5:3-4 What does Paul mean by what he says here?
5:3-4 What does Paul mean by what he says here?
In V2 we saw that believers are depicted as eagerly awaiting the redemption of their earthly bodies so that they can be clothed in their new resurrection bodies. In V3 Paul goes on to say that in being so clothed believers will not be found naked, meaning that when their present earthly body is destroyed they will not just become disembodied Spirits, but will receive a glorified, supernatural, immortal resurrection body that is eternal (CP V2 with Ro 8:23; 1Cor 15:51-54).
The phrase "... that mortality may be swallowed up of life" in 2Cor 5:4 shows that it is not release from bodily existence for which Paul longed, but rather for a bodily existence that is heavenly and permanent (CP Php 1:20-24).
All the saints of God - living and dead - will receive their resurrection bodies when Jesus comes again to take them back to heaven with Him at the first resurrection (CP Jn 14:1-3; 1Th 4:13-18 with 1Cor 15:51-54). "... them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him" in 1Th 4:14 refers to the souls and the Spirits of the dead saints.
They will be united with their resurrection bodies at that time while the saints still living will be transfigured; their mortal bodies will become immortal. All the saints will then have resurrection bodies like Jesus has (CP Php 3:20-21; 1Jn 3:2).
See also comments on 1Cor 15:51-58; Php 3:20-21; 1Th 4:13-18 and 1Jn 3:2 and author's study The Rapture in his book Foundational Truths of the Christian Faith.