Waiting for Our New Bodies
1We know that the earthly tent we live in will be destroyed. But we have a building made by God. It is a house in heaven that lasts forever. Human hands did not build it. 2During our time on earth we groan. We long to put on our house in heaven as if it were clothing. 3Then we will not be naked. 4While we live in this tent of ours, we groan under our heavy load. We don’t want to be naked. Instead, we want to be fully dressed with our house in heaven. What must die will be swallowed up by life. 5God has formed us for that very purpose. He has given us the Holy Spirit as a down payment. The Spirit makes us sure of what is still to come.
6So here is what we can always be certain about. As long as we are at home in our bodies, we are away from the Lord. 7We live by believing, not by seeing. 8We are certain about that. We would rather be away from our bodies and at home with the Lord. 9So we try our best to please him. We want to please him whether we are at home in our bodies or away from them. 10We must all stand in front of Christ to be judged. Each one of us will be judged for what we do while in our bodies. We’ll be judged for the good things and the bad things. Then each of us will receive what we are supposed to get.
Christ Brings Us Back to God
11We know what it means to have respect for the Lord. So we try to help other people to understand it. What we are is plain to God. I hope it is also plain to your way of thinking. 12We are not trying to make an appeal to you again. But we are giving you a chance to take pride in us. Some people take pride in their looks rather than what’s in their hearts. If you take pride in us, you will be able to answer them. 13Are we “out of our minds,” as some people say? If so, it is because we want to serve God. Does what we say make sense? If so, it is because we want to serve you. 14Christ’s love controls us. We are sure that one person died for everyone. And so everyone died. 15Christ died for everyone. He died so that those who live should not live for themselves anymore. They should live for Christ. He died for them and was raised again.
16So from now on we don’t look at anyone the way the world does. At one time we looked at Christ in that way. But we don’t anymore. 17When anyone lives in Christ, the new creation has come. The old is gone! The new is here! 18All this is from God. He brought us back to himself through Christ’s death on the cross. And he has given us the task of bringing others back to him through Christ. 19God was bringing the world back to himself through Christ. He did not hold people’s sins against them. God has trusted us with the message that people may be brought back to him. 20So we are Christ’s official messengers. It is as if God were making his appeal through us. Here is what Christ wants us to beg you to do. Come back to God! 21Christ didn’t have any sin. But God made him become sin for us. So we can be made right with God because of what Christ has done for us.
Makao Yetu Ya Mbinguni
15:1 1Kor 15:47; Isa 38:12; 1Pet 1:13-14Kwa maana twajua kama hema yetu ya dunia tunayoishi ikiharibiwa, tunalo jengo kutoka kwa Mungu, nyumba iliyo ya milele kule mbinguni, isiyojengwa kwa mikono ya wanadamu. 2Katika hema hii twalia kwa uchungu, tukitamani kuvikwa makao yetu ya mbinguni, 3kwa kuwa tukiisha kuvikwa hatutaonekana tena kuwa uchi. 45:4 1Kor 15:33, 54; Rum 8:23; 2Kor 5:2; 1Kor 15:51Kwa kuwa tukiwa bado katika hema hii twalia kwa uchungu na kulemewa, kwa sababu hatutaki kuvuliwa bali kuvikwa makao yetu ya mbinguni ili kwamba kile kipatikanacho na mauti kimezwe na uzima. 55:5 Rum 8:23; 2Kor 1:22; Efe 1:13-14Basi Mungu ndiye alitufanya kwa ajili ya jambo lilo hilo naye ametupa Roho Mtakatifu kuwa amana, akituhakikishia ahadi ya kile kijacho.
