Belief in God is not belief in some magic power that will ensure that we will never suffer, never face hard times, never have losses. Paul writes to people whose lives are difficult.
Pain is real but temporary. God's glory lasts forever.
Commentators differ on the message that Paul is delivering in the opening verses of chapter 5. A common interpretation is that he's saying that our physical bodies on earth will decay, but we are assured of a heavenly home. On the other hand, Beverly Gaventa in Texts for Preaching has found another interpretation, that rather Paul is not referring to resurrected bodies of individuals but rather is referring to the new creation in which believers will find a home.
Can we, as Christians, find as much assurance in the notion of a transformed earth for everyone as we do in the notion of being individually transported to a home far away from this earth?
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