5:16 ¶ Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the
flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth
know we him no more. 17 Therefore
if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are
passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18 And all things are of God, who hath
reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of
reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was
in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses
unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as
though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead,
be ye reconciled to God. 21 For he hath
made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the
righteousness of God in him.
Here is a good place to make a statement about how the Bible is
written. In verse 16 the implication is carried through in our minds, if we
understand the phrasing, that we can insert after
the flesh at the end of the verse as in know
we him no more after the flesh.
This is similar to how our minds should add, in our understanding,
the words with evil at the end of
this verse.
James 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am
tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he
any man:
For the apostles who had seen Christ, and although Paul came into
view after Christ’s resurrection he is counting himself among them, Christ’s
bodily presence was not to be desired more than His glorified spiritual
presence. And as the apostles no more looked to the flesh and blood Jesus
Christ but to his glorified presence so we are to regard our brothers and
sisters in Christ no more as purely physical beings of weak and tortured flesh
but as spiritual beings destined for an eternity together with the Lord.
The born-again Christian is a new creature, fundamentally
different, if his or her conversion was genuine. Yes, we will occupy a body of
flesh, a body of sin, but inside of us we are qualitatively different and God
the Father looks at us through a Christ-colored lens. Two points can be made here. One, if you read the
first letter of John you will see the difference between the two creatures. In
the flesh;
1John 1:5 ¶ This then is the message which we have heard
of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at
all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship
with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the
light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his
Son cleanseth us from all sin.
8 ¶ If we say that we have no
sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and
just to forgive us our sins,
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10
If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is
not in us.
Then, John moves to our new born-again state if it is genuine;
1John 3:1 ¶ Behold, what manner of love the Father hath
bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world
knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we
shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we
shall see him as he is. 3 And every man
that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
4 ¶ Whosoever committeth sin
transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. 5 And ye know that he was manifested to take
away our sins; and in him is no sin. 6
Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen
him, neither known him. 7 Little
children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous,
even as he is righteous. 8 He that
committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For
this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of
the devil. 9 Whosoever is born of God
doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because
he is born of God. 10 In this the
children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth
not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
Secondly, Paul laments that fact that he is a born-again believer
in Christ encased in a body of flesh.
Romans 7:14 ¶ For we know that the law is spiritual: but I
am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For that
which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that
do I. 16 If then I do that which I would
not, I consent unto the law that it is
good. 17 Now then it is no more I that
do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 18
For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing:
for to will is present with me; but how
to perform that which is good I find not. 19
For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that
I do. 20 Now if I do that I would not,
it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 21 I find then a law, that, when I would do
good, evil is present with me. 22 For I
delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23 But I see another law in my members, warring
against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin
which is in my members. 24 O wretched
man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So
then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of
sin.
8:1 ¶ There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in
Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ
Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was
weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful
flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4 That the righteousness of the law might be
fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the
things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the
Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually
minded is life and peace.
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not
subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot
please God. 9 But ye are not in the
flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if
any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
10 ¶ And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the
Spirit is life because of
righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of
him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ
from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth
in you. 12 Therefore, brethren, we are
debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die:
but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit
of God, they are the sons of God. 15 For
ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received
the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our
spirit, that we are the children of God:
The principle subject of the Bible is God’s own ministry of
reconciling mankind to Himself. To reconcile is to return to a former state of
harmony, to bring us and the entire universe back into a right position with
God. This was damaged by man’s sin, allowed to be done so by God so that we
would know in eternity that it was Him who saved us and returned us, and that
we had no power of our own to do so.
Permitting Adam’s sin and the fall of nature itself is a way God
has of revealing Himself to us by His ministry of reconciliation.
Talking about Jesus Paul says;
Colossians 1:12 ¶
Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers
of the inheritance of the saints in light: 13
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
14 In whom we have redemption through
his blood, even the forgiveness
of sins: 15 Who is the image of the
invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all things created, that are
in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or
principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all
things consist. 18 And he is the head of
the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that
in all things he might have the
preeminence. 19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all
fulness dwell; 20 And, having made peace
through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by
him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in
heaven. 21 And you, that were sometime
alienated and enemies in your
mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled 22 In the body of his flesh through death, to
present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in
his sight: 23 If ye continue in the
faith grounded and settled, and be
not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every
creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister; 24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and
fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his
body’s sake, which is the church: 25
Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which
is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; 26 Even
the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made
manifest to his saints: 27 To whom God
would make known what is the
riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you,
the hope of glory: 28 Whom we preach,
warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present
every man perfect in Christ Jesus: 29
Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which
worketh in me mightily.
We are now, as ambassadors of Christ, committed to spread this
ministry of reconciliation to all people, as witnesses of God’s mercy. Christ
was made sin for us so that we, through Him, could be reconciled to God in
righteousness.
Philippians 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness,
which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by
faith:
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