Paul talks about 3 conditions:
If it's true that "to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord", why does Paul lament the thought of losing his earthly, mortal body and being naked without a body? - take pains to tell us of how much he desires not to be naked and without a body? - and groan within himself with desire to skip being naked without a body and be in the presence of Jesus?
Clearly, if Paul thought that he'd be with Jesus at death, why would he give a flip about being naked without a body?
Wow! Brother you read so much into what is not there…(perhaps a secret revelation, if so please tell us). The very beginning of the chapter gives us the context just as any profound writer will do, just as Genesis 1:1 appears like a thesis expounded on through 2:4. In the opening lines Paul says clearly…
“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. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.”
This, right here is the introductory thought regarding that which shall be expounded. Read it carefully…
IF (or when) our earthly house (this body) were dissolved, WE HAVE a building of God….eternal….IN THIS (earthly tabernacle) we groan earnestly desiring (the Spirit, which we now have, is our earnest) to be clothed with the eternal body (Christ IN you, the hope or eager expectation of glory) which is the house from heaven (which joining takes place at the parousia/resurrection) in the meantime (as scripture weighs out) we are in the heavenlies IN CHRIST Jesus, in the throne room (Revelations 7, the great multitude, uncountable, from every nation and tongue) awaiting His return (how do I know they are waiting there? Because those beheaded in the trib ask when is He going to exact vengeance?)
The final statement (If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked) following the colon qualifies what has just been said….it is telling us that in fact we shall not be found naked because we will be so clothed (albeit this clothing, or obtaining of the new spiritual soma will not happen until the resurrection) but that has nothing to do with the being “in the presence of the Lord” for we do not need such a body in the throne room…we will be there awaiting His return at which time the scriptures tell us the Anti-Christ will be consumed, the first resurrection occurs and those who are alive (Spirit filled believers alive at the time) along with the bodies of those who died “IN CHRIST” will be caught up (what they call the rapture) TOGETHER to meet Him (apentensis) in the air…
- clothed on earth with mortal body
- the wretched state of being naked, without a body which he groaned within himself to skip
- clothed upon "that mortality might be swallowed up of life" in his heavenly body
If it's true that "to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord", why does Paul lament the thought of losing his earthly, mortal body and being naked without a body? - take pains to tell us of how much he desires not to be naked and without a body? - and groan within himself with desire to skip being naked without a body and be in the presence of Jesus?
Clearly, if Paul thought that he'd be with Jesus at death, why would he give a flip about being naked without a body?
Wow! Brother you read so much into what is not there…(perhaps a secret revelation, if so please tell us). The very beginning of the chapter gives us the context just as any profound writer will do, just as Genesis 1:1 appears like a thesis expounded on through 2:4. In the opening lines Paul says clearly…
“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. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.”
This, right here is the introductory thought regarding that which shall be expounded. Read it carefully…
IF (or when) our earthly house (this body) were dissolved, WE HAVE a building of God….eternal….IN THIS (earthly tabernacle) we groan earnestly desiring (the Spirit, which we now have, is our earnest) to be clothed with the eternal body (Christ IN you, the hope or eager expectation of glory) which is the house from heaven (which joining takes place at the parousia/resurrection) in the meantime (as scripture weighs out) we are in the heavenlies IN CHRIST Jesus, in the throne room (Revelations 7, the great multitude, uncountable, from every nation and tongue) awaiting His return (how do I know they are waiting there? Because those beheaded in the trib ask when is He going to exact vengeance?)
The final statement (If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked) following the colon qualifies what has just been said….it is telling us that in fact we shall not be found naked because we will be so clothed (albeit this clothing, or obtaining of the new spiritual soma will not happen until the resurrection) but that has nothing to do with the being “in the presence of the Lord” for we do not need such a body in the throne room…we will be there awaiting His return at which time the scriptures tell us the Anti-Christ will be consumed, the first resurrection occurs and those who are alive (Spirit filled believers alive at the time) along with the bodies of those who died “IN CHRIST” will be caught up (what they call the rapture) TOGETHER to meet Him (apentensis) in the air…