2 Corinthians 5:1-10 and Acts 2:42

Vs. 1 – One day, each and every one of us will no longer walk this earth. There are two options: Heaven or Hell. 

Because of what Christ accomplished on the Cross, I have received new life. Are you doing your best to live for Him?

Vs.2 -4 – A tent signifies a temporary dwelling (see Revelation 3:5, Matthew 25:30). While I am here, though, I long to be in that heavenly dwelling, I fulfill my purpose and calling right where He placed me. 

Your mortality must be swallowed up by life! 

Vs. 5-9 – Believers are being prepared for this very purpose (Romans 5:5). With God’s love and the Spirit there is not a reason we cannot be, and do, as we are called to in this new life. Why? So that we can reach that eternal dwelling. If you are at home in the body, in this world, content and happy to continue on as you are, then you are separated from, “away from,” the Lord.

Vs. 10 – Are you confident in the Word of God, that you have eternal life? That can only happen if you know that you are doing your best, making it your aim to “please Him.” God’s grace covers our ignorance and mistakes, but not our disobedience, our unbelief, and especially not our willful transgressions.

In order to reach that eternal dwelling to be pleasing to Him, we must make a choice. When you choose to follow Christ, your problems will not cease. Jesus even warned us saying that, “in this world you will have trouble.” Persecution?

In this world, it takes work, devotion, and commitment to live life as a Believer. Christians do fade, fail, and fall away, “How much worse punishment do you think one will deserve who has trampled on the Son of God, who has regarded as profane the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified (past tense), and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?” (Hebrews 10:29 CSB). For if, having escaped the world’s impurity through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in these things and defeated, the last state is worse for them than the first,” for it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy command delivered to them (2 Peter 2:20-21).

They fall, become entangled with the world, or turnback, because they no longer devote themselves to God’s word, their local church, to getting together outside the church, or within the body of Christ for communion, and they no longer seek God or look to Him for answers (see Matthew 7:21-23).

Sin, unbelief, and/or apathy cause this.

God is just, His word is final, and He does not tolerate half-hearted, lukewarm efforts when following Him (Revelation 3:16). 

Either you are His or you are not. Christians should be fully devoted to doing so, there has to be a “want to,” an act of the will. If you are going to follow Him, you must do so whole heartedly, totally committed to working out your salvation in the midst of the situations and circumstances of life, “Now the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will depart from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons” (1 Timothy 3:16-41).

As we must all appear before the Judgment seat of Christ, we can no longer live as we choose, for we will answer for all that we have done. 

Discussion Questions:  

• Are you ready for that Last Day?
• Are you seeking to please God or yourself?
• What is your aim?

Further Reading:

• General: John 6:39-44, John 11:20-24, John 12:48, Romans 14:10-12, 1 Corinthians 3:13, Philippians 1:21-30, Mathew 7:13-27
• Work: Matthew 5:16, Ephesians 2:10, Colossians 3:23, James 2:14-26
• Devotion: Luke 16:13, Acts 2:42, Philippians 4:8-9, James 1:22-27
• Commitment: Psalm 37:5, Proverbs 16:3, Galatians 2:20