We are to be something in this great symphony that He has constructed and created, but not in disharmony with others, rather in total harmony with all others. Let's start with verse 14 of II Corinthians chapter 5. Keep this in mind that the word denomination starts with the word "demon" though hidden by camouflage, which brings discord or disharmony with God our designer and creator.
II Corinthians 5:14-15
"For the love Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, (we conclude) that if one died for all, then were all dead: (we've already come to that conclusion) And that he died for all, that they which live (have been raised out of their deadness in sins and trespasses) should not henceforth live unto themselves, (in other words, the attitude shouldn't be, well I'm safe from going to Hell, and that's all I have to worry about. Oh no, that's not it. Once we become a believer we don't live unto ourselves in disharmony with others of like precious faith, 2Peter 1:1) but unto him which died for them, and rose again."
See, that's our Gospel. Every time we turn around in Paul's letters we get this Gospel, how that Christ died for our sins, how that He was buried, and how that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. We must receive and believe this for eternal life, and there it is again at the end of verse 15, it just keeps popping up. Now verse 16.
II Corinthians 5:16a
"Wherefore (since Christ died for our sins, and rose from the dead) henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have know Christ after the flesh,..."
We're sure that Paul is making reference here to Christ's earthly ministry. That's not our salvation today. As the Son of man Jesus' ministry to Israel is not where we find our Gospel message because ours is only in the Spiritual Life restored within us through His vicarious death, resurrection and ascension. Coupled, or conjoined with our being Spiritual seated with In Him at the Father of spirits right hand in the Holiest of Holy places, constantly in His presences. The Old Testament, which ends as our witness to His coming as promised that's not our salvation today, though it was to have been Israels. Had they received Him. Although it's good in application, it's certainly good to know of all the miracles He performed, and all that He taught, but that's not the Gospel to get us to heaven or that works for our salvation. It helps in our choosing to enter redemption through forgiveness of our sin nature, wherein we're given the ability or power to become a son of God again (John 1:12). But we have to have passed through it and correctly excepted the cup of the garden (Matthew 20:22, Luke 22:42) in order to be made a son of God, again. Remember Paul and Christ were about the same age, so if Jesus was 30 years old when He began His ministry, then the Apostle Paul was about the same age, and had already begun his activity in the Sanhedrin, as a Pharisee. So they were contemporaries with one another. So Paul could say, "Sure I knew Christ in the flesh." Paul knew Him by reputation as we all know football players or what ever. Now we don't think they ever had a face to face confrontation, but old Saul of Tarsus knew all about Him. Just as we're to know all about Him with whom we have to do (Matthew 11:28-30, verse 29 should standout). Now continuing on with verse 16.
II Corinthians 16b
"... yet now henceforth know we him no more."
Now that's just plain English. What's Paul saying? I'm not lifting up Jesus' earthly ministry to Israel alone, and remember this is all Holy Spirit inspired, but what does Paul lift up? His death, His shed blood, His burial, and resurrection, and our being counted by God as being in Him through it all, as one person as in the very beginning. His spiritual heavenly ministry. In other words he's Lifting up Christ for the word Messiah is more than an earthly expression of who He is and how He is now working. See that's what Paul knows, that's what's been revealed to Paul from heaven. By the Messiah Himself after He had opened the small book (Revelation 5). Now verse 17 is the verse we wanted.
II Corinthians 5:17
"Therefore if any man be in Christ, (if we're in the Body of Christ, this is where our trusting comes into play) he is a new creature: (or new creation) old things are passed away (the old man, nature of sin is dead): behold, all things are become new (the promised New Covenant Life or divine Life reinstated)."
Who alone can create something like this? Only God! That's why as we look at this, can we see now that works can never have a thing to do with our salvation? Because all the areas that we're working on are the invisible. Now they're real, but invisible, they remain in darkness or so it seems. The old Adam has been crucified, cut away from our hard hearts and we're given a new heart and who but God could do it? It's impossible to do that, but God can. Who but God can give us a new nature? Nobody. And that's why it has to be all of God. We can join 15 churches, but they're not going to give us a new nature. We could join as many churches as you want and do all the things they require for their form of salvation, and it's not going to take care of old Adam. All they are is mans idolatry in action, they exult self in some form. They are full of dead works.
But when we let God do it, by us simply believing the finished work of the cross, then He moves in and does it all. He regenerates our spirit, He baptizes us with the Holy Spirit into the Body of Christ, He gives us a new divine nature that controls the body, and we're in fellowship with Him, in harmony with Him and it's all because of what He accomplished on our behalf at the cross. Oh, the world thinks we're crazy, but we don't. We wouldn't trade places with the world for anything.
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