2 Corinthians 5:6

3. Resulting apostolic clearness and confidence before Christ and before men, 2 Corinthians 5:6-13.

6. Therefore Inasmuch as from God’s pledge in our hearts that we are by him destined for the resurrection glory.

We are always confident That is, cheerful and courageous, although a disembodied state will intervene.

Knowing That this intermediate state, being with Christ, is superior to our present bodily state, and is, in the broader sense of the word, heaven.

At home The image of the house still retained.

Absent Abroad. So that he has a double home, a bodily and a spiritual, the latter being the preferable, because being in the presence of the Lord.

Yet for our disembodied spirit this presence of the Lord is less complete than in our resurrection state. While we live on earth, vailed by the body, although Christ is “with” us perpetually, (Matthew 28:20,) beholding us with perfect sight, yet we are scarce “with” him, as we see him not, except figuratively, with the eye of faith, and with conception rather than with perception. When this vail of flesh is by death removed, our spirits are “with Christ,” (Philippians 1:23;) we literally behold him with true perception; yet we behold him pneumatically or spiritually; that is, as spirit sees spirit, rather than corporeally; and to the spirit’s eye distance in space may be no obstacle. For the glorified body of Christ is now in the highest heavens, (Hebrews 7:26,) at the right hand of God, (Ephesians 1:20,) rather than in the paradise of the blessed spirits. It is not until after our resurrection, when we shall be like him (1 John 3:2) in the glorified body, that we shall “see him as he is;” shall “see as we are seen,” and “know as we are known.” 1 Corinthians 13:12.