The Conditionalist Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 1

III. Full Text of Problem Passage With Definitions

Here is the entire text of 2 Corinthians 5:1-9, with key words defined to bring out the fuller meaning: CFF1 330.4

“For we know that if our earthly [epigeios] house of this tabernacle [skenous, “tent”] were dissolved [kataluo, “to tear down,” as of a tent, “to demolish”], we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this [earthly house] 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. CFF1 330.5

“For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest [arrabona, “a down payment,” “pledge”] of the Spirit. CFF1 330.6

“Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (for we walk by faith, not by sight:) we are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.” CFF1 330.7