PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL BODIES
2Corinthinas 5.1-17
In this chapter Paul goes into details of the difference between Physical and Spiritual Bodies. In the first 8 verses Paul explained and said that one of our body is a physical body "earthly tent" as Paul call it in verse 1. It is made from the dust of the Earth, means from the chemical and biological components of the Earth (Genesis 2.7, 3.19) (Job 4.19) (Psalm 103.14) (Ecclesiast 3.20, 12.7).
In the next second part of the verse 1 Paul now concentrating his attention of the Spiritual aspect of our body - the Spiritual body, saying that a Spiritual "house" not made with hands (by hands of GOD from physical earth), but made from the Spirit of GOD "Eternal on the Heavens" the life-giving energy, from the Breath of GOD.
It must be understood that to make Physical human body to come to life it must have soul. So GOD breathed into human Physical corpse a part of His Life giving Spirit and made the physical body alive by the Breath of Life (Genesis 2.7).
Paul is not talking here about the Soul-the Breath of Life from GOD, but Paul talking about Spiritual Body that comes from Heaven and transforms our soul into a spirit in order o match Holy Spirit of GOD, spirit to Spirit.
Difference between Soul and the Spirit is huge. Soul given to us to make our Physical bodies alive, the Spirit given to us to make as Spiritual beings like GOD, in order to inherit the Eternal Spiritual Life in GOD.
Now, in verse 7 Paul explained saying that those who are Spiritual "walk by faith, not by sight," meaning that a Spiritual person pay attention to the Spiritual things, such as Faith, Hope, Love, Mercy, Compassion, and so on. Spiritual person does not judges by sight or by Physical appearance, or by physical wealth, or by any Physical attributes. A Spiritual person always judges everything from the Spiritual point of view, the character and personality of a person, according to the Spiritual Commandments and Statutes of GOD and His Gospel. So, the life of the Spiritual person is a Spiritual life that leads to Eternal Life in Spirit connected Spiritually to the Spirit of GOD.
For this reason, Paul made a following conclusion in verse 8, that for him and his companions "prefer rather to be absent from the body (from the physical body), and to be at home (in a new spiritual body) with the Lord. In other words, for Paul it is better to be in spirit with the Spirit of the Lord in Heaven (in Spiritual World) rather than on Earth in a Physical body. By this Paul reveal that exist even much better life outside of our physical world.
Paul also understood very well that not everyone will take his writing seriously not understanding the difference between soul and the Spirit and between the Spiritual and Physical Life, and for this reason Paul said that "If we are beside ourselves, it is for GOD..." (13).
~ 13. *beside. In GNB translated: "Are we really insane?" So, most likely Paul meant by this that if they are missioners and Apostles of Christ, and they look like the people who are out of their mind.
In verses 14-15 Paul made interesting twist and declared that as Christ died for all of us, all of us also die for Christ. This means that we no longer live for ourselves and also not die for ourselves, or for whatever reason, but all live and die for Christ and in Christ. We no longer belong to ourselves. Others, who are not of Christ, they belong to this world, they live in this world and die in this world, and this is the end of their life journey.
GOD RECONCILED US TO HIMSELF THROUGH CHRIST
2Corinthinas 5.17-18
These are very important verses and presented the order of thing of how we are reaching to GOD. GOD reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and the ministry of reconciliation is the Gospel of Christ.
Namely GOD was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself through Christ. This notion resonates the Words of Christ written in following statements: (John 10.7-9) (Luke 13.24-25) (John 14.6).
Christ always put His Father first before and above everything, because He is His Father and His GOD (Psalm 45.7) (Micah 5.4) (John 20.17) (Ephesians 1.3) (Hebrews 1.9) (Revelation 3.2.12). So, Paul continue this theme indicating that Christ Himself would not have a power in anything without His GOD Father, because everything comes from the Father through His Son Jesus Christ, as Paul clearly indicated here.
Paul understood this very well and reveal that we are not only reconcile with Christ only, but most important of all, we must reconcile with Christ's Father, because He is the One to Whom Christ tried reconcile us with. Christ is the only "Door" leading to His Father, because everything comes from the Father through Christ and everything comes to Father through Christ. (18-19).