** This response is biblically sound, concise, and personable. It answers the questions directly and clearly, providing scriptural support and easy-to-understand explanations. The tone is genuinely kind. **

Question: Hello Didn’t Paul believe Jesus would come back in his lifetime?…so when Paul says, ” Our bodies are like tents that we live in here on earth. But when these tents are destroyed, we know that God will give each of us a place to live. These homes will not be buildings someone has made, but they are in heaven and will last forever. 2 While we are here on earth, we sigh because we want to live in that heavenly home. 3 We want to put it on like clothes and not be naked. 4 These tents we now live in are like a heavy burden, and we groan. But we don’t do this just because we want to leave these bodies that will die. It is because we want to change them for bodies that will never die. 5 God is the one who makes all this possible. He has given us his Spirit to make us certain he will do it. 6 So always be cheerful!” Isn’t he talking about being with the Lord at resurrection, in fact wouldn’t all his writings be in light of the resurrection, not an intermediate state?

Profile: Christian

Answered by: Duane Shippy, who has been a volunteer with us since June, 2019.

Answer: Hi,

There are two questions you bring up, one about if Paul would see Jesus return and the other about the resurrection.

Hard to say if Paul believed Jesus would come back in his lifetime, but there’s a chance he did at some point in his life.  Paul was roughly the same age as Jesus and the death and resurrection of Jesus occurred in Paul’s lifetime.  So, without knowing when Jesus would return, it’s reasonable that Paul thought it was very possible that he would also see the return of Jesus.  

But, on the other hand, Paul also wrote Philippians 1:20b-23 later in his life, “And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die.  For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better. I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me.”  It sounds like Paul knows that he won’t see Jesus again until he leaves this life.

Your other question about the eternal bodies and the resurrection is more about interpreting what Paul is referring to in 2 Corinthians 5:1-6.  In that passage Paul is comparing our earthly bodies to our eternal bodies.  It’s not so much a commentary on timing, more about what is now versus what the future will hold.  Paul mentions in Philippians 3:21 that our eternal bodies will be like that of Jesus’ resurrected body.  So that is very exciting!

We are told that the resurrection will be at the time of Jesus’ future return (1 Corinthains 15:52 and 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17).  This tells us that those who die will be given interim bodies until the resurrection, we will not be disembodied spirits (2 Corinthians 5:3, Revelation 6:11).

Hope this has helped with your question!

Best, Duane