5:1 ‘For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.’ The Hope of Dwelling with HIM lights the way through the darkness of this present world. 5:2-4 ‘For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. We have The Earnest and HE reveals His eternal life and love within us. 5:5-8 ‘Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. So 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, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.’ Paul is very bold here - having the great confidence of several resurrections from death evidently several times during his violent ministry. And we see no long healing delays either.... The pledge or promise gift of The Holy Spirit is our new clothing - The Linen Wedding Garments of Good Works - which God works in and through us who hear His Spirit and obey. 5:9-11 ‘Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.’ These testings and judgments are ongoing to those who come before His Throne of Grace. Being disciplined and even scourged at times because HE love us too much to allow us to be miss-shapened or dwarfed. We must grow into His Likeness as was His original purpose.’ the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: 5:13-15 ‘For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; or if we are of sound mind, it is for you. For that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.’ Paul repeats the warnings that we must hold fast to the truth of Jesus’ death and resurrection. This is the true faith which must not be twisted. 5:16 ‘Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.’ We must hold fast by Faith - through The Holy Spirit. 5:17 ‘Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.’ We exist in two realms - The Spirit must take dominion in our lives or else the soul will be lost. 5:18-19 ‘Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.’ God has given us all we need and HE will do all HE has promised to do - even restore Israel and pour His Spirit on all flesh.5:20 ‘Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.’ We are from His Kingdom and not of our own. The invitation is open to all who will open to Him.5:21 ‘For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.’