2 Corinthians 5:16-19 says...
Today's verses are 2 Corinthians 5:16-19, which read,
v.16 - Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer.
Paul gives us another "therefore" and he will give us a couple more before ending this chapter, six in all and this is number four. If we look back to look forward, because Paul is now living for Christ rather than for himself because this earthly tent is going to be replaced by a building built by God and he is doing and saying what is pleasing to God no matter if he is here or there, therefore he looks at those who he is sharing the gospel with in a different way.
There was a transformation on how Paul looked at Christ. At first He was just a man, a Man he opposed and rejected but on the road to Damascus Jesus became Paul's Lord. In the same way, now the people that Paul is speaking and living the new covenant of the gospel before are not just physical people who are listening or observing but spiritual souls on the road to somewhere. Paul sees people not just on this side of the coin of the here and now but sees them on the other side of the coin praying that they will be someday present with the Lord. Because of his transformation and conversion, he sees others with a whole different view.
v.17 - Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
"Therefore" number five is stated here and it is a big one. It is like another conclusion to all that has come before about his drive with the gospel even in the face of persecution and opposition. Those who answer the call of God; those who are "in Christ;" those who have called Him Lord as Paul did on the road to Damascus, are new creatures. They are new because of what Christ did for them on the cross.
The fruit of that new creature is that old things, the old way of life and the old world values, are replaced by new things, the new way of life and the new way of following Christ. The old things represent sin and we still do sin but we look at it differently because of Christ's sacrifice and it does not have a hold on us as it once did. We know what to do with it now and who to take it to. The new things represent our growth in the Lord now and unto and into eternity. We even look at people differently as Paul gave us in the last "therefore."
v.18, 19 - Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
I think this is another way of saying the Great Commission in Matthew 28. We have been reconciled, made right, to God through Christ on the cross and now we are to tell of that process of reconciliation to others. We are to tell of a Christ who died for the forgiveness of sins so that others could experience that reconciliation for themselves through the power of the cross and the empty tomb.
Paul gives us that little phrase in the middle of these two verses that says, "that God was in Christ." Jesus was and is who He said He was and is. God made Himself known to the people He loves through the Lord Jesus Christ. As we are "in Christ" it is a total commitment to Him, so "God was in Christ" is a total commitment of God to His plan of reconciliation of His children through the giving of His Son as the sacrifice for their sins. God saw Jesus through as He will see us through from death to life to those who receive the faith given to them.
Tomorrow will bring one more "therefore" to finish the chapter of "therefores."
"Lord, I do pray that I would see people differently than just physical humans around me. I pray that I would see them as You see them. I pray that I would see their souls that need to hear of a Savior who loved them and died for them and rose again for them. I pray that that fact would shape my words and actions to be fulfilling the ministry of reconciliation with the word of reconciliation to them. Amen."
Pastor Adam
v.16 - Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer.
Paul gives us another "therefore" and he will give us a couple more before ending this chapter, six in all and this is number four. If we look back to look forward, because Paul is now living for Christ rather than for himself because this earthly tent is going to be replaced by a building built by God and he is doing and saying what is pleasing to God no matter if he is here or there, therefore he looks at those who he is sharing the gospel with in a different way.
There was a transformation on how Paul looked at Christ. At first He was just a man, a Man he opposed and rejected but on the road to Damascus Jesus became Paul's Lord. In the same way, now the people that Paul is speaking and living the new covenant of the gospel before are not just physical people who are listening or observing but spiritual souls on the road to somewhere. Paul sees people not just on this side of the coin of the here and now but sees them on the other side of the coin praying that they will be someday present with the Lord. Because of his transformation and conversion, he sees others with a whole different view.
v.17 - Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
"Therefore" number five is stated here and it is a big one. It is like another conclusion to all that has come before about his drive with the gospel even in the face of persecution and opposition. Those who answer the call of God; those who are "in Christ;" those who have called Him Lord as Paul did on the road to Damascus, are new creatures. They are new because of what Christ did for them on the cross.
The fruit of that new creature is that old things, the old way of life and the old world values, are replaced by new things, the new way of life and the new way of following Christ. The old things represent sin and we still do sin but we look at it differently because of Christ's sacrifice and it does not have a hold on us as it once did. We know what to do with it now and who to take it to. The new things represent our growth in the Lord now and unto and into eternity. We even look at people differently as Paul gave us in the last "therefore."
v.18, 19 - Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
I think this is another way of saying the Great Commission in Matthew 28. We have been reconciled, made right, to God through Christ on the cross and now we are to tell of that process of reconciliation to others. We are to tell of a Christ who died for the forgiveness of sins so that others could experience that reconciliation for themselves through the power of the cross and the empty tomb.
Paul gives us that little phrase in the middle of these two verses that says, "that God was in Christ." Jesus was and is who He said He was and is. God made Himself known to the people He loves through the Lord Jesus Christ. As we are "in Christ" it is a total commitment to Him, so "God was in Christ" is a total commitment of God to His plan of reconciliation of His children through the giving of His Son as the sacrifice for their sins. God saw Jesus through as He will see us through from death to life to those who receive the faith given to them.
Tomorrow will bring one more "therefore" to finish the chapter of "therefores."
"Lord, I do pray that I would see people differently than just physical humans around me. I pray that I would see them as You see them. I pray that I would see their souls that need to hear of a Savior who loved them and died for them and rose again for them. I pray that that fact would shape my words and actions to be fulfilling the ministry of reconciliation with the word of reconciliation to them. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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