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Chuck Smith: “I have a new home that I’m moving into”

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(Adapted from Chuck Smith’s C2000 commentary available at the Blue Letter Bible)

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. 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. 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.
(2  Corinthias 5:1-6)

Though Paul was constantly facing death, various perils, it didn’t really trouble him, for he had a correct understanding of death. And I think that this is something that we as Christians need to have: a correct understanding of what death is for the child of God.

Paul faced death, but he didn’t worry about it because he knew,

For we know that, if our earthly house of this tabernacle [this tent] were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens (2 Cor 5:1).

The real me is spiritual.

I dwell in a body; the body isn’t me. It’s the house in which I live. And here, Paul reduces it from the house to the tent. Now, whenever you think about a tent, you don’t think about a permanent place to live. There’s always something very transient and temporary about a tent. And we should look at our bodies as tents; they are not permanent dwelling places for my spirit. My spirit is dwelling presently in this tent while my house is being prepared.

I have a new building—a new home—that I’m going to move into. It’s a building of God. It’s going to come to me directly from God. It’s not made with hands; it’s eternal, compared with the temporary, in the heavens. So for the child of God, death is moving out of the tent, the worn out tent, into the beautiful new house—a building of God, not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

You remember Jesus said to His disciples, “Let not your heart be troubled: you believe in God, believe also in Me. For in My Father’s house there are many mansions. And I’m going to prepare one for you” (John 14:1,2). Now our minds immediately go to Beverly Hills, perhaps. And some of these beautiful estates, large column porches and all, and we think, “Oh my. The Lord’s going to take me by the hand and lead me up Glory Road, and we’ll turn left on Hallelujah Lane and halfway down the lane on the right-hand side, He’s going to show me this beautiful white home with these large columns in front and He’s going to say, ‘Chuck, that’s your new mansion.'” Not so. Hate to disappoint you.

The mansion that the Lord is talking about is the new body He’s got for me. I’m living in this tent, but one day I’m going to move into a mansion. And one of these days, should the Lord tarry, you no doubt will pick up your paper and read, “Chuck Smith died last night. Pastor of Calvary Chapel, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.” Don’t believe it. That’s poor reporting. If they’re going to tell the truth, they’re going to have to say, “Chuck Smith moved last night out of a decrepit old holy tent, leaky tent, into a beautiful new mansion.” Hey, you don’t need to wait for me, because I moved out of the tent into the house, the building of God, not made with hands, you see. This is death for the child of God.

Ready to die for Christ

And that’s why Paul said, “Hey, you think I’m worried about being bound for Christ? I’m ready to die for Christ.” Because he understood what death was to the child of God. It is the moving from the tent into the house. Now he goes on to amplify that.

For in this we groan (2 Cor 5:2),

Or while we are still in these bodies, we groan.

earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven (2 Cor 5:2):

These bodies are subject to weakness, subject to fatigue, subject to pain. In Romans8, Paul talked about how we groan. And all of creation was groaning together with us as we were “waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God, to wit, the redemption of our bodies” (Romans 8:23). That new body… I’m yearning, I’m desiring to have that new body, that building of God not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

God showed His intention of your full redemption by giving to you now the Holy Spirit (2 Cor 5:5). Paul refers to this also in the second chapter of Ephesians being “sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession” (Ephesians 1:13,14).

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:) [But] we are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord (2 Cor 5:6-8).

To be present with the Lord

That’s what I really desire. Now I know that, as long as I am living in this body, I’m at home in this body or this body is my home, I’m absent from dwelling there in the kingdom of God. I’m willing, rather, to move out of this old body that I might be present with the Lord in His kingdom. So death releases me. It releases my spirit from this body that it might move into the new house, the building of God, where there I will dwell with the Lord forever.

Wherefore we labor, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him well pleasing unto him (2 Cor 5:9).

So, my desire is that my life might be pleasing to God, while I’m living in this body. And when I ultimately move out of the body, my chief desire is that my life be pleasing to God again, that Jesus might be able to say to me, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou has been faithful in the little things, now I will make thee ruler over many: enter into the glory of the Lord” (Matthew 25:21).

