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I. A CHRISTIAN IS NOT IN HIS OWN PROPER HOME WHILE HE SOJOURNETH IN THE BODY. Instances: Abraham (Hebrews 11:9). David (Psalm 39:12). Christ (John 17:16). He that was Lord of all had neither house nor home. Reasons —

1. Our birth and parentage is from heaven. Everything tendeth to the place of its original; men love their native soil; a stone will fall to the ground, though broken in pieces by the fall. There is a double reason why the new creature cannot be satisfied here.

(1) Here is not enough dispensed to answer God's love in the covenant. "I will be your God," noteth the gift of some better thing than this world can afford unto us (Hebrews 11:16; Matthew 22:32).

(2) Here is not enough to satisfy the desire and expectation of the renewed heart — perfect enjoyment of God, and perfect conformity to God.

2. There lieth our treasure and inheritance (Ephesians 1:3). Christ hath blessed us with spiritual blessings in earthly places; here He hath adopted, justified, and sanctified us in part, but the full accomplishment is reserved for the world to come.

3. There are all our kindred. There is our home and country, where our Father is, and our Lord Jesus, and all the holy ones of God.

4. There we abide longest. An inn cannot be called our home; here we abide but for a night, but there for ever with the Lord.

5. The necessary graces that belong to a Christian show that a Christian is not yet in his proper place.

(1) Faith hath another world in prospect and view; and our great aim is to come at it.

(2) Hope was made for things to come, especially for our full and final happiness.

(3) Love (1 Peter 1:8).

6. Let us therefore give in our names among them that profess themselves to be strangers and sojourners here in the world.

(1) Let us be drawing home as fast as we can. A traveller would be passing over his journey as soon as may be.

(2) Make serious provision for the other world (Matthew 6:33).

(3) Mortify carnal desires (1 Peter 2:11).

(4) Patiently endure the inconveniences of our pilgrimage. Strangers will meet with hard usage (John 15:19).

(5) Beg direction from God, that we may go the shortest way home (Psalm 119:19).

(6) Get as much of home as we can in our pilgrimage, in the earnest and first fruits of the Spirit (Romans 8:23).

II. THE MAIN REASON WHY A CHRISTIAN IS NOT AT HOME, IS, BECAUSE HE IS ABSENT FROM THE LORD, WHILE HE IS IN THE BODY. I shall here inquire —

1. How are believers absent from the Lord, when He dwelleth in them, as in His temple, and there is a close union between Him and them? I answer, Christ is with us indeed, but our communion with Christ is —

(1)  Not immediate.

(2)  Nor full.

(3)  Often interrupted.

2. Why, God's children count themselves not at home till they are admitted into this perpetual society with Christ.

(1) Because this is the blessedness which is promised to them. And therefore they expect it, and thirst after it (John 12:26).

(2) This is that which is highly prized by them, to be where Christ is. Why?

(a)  Out of thankfulness to Christ's delighting in our presence (Proverbs 8:31).

(b)  Out of love to Christ (Psalm 73:25).

(c)  Taste. Communion begun maketh us long for communion perfected (Psalm 63:1, 2).

(d)  Their complete happiness dependeth upon it (1 John 3:2; John 17:24).

(T. Manton, D. D.)

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KJV: Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:

WEB: Therefore, we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord;