What does Paul say we are confident about in 2 Corinthians 5:8?

In 2 Corinthians 5:1–8, the apostle Paul expresses confidence and courage regarding the future hope of believers after death. He writes, “For we know that when . . . we die and leave this earthly body . . . we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself. . . . God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit. So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. . . . Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:1–2, 5–6, 8; NLT).

Paul expresses strong faith in the promise of eternal life and fellowship with God for all eternity after we depart from this earthly life. He bases his confidence on the guarantee of the Holy Spirit’s presence (2 Corinthians 5:5; see also 2 Corinthians 1:22; Romans 8:23).

Wanting us to stay laser-focused on the future reality of our permanent heavenly experience after Christ’s return, Paul assures us of two certain truths:

First, we can be confident that, after we die, we will eventually possess resurrected, eternal bodies. Because we belong to Jesus, we are already (in a spiritual sense) citizens of heaven where Christ now lives. After Christ returns, “he will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own” (Philippians 3:20–21, NLT; see also 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18).

The second truth we can be confident about is that, after we die, we will live forever in the presence of the Lord (see Philippians 1:23). Paul explains that, before we die, “we live by believing and not by seeing” (2 Corinthians 5:7, NLT). In other words, we live by faith until we die (Romans 1:17; Galatians 2:20; Hebrews 11:1). But, once a believer dies and enters heaven, that person stands in Christ’s presence. Our faith becomes sight. We see Jesus as He really is (1 John 3:2; Matthew 5:8). Paul explained it like this: “Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that [we] know now is partial and incomplete, but then [we] will know everything completely, just as God now knows [us]” (1 Corinthians 13:12, NLT).

When Lazarus lay dead and buried in the tomb, Jesus urged Lazarus’ sister Martha to have confidence in the hope of eternal life. He told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?” (John 11:25–26, NLT). King David had this confidence, praying to the heavenly Father, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6, ESV).

The apostle John was allowed a glimpse into the believer’s future heavenly experience. He records, “I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, ‘Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever’” (Revelation 21:3–4, NLT).

As Christians, we can be fully confident that physical death will usher us into the Lord’s presence forever. If we keep our eyes on Jesus and the future glories of heaven, as Paul and other early disciples did, we won’t have to live in fear of suffering, trials, or dangers in this life (see Romans 8:18; 1 Peter 5:10; James 1:2–4; 2 Corinthians 4:17–18; Philippians 3:7–8; Colossians 3:1–2). Instead, we will be willing to lose our lives for the sake of gaining Christ and eternal life with Him (see Matthew 16:24–25; John 12:25; Galatians 2:20; Philippians 1:21).