1For we know that if the earthly house of our tent is dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens. 2For most certainly in this we groan, longing to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, 3if indeed being clothed, we will not be found naked. 4For indeed we who are in this tent do groan, being burdened, not that we desire to be unclothed, but that we desire to be clothed, that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5Now he who made us for this very thing is God, who also gave to us the down payment of the Spirit.
6Therefore we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord; 7for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8We are courageous, I say, and are willing rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. 9Therefore also we make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well pleasing to him. 10For we must all be revealed before the judgment seat of Christ that each one may receive the things in the body according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
11Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are revealed to God, and I hope that we are revealed also in your consciences. 12For we are not commending ourselves to you again, but speak as giving you occasion of boasting on our behalf, that you may have something to answer those who boast in appearance and not in heart. 13For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God. Or if we are of sober mind, it is for you. 14For the love of Christ compels us; because we judge thus: that one died for all, therefore all died. 15He died for all, that those who live should no longer live to themselves, but to him who for their sakes died and rose again.
16Therefore we know no one according to the flesh from now on. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him so no more. 17Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new. 18But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ, and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not reckoning to them their trespasses, and having committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20We are therefore ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21For him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
A New Heaven and a New Earth
The old heaven and earth will pass away, and a new earth will be made.* In such a place, we will live for eternity with Jesus, the lover of our souls. This is all indescribable, because frankly it’s just indescribable. Our human mind can’t conceive of it. Isaiah describes much of this new earth in chapter 65. He begins, “17 “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former shall not be remembered or come to mind. (Isaiah 65:17 NKJV)This kind of makes me think we’ll no longer be able to remember any of the sorrowful or negative things from our time on earth. This idea is reinforced by the Apostle Peter, “12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. (2 Peter 3:1-13 NKJV)
This is all hard to imagine, but the part that I love is that “no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” I am ready for there to be no more pain, death, crying, or sorrow. In our sojourn on earth, we suffer horrendous things. In my premarital counseling, I advise young couples to be aware that tragedy is on the horizon. It is part of the human experience. John continues in the next few verses, telling us that Jesus will make all things new. This sort of sounds to me like an echo of 2 Corinthians 5:17, telling us that if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creature. Old things have passed away, all things have become new.
Reader, we can believe these things because He is faithful and true. We can’t understand everything about Jesus because He is God and we are not. Yet, the Bible tells us so much about His character and His faithfulness. I find it kind of interesting that Jesus calls Himself the “beginning and the end.” This is interesting to me because He is not confined to time. With Jesus, there isn’t a beginning or an end. So much of this is a mystery, and that’s okay. Reader, don’t ever take hold of the thought that just because you don’t understand something, it doesn’t mean that it’s not true. In these verses, Jesus promises to give a fountain of flowing water to all who are thirsty. That’s you and me. In the meantime, we are to overcome. That means we’re commanded to keep on keeping on. Don’t give up. Never surrender. This too shall pass. We who know Him are promised a crown of righteousness as part of our reward. We are promised an eternity as everlasting splendors. The contrary position is one of separation, misery, and eternal death. If you don’t know Him, accept Him today. If you do know Him, rest in the assurance of your salvation in Him. He is more than able. In the meantime, He has made us to be more than conquerors. (Romans 8:37)