Comments

  1. Well said Chris !
    Chuck will truly be missed. I listened to him on the radio for years and love his simple way of teaching the word. It sounds funny, but one of my favorite things I heard Chuck say, was on a radio interview where he was ask a number of divisive questions like,”can you lose your salvation ?” He humbly replied with “I don’t know, but I continue to seek Him every day”. Which was refreshing to hear a great Bible teacher admit that he didn’t have God all figured out.
    Scott

    • Subject: Eternally Secure

      Food for thought.

      Christianity is not Christianity without it.

      If I am not eternally secure in Christ, then I am eternally insecure. Any other view, for me, spells doom and despair…for every second of my life I am the glad receiver of His continual font of grace and forgiveness. Apart from Christ and His saving life, grace, and shed blood and His “can never be removed” robe of His Righteousness (Isaiah 61:10), every second of my existence would require condemnation, judgement, and damnation. Apart from His eternal, covenantal promises, I would most assuredly and quickly slip off the cliff of being Heaven Bound and would profoundly plunge into the depths of darkness where hope will never hear my screams.

      If eternal insecurity exists in Christianity, then this is what those who embrace Islam believe. They are all eternally insecure……with the rare exception that those who blow themselves up to kill infidels most likely will be “assured” of heaven with 72 Virgins in paradise.

      Jim Grunseth
      ___

      Printed from the Blue Letter Bible

      Morning and Evening
      Charles Haddon Spurgeon
      June 16th
      Morning Reading
      “And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish.” — John 10:28

      The Christian should never think or speak lightly of unbelief. For a child of God to mistrust His love, His truth, His faithfulness, must be greatly displeasing to Him. How can we ever grieve Him by doubting His upholding grace? Christian! it is contrary to every promise of God’s precious Word that thou shouldst ever be forgotten or left to perish. If it could be so, how could He be true who has said, “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I never forget thee.” What were the value of that promise—”The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but My kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of My peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.” Where were the truth of Christ’s words—”I give unto My sheep eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father’s hand.” Where were the doctrines of grace? They would be all disproved if one child of God should perish. Where were the veracity of God, His honour, His power, His grace, His covenant, His oath, if any of those for whom Christ has died, and who have put their trust in Him, should nevertheless be cast away? Banish those unbelieving fears which so dishonour God. Arise, shake thyself from the dust, and put on thy beautiful garments. Remember it is sinful to doubt His Word wherein He has promised thee that thou shalt never perish. Let the eternal life within thee express itself in confident rejoicing.

      “The gospel bears my spirit up:
      A faithful and unchanging God
      Lays the foundation for my hope,
      In oaths, and promises, and blood.”
      ___________

      I, Jim, add this small note: Jude says I am “preserved or kept by Jesus Christ” Jude 1. Thank God I am not kept by me or my dim faith or dismal track record.

      Romans 8:1-2: “1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.”

      This gracious great news is that as His child, I am the forever recipient of God’s unconditional and uncondemnable love and favor! Rejoice and be glad!

      • Amen. To think that one must have to somehow keep himself saved is a scary and false one.
        Heb 5:9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him,

        Jesus is an eternal source of salvation. How people understand that he can be a temporary source I will never understand.

  2. I am saddened by the loss of a great and godly man. I have listened to him on the radio for years and loved his insight on Pastor’s perspective. But… I know where he is and will one day join him with our risen Lord. God bless and keep Chuck’s family at this time.

    In Him,

    Ken

  3. Rom 7:18-25
    The Holy Spirit of promise, the earnest of our inheritance is He who sanctifies. Our awareness may dwell in the life of this world, the world of certain death. Our awareness may be more attentive to the Holy Spirit in us. Looking toward the movements of the Holy Spirit becomes a plunge, snapping the cords of complacency. The Spirit of life is the presence of God. The balance that is our choices is weighted toward the world of this present life or life that is with the presence of God. How deep is our perception of the earnest of our inheritance? Jam 4:8, Heb 11 The blessing of the Gospel of God is voiced and now lived by pastor Chuck Smith. What an outstanding, a Godly encouragement!

