Note 1 at 2 Cor. 5:1: To get the full impact of Paul's teaching here, the context must be understood. Paul had just been explaining why all his trials in this life were just a "light affliction" (see notes 18-21 at 2 Cor. 4:17-18, p. 999). It was because he had an eternal viewpoint. He saw this physical life as just temporary, compared to the eternal life he had with the Lord. He now illustrates this by speaking of the temporariness of this physical body and life.

Note 2 at 2 Cor. 5:1: The physical body is referred to as "our earthly house of this tabernacle." The word "tabernacle" is a metaphor used of the human body describing a "tent" that is to be taken down at the point of death. Just as a tent is temporary and somewhat unstable, so Paul portrays the physical, mortal body as a tent pitched temporarily upon this earth.

In the following verses, Paul will speak of an new home, a "house made not with hands," a building of God, "eternal in the heavens." This is Paul's way of describing our spiritual body, prepared by God as our future, permanent dwelling. In the same way that a house of brick or stone is superior to a tent, so our glorified spiritual body will be infinitely superior to this physical body (see notes 5-13 at 1 Cor. 15:37-44, pp. 963-964).

Note 3 at 2 Cor. 5:1: The word "dissolved" in the Greek is the verb "kataluo," which carries the idea of the destroying or demolishing of the mortal body by replacing it with an eternal one which will be permanent and last forever (see note 2 at 1 Cor. 15:12, p. 957; see note 8 at 1 Cor. 15:40, p. 963).

Note 4 at 2 Cor. 5:1: Some people have mistakenly argued that Paul was sure that Christ would return during his lifetime. They cited passages like 1 Thessalonians 4:15 where Paul used the word "we" to refer to those who were alive at the second coming of Christ. It might just as well be argued from this verse (2 Cor. 5:1) that Paul expected to die before Christ returned, because again he says "we."

The fact is that Paul, like ourselves, did not know when the Lord would return. Near the end of his life, God apparently showed him that he must die (2 Tim.4:6). Some believers have gotten into strange doctrines that deny the necessity of putting off of the mortal body. They believe that if one had strong enough faith, that person would never die. This is a doctrine that neither the scriptures nor the apostles ever embraced (1 Cor. 15:42-44; Heb. 9:27).

Note 5 at 2 Cor. 5:1: This "building of God" that Paul is speaking of is our glorified spiritual body, which we will receive at the resurrection of the dead. The phrase, "not made with hands" means it is not man's doing, but totally a work of God, which will last forever.

Notice that Paul didn't state this as a possibility which some elite Christians might attain unto, but it is guaranteed to all true followers of Christ.