65:6 Ebr 11:13Kwa hiyo siku zote tunalo tumaini, hata ingawa tunajua kwamba wakati tukiwa katika mwili huu, tuko mbali na Bwana, 75:7 1Kor 13:12; 2Kor 4:18kwa maana twaenenda kwa imani wala si kwa kuona. 85:8 Yn 12:26; Flp 1:23Naam, tunalo tumaini na ingekuwa bora zaidi kuuacha mwili huu na kwenda kukaa na Bwana. 95:9 Rum 14:18; Efe 5:10; Kol 1:10; 1The 4:1Kwa hiyo, kama tuko katika mwili huu au tuko mbali nao, lengo letu ni kumpendeza Bwana. 105:10 Mt 16:27; Mdo 10:42; Rum 2:16; 14:10; Efe 6:8Kwa kuwa sisi sote tutasimama mbele ya kiti cha hukumu cha Kristo, ili kila mmoja apate kulipwa kwa ajili ya yale ambayo yametendwa katika mwili wake, yakiwa mema au mabaya.
Huduma Ya Upatanisho
115:11 Ay 23:15; Ebr 10:31; 12:29; Yud 23; 2Kor 4:2Basi, kwa kuwa tunajua kumcha Bwana, tunajitahidi kuwavuta wengine. Lakini Mungu anatufahamu dhahiri, nami natumaini kwamba tu dhahiri katika dhamiri zenu pia. 125:12 2Kor 3:1; 1:14Sio kwamba tunajaribu kujistahilisha kwenu tena, lakini tunataka kuwapa nafasi ili mwone fahari juu yetu mweze kuwajibu hao wanaoona fahari juu ya mambo yanayoonekana badala ya mambo yaliyo moyoni. 135:13 2Kor 11:1, 16-17; 12:11Kama tumerukwa na akili, ni kwa ajili ya Mungu; kama tuna akili timamu, ni kwa ajili yenu. 145:14 Rum 6:6-7; Gal 2:20; Kol 3:3Kwa kuwa upendo wa Kristo unatutia nguvu, kwa sababu tunasadiki kuwa mmoja alikufa kwa ajili ya wote, kwa hiyo wote walikufa. 155:15 Rum 14:7-9; 4:25Naye alikufa kwa ajili ya watu wote, ili kwamba wote wanaoishi wasiishi tena kwa ajili ya nafsi zao wenyewe, bali kwa ajili yake yeye aliyekufa na kufufuliwa tena kwa ajili yao.
165:16 2Kor 10:4; 11:18Hivyo tangu sasa hatumwangalii mtu yeyote kwa mtazamo wa kibinadamu. Ingawa wakati fulani tulimwangalia Kristo kwa namna ya kibinadamu, hatumwangalii tena hivyo. 175:17 Rum 16:3; Yn 1:13; Rum 6:4; Gal 6:15; Isa 65:17; Ufu 21:4-5Kwa hiyo kama mtu akiwa ndani ya Kristo, amekuwa kiumbe kipya; ya kale yamepita, tazama, yamekuwa mapya. 185:18 Rum 11:36; 5:10Haya yote yanatokana na Mungu, ambaye ametupatanisha sisi na nafsi yake kwa njia ya Yesu Kristo na kutupata sisi huduma ya upatanisho: 19Kwamba Mungu alikuwa ndani ya Kristo akiupatanisha ulimwengu na nafsi yake mwenyewe, akiwa hawahesabii watu dhambi zao. Naye ametukabidhi sisi ujumbe huu wa upatanisho. 205:20 2Kor 6:1; Efe 6:20; Isa 27:5Kwa hiyo sisi ni mabalozi wa Kristo, kana kwamba Mungu anawasihi kupitia kwa vinywa vyetu. Nasi twawaomba sana ninyi kwa niaba ya Kristo, mpatanishwe na Mungu. 215:21 Ebr 4:15; 7:26; 1Pet 2:22-24; 1Yn 3:5; Rum 1:17; 1Kor 1:30Kwa maana Mungu alimfanya yeye asiyekuwa na dhambi kuwa dhambi kwa ajili yetu, ili sisi tupate kufanywa haki ya Mungu kwake yeye.