  4. I believe “Papa Chuck” (or Chuck Smith) is in Heaven right now and assisting our King of Kings and Lord of Lords with the politics going on in our country – U.S.A. and also the rest of the world; that is why I believe the Lord took Chuck at this time. Yes, I’m sure there is also time for a greeting reception, but you know Chuck – a busy man, intent on taking care of what’s important business. I need to look up that scripture that talks about how the Lord intervenes in the affairs of men; yes, I know in my heart that “Papa Chuck” is assisting our Lord at this present hour – PTL! …Deb p.s. In 1995, my husband, Alex, and I went on an Israel trip with Chuck, Family and Calvary Chapel Family; got to know him better then.

  7. I have listened to Chuck Smith’s vintage teachings on each book of the Bible for way over a year. I was so grieved to hear of his passing but praise God he is home! I love his sense of humor and his strong belief in The Lord Jesus Christ. God rest your soul. The fight is over.
    I will continue to listen to your teachings and with a joyful but sad remembrance. He always talks in his audio teachings that he couldn’t wait to go home! You made it but will be greatly missed in the carnal world.

  8. God delivered another little bundle of joy and blessings. I have a great nephew born today. Little Nathaniel is 7 lbs and has a wonderful godly mom and dad and a very happy, blessed and thankful family! 🙂 Psalm 127; Hebrews 6:13-18, Proverbs 20:7; Proverbs 31:10-31

  9. I have listened to Chuck Smith for years, and watched his messages on television. It was so evident that he had a gentle spirit by just listening to his voice as he delivered the Word of God. We are blessed to live in a world of technology that allows us to play and replay Chuck Smith’s teachings. We will see him again when we leave this noisy, dusty, harsh world and join him in our new mansions built by Jesus himself.

  10. I just came from my mentor’s memorial service. (saturday) I am about to prepare my sermon tomorrow. I mean that I am about to pray and review what I have thought and written already. I hear that one member is practicing a hymn at the main service place, “How great thou art!” There is a lot of rain in chicago now. I feel cleansed. I feel crying many tears out of thanks for Christ Jesus who broke his body to prepare the incorruptible body and who shed his blood to give us the new life through the Spirit.
    P. Chuck’s message took me home about what I am praying so hard as a pastor, what I am struggling to attain and what I should be preaching. May the Lord raise many young Chucks who can proclaim the real home in the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus. Praise Jesus for his incredible love for us. Amen.

  11. 1Th 5:18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

    I feel the groaning… of creation and of my Spirit Man. Rom 8:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. Rom 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. Rom 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

    Great message by a wonderful Saint of God. Thank God he’s now home safe. And my Spirit cries within me…it groans. It waits. It desires release from this old malfunctioning tent to a new body, (without pain and discomfort)

    Romans 8: 23-24.

    Your Breaux Mann

  12. The body of Christ will definitely miss this wonderful preacher. I have to say though that although I LOVE this post and believe it I kinda hope he’s wrong about the mansion thing.

    John 14:1-3 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.”

    This verse seems to me to be speaking of a place. I see Dr. Smith’s analogy and agree with it but think about it. Once Jesus ascended the Holy Spirit came and indwells believers. So what is Jesus preparing in this verse? Whatever it is He’s been working on it for 2000 years and the descriptions of heaven that are in the text are breathtaking. I must confess I’ve always viewed this verse as, there is a very special place for you in My house.

    I think too often folks just picture themselves as spirits in heaven but that’s not so Jesus says we will be flesh and bone just as He is.

    Luke 24:38-40 (NKJV) And He said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.” When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet.

    1 John 3:2
    Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

    To me this has always been such a comfort. He ate after the resurrection. We’ll eat. He was flesh and bone. We’ll be flesh and bone. I think too often folks think we’ll be turned into angels and sit around on clouds playing harps. That seems to me to be very wrong. Heaven is a much more real (concrete) place than I think we can truly grasp. According to Revelation there are horses that get ridden. Now that’s provocative! But I tend to have a high view of scripture. I don’t allegorize it away into mere thoughts or concepts and I view that as a slippery slop into reading into the text a theory when it’s actually speaking of reality. Of course there are allegories in scripture but I just think we’re gonna be surprised at how much of what God says He really means concretely. Who would have thought for example 200 years ago that Israel would actually come back into the land and that those scriptures and prophecies were to be read as literal events that would happen.

