but we also want rather to be raised and receive the glorified body.

To be closed means to have the glorified body, the body that was made not with man's hand, but is eternal in the heaven. so in verse 5 Paul said, God gave the believers an earnest, this is the Holy Spirit of God, a guarantee to assure us that we will receive that future glorified body, and that we belong to the Lord, so now he that hath wrought us for the same thing is God, who also has given unto us the earnest, the guarantee of the Holy Spirit of God. The Spirit of God is a guarantee that we are going to be with the Lord, that we will receive this glorified body, and we will be eternally with God in heaven.

There is a verse in 2 Timothy chapter 4 and verse 6 where the apostle Paul said, for I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand, Paul is saying. Soon I'm going to depart. Soon I'm going to die and pass to the presence of the Lord. Soon I'm going to go out of this scene. I have fought a good fight. I have finished my course. I have kept the faith, Paul said in 2 Timothy chapter 4 and verse 6 and 7. Beloved brothers and sisters. And what a wonderful thing that the Holy Spirit of God was given unto us as an earnest. Just go back to this 2 Corinthians to chapter 1 and verse 22 where we read, who hath also sealed us and given us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

The Holy Spirit of God was given to us to assure us that we belong to Him and that we have a future hope to be one day with the Lord and never to be separated from Him anymore. So now in the last verses for this portion, in verses 6, 7, and 8, Paul is assuring the Corinthians that we, that they ought to be always confident, not in themselves, but in the Lord. Not in their ability and their promises, but in the ability of the Lord and the promises of the Lord. And so notice the confidence that Paul is emphasizing in verses 6, 7, and 8 of 2 Corinthians chapter 5. And so he said in verse 6, Therefore, in light of all what I have said to you, he said we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home, in the body, in other words, while we are still here in the flesh, in this body, we are really still absent from the Lord.

For we walk by faith, not by sight. We trust Him. We are not looking at the thing, at the thing that are seen, but we are looking at the thing that are unseen, we are walking by faith, we trust God. But he continued to say again, using the word confident, we are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body and present with the Lord. So in verse 6, believers are confident that as long that we are here in this body, we are still waiting the day when we are going to be with the Lord. But all believers, Paul and the Corinthians and you and I, we are called to walk by faith, like the Hebrews of old, as we read it in the book of Hebrews in chapter 11, by faith, by faith, throughout this 11th chapter, the author who wrote to the early Hebrew believers emphasized the walk of faith in the history of their forefathers.

Remember we read in verse 3 of Hebrews 11, through faith we understand that the world was framed by the word of God. Verse 4, by faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain. Verse 5, by faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death. Verse 6, we read, without faith it is impossible to please him for he that cometh to God must believe that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. In verse 7, by faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen, as yet moved with fear and preparing the ark for the saving of his house. In verse 8, we read, by faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance obeyed and he went out not knowing whither he went.

In verse 11, through faith also Sarah herself received strength to conceived seed. Later on in verse 20 we read, by faith Isaac blessed Jacob. Verse 21, by faith Jacob when he was a dying blessed both the sons of Joseph of Joseph. Verse 23, by faith Joseph when he died made mention of the departing of the children of Israel. You see that beloved brothers and sisters verse 23, by faith Moshe Moses when he was born was hid three months of his parents. Verse 24, by faith Moses when he was come to yield he refused to be called the sons of Pharaoh's daughter choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasure of sin for a season.

Esteeming the reproach of Messiah of Christ greater richer than the treasures in Egypt. And verse 39 of Hebrews chapter 11 all these having obtained a good report through faith receive not the promises God having provided some better things for us that they without us should not be made perfect or full develop or mature or complete. Well you see beloved brothers and sisters this is the lesson that we learn that we believers are called to walk by faith. Paul in verse 7 saying of 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 7 for we walk by faith not by sight. That encourages us and help us to continue to have courage in the midst of a conflict.

He concludes beloved brothers and sisters and we will conclude with this verse 8 2 Corinthians 5 verse 8 we are confident I say and willing rather to be absent from the body and present with the Lord.

It is better to be absent from this body that is going through sorrows and trials and challenges here in this world that is groaning in this we groan in this house we groan every day it is better to be absent from the body and present with the Lord for believers the judgment is past our sins are forgiven and if one if a believer in Jesus the Messiah dies he is going immediately to be absent from the body and present with the Lord waiting the day of resurrection waiting the day of the resurrection of all those that belong to the Lord it is wonderful the judgment have already passed over the believers because the Lord Jesus

the Messiah have died for our sins you see there is no such thing a soul sleep sadly some teach there is a soul sleep that the soul is sleeping just like as the body is in the ground the soul is in the ground or wherever it may be but the soul never sleep the soul of the believer will be absent from the body when he or she died and present with the Lord the soul of the unbeliever will be in a place of tormentation in a place of separated from God as we read in the gospel of Luke listen to Luke chapter 23 beloved brothers and sisters listen to this and we will close with

that in Luke chapter 23 we do read beloved brothers and sisters these words in verse 42 and verse 43 we read and he said unto Jesus Lord remember me with thou comest into thy kingdom remember that when the Lord was on the tree on the cross with the two thieves on the two sides and Jesus said unto him verily I say unto thee today today when we are going to die and pass out of this world today you will be with me in paradise there is no soul sleep the believer is going to be with the Lord in paradise the unbeliever according to Luke 16 the rich man that have died and Lazarus the beggar

the believer Lazarus went to Abraham's bosom the unbeliever the rich man who did not trust God he went to Hades to hell we read in Luke 16 and verse 23 and in hell this is the rich man that did not believe and trust God he lifted up his eyes being in torment and he seers Abraham and Lazarus this is Eliezer in his bosom and he cried and he said father Abraham have mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue for I am tormented in this flame but Abraham said son remember the thou in thy lifetime receive thy good things and likewise Lazarus

this is Eliezer evil things but now he is comforted and thou art tormented and beside all this between us and you there is a great gulf fixed so that they which would pass from thence to you cannot neither can they pass to us that would come from thence then we read of his wish of this rich man that have gone to Hades to hell he is asking that Abraham will be sent to his home to his five brethren that he will preach unto them and will tell them not to come to come to hell not to leave this world and go to hell to go to Hades sad and you remember what Abraham said to

him they have Moses and the prophets they have the word of God let them hear the word of God let them hear Moshe and the prophet and he said nay Abraham father if one went unto them from the dead they will repent and you remember what he said what Abraham said to him if they hear not Moses and the prophet if they don't believe the word of God neither will they be persuaded even though someone would rise from the dead and beloved brothers and sisters for the believers when we pass out of this scene the believer we are confident and absent from the body and present with the Lord there is not soul sleep the

believer who pass away out of this scene is going immediately the soul and the spirit going to be in the presence of the Lord while the body is waiting for the resurrection the unbeliever is going to Hades to hell sadly sadly the body remain in the ground until the resurrection of all unbelievers we will years reign of the Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah well my dear friend may the Lord encourage our hearts as we face conflict here in this world and we have learned in this portion that we have a confident faith a sure faith and that we have a future hope as believers in the Lord Jesus the Messiah 1st Corinthians chapter 4 verses

13 to 18 and 1st Corinthians chapter 5 verses 1 to 8 well God bless you until the next time my dear friend we say to you all Shalom Shalom