    Just saying I’m still keeping the mansion an actual mansion.

    • God creates out of nothingness, the void or out of dust. Stuff, substance comes from nothingness by the Spirit of God. Hbr 11:3
      Paul speaks of the church, the body of Christ. Jesus speaks to the churches in Revelations that are not described as buildings but by the place of habitation. Paul too, sends messages to churches that are not buildings. Mat 3:9, Luk 3:8, Act 2:30, 1Sa 2:35, 2Sa 7:7, 1Ch 28:3
      Water is symbolic of the cleansing of the Spirit and of life.

      1Jo 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. Jhn 1:18, Mat 16:17
      We are prone by our experiences to imagine everlasting through the eyes of this life. 2Cr 5:8, 2Cr 5:8, 1Cr 6:3, 2Cr 4:4
      The image of God is over all that God may be all in all. Eph 1:21-23

  13. I pray for Pastor Chuck’s family as they mourn his passing. I pray God will comfort them with peace and everlasting memories of all the wonderful things Pastor Chuck accomplished in his lifetime.
    I can only imagine when that day comes…..what my eyes will see….Peace be with Smith family and friends.

  14. I truly am blessed by knowing man like Chuck Smith! He was the real thing!

    He really was shown by the Lord that Jesus is number 1.

    I have been shared by Chuck for the last 30 years and learning more about the lord through that time.

    He has now pass the Torch! Pick it up and run! JP

  15. Hallelujah
    Praise God for His saints who by Jesus’ Spirit within them have no fear of death but are given a very real, a true longing to be with Him where He is.

    Recently I have looked at God’s creation, the birds, the sea, the trees and the grass in the fields and though while loving God’s handiwork and beauty, it seems to me that this is the time that Isaiah writes of, where the world is languishing under the great weight of the sins of its inhabitants. Isaiah 24:4-5. It seems to me that only until of recent, perhaps the last several hundred years, has the population of the earth exploded to really cause such a pollution as in Isaiah 24:4-5, which causes the earth and the heavens to languish.

    So despite the beauty of this world, and it being God’s handiwork, it is for me oft quite dim.

    But this thought occurred to me, knowing God has created this world and the creatures therein and to my eyes it seems a handiwork of beauty, will not our same eternal Father not give something of much greater beauty and magnificance to behold with the New Heavens and Earth.

    This I expect to be the same with the new body we will receive, the resurrected body in the likeness of Jesus’ own resurrected body. Much better than my current body.

    And to eat and to drink with our Lord in the New Jerusalem will, by His keeping of me until that day, be something worth patiently awaiting for…. though I do need much help from our Lord for the awaiting and the patiently part….

    In Christ
    Mark H NZ

  16. we being triune as our God is, we are spirit soul and body.our real personality is spirit. The soul is our self awareness, the body, our world or physical awareness. As we believe in Jesus, our spirit becomes born again. We are born into God’s awareness and spiritual awareness. John 3. He gives us himself which is eternal life. At physical death, we, spirit and soul separate from our body. We as spirit become the house or covering for our soul, so does all that is spiritual as pertaining to God. We enter heaven to enjoy not only our Father and Savior but also all that have gone before us,waiting for the resurrection of our bodies. At that time of bodily resurrection, spirit and soul will reunite with the body and then finally be turned inside out which will be right side out. The spirit will be the covering for our soul and body eternally Just as was Jesus bodily and physical resurrection was and also as was with Adam and Eve before the fall. That’s the covering of God’s glory

  17. I have been listening to Pastor Chuck Smith since the early 1980s. I had the privilege to meet him in 2003 when I deployed to San Diego CA while on active duty in the United States Marine Corps. Through The Lord, this beautiful spiritual man touch my heart in many ways. I know that God used him to touch so many souls for Christ. We must carry on the LORDS work with love like PASTOR CHUCK DID! I love this man, his teachings, his love for Spiritual Israel, his Christ like love for the Church. Pastor Chuck thank you for feeding me, the Church, and you will always be in my heart. Love your Brother in Christ Troy Samuel Conaway.

    See you at the Marriage Supper of the LAMB!

  18. The spiritual “me” realizes that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord, but the human “me” will miss the essence of who (Mr.) Chuck Smith was through his teachings on BLB. My heartfelt prayers to his family and followers.

  19. My husband and I were blessed to call Pastor Chuck our pastor for the five years we lived in southern California. He dedicated out two daughters to the Lord. We will always remember his smile, his loving way that he cared for those at Calvary Chapel and his great teaching. We were excited to find his teachings on this website after we moved back to Michigan. I know he will be greatly missed by his family and those who knew him, but it is a great comfort to know that we will see him again.

  20. What a Godly man Chuck was and is! The day he has long awaited has finally come! What joy is filling his heart! What a celebration is occurring in heaven right now! So although I have sorrowful tears now, I am so happy for him! May the Lord bless and comfort his family, and church family in a unique and special way. Because of his devotion to God, his true and transparent walk, his obedience to the Holy Spirit, my family and I are saved. He has glorified the Father!…and look at all his fruit!!!!! Praise the Lord for this good and faithful servant! How he is loved! Chuck’s spirit and wisdom lives on in his teachings to us! Amen!

  21. We know that the child of God is destined to be in a better place
    when we leave this world, yet the loss of a loved one is one of the hardest things to bear in life. Let us pray for all those who are grief stricken at the loss of their pastor; his family and friends, For God will reveal his power and comfort during this time.

    Here is a poem I wrote that is fitting during this time:

    Blessed Are They That Mourn

    Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted.

    That mourn, That mourn,

    For they shall be comforted.

    They shall know that we love them; care for them.

    We the children of Christ; we love you.

    GOD IS LOVE. GOD IS LIGHT.

    We the children of light; we love you.

    Blessed are they that mourn.

    Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven;

    Poor in spirit, Poor in spirit,

    Yet having the riches of salvation.

    That HOLY GHOST fire,

    Burning within!

    That HOLY GHOST light,

    Burning within!

    That HOLY GHOST love,

    Burning within!

    We the children of God, we love.

  22. Pastor Chuck was my spiritual Dad. He taught me more about loving our Father and Lord than any other pastor or ministry.

    His love for the Word of God caught fire in my own heart and made me want to understand and embrace God’s truths.

    I miss him. Imagine the jewels in his crown.

  23. Dorthy, you can see at least one of those “jewels” by looking in the mirror, you sis, are one of those jewels.

    God Bless!!

  24. If ever there needed to be more proof that these are in the last days I believe we can see that also in the passing of the “great men of God”, like Pastor Chuck. I have heard his preach that he believed that he would live to see the rapture, and I guess he did, his own. However I wonder as in the OT when we would see the men of God taken off or passing away it always seem to usher in a judgement or a fulfilling of a prophecy of some type.

    Pastor Chuck is without a doubt a prophet of God – there is no single pastor that has been used as he was in this age. Bill Graham is another, and he is close to passing away as well. I remember the words that he (Pastor Chuck) said at Lonnie Frisbee’s funeral – about how God could use a man that was sold out to God. Well I believe that we had seen that in the life of Pastor Chuck. Unlike with Lonnie sin wasn’t a part of his life and after 60 years of ministry his passing was the best complement to his life. Passing away in his sleep.

    I would love to see some one produce a movie about his life and ministry. We need all the good examples that we can get.

  25. Pastor Chuck, is home now in the arms of Jesus Christ.

    No more sickness or pain. He is whole. Jesus will one day

    call for me; or call me in the Rapture. I truly believe

    we are in the LAST-DAYS. Just look around. Jesus is total

    PEACE. I read my Scripture daily, in the early morning at

    5:30-6AM. And again at night before bedtime, this world if

    getting so dark and LOST. The Bible speaks total TRUTH. The

    only book I can trust. I pray daily for lost family members

    and friends. In HIS name, GMG