2 Corinthians 5:17 Bible Teaching

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2nd Corinthians 5.17
December 2nd 2018
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So we have entered into the living application of these verses as Paul started in verse 14 by describing how all are dead with Christ because Christ died, then in verse 15 he talked about those who have ALSO risen with Christ from the grave of dead flesh unto His resurrection, and then in verse 16 he dropped the bomb that seemed to say, in light of the fact that all are dead because He died,

“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.”

And we talked all about that – wrapping it up with some ideas about the ontology or make-up of God.

Paul now gets to the stuff I am all about as a Christian today – though I personally perform his advice poorly – and he says:

17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

So let’s get back to verse 17 and get into these fantastic verses.

For starters, I think its important to tease apart the passages where the terms “we” are employed and “you”.

We will do this as we move through the verses remembering that sometimes the we is referring only to the apostles and those working with them, and sometimes it refers to all believers, and that “us” is also used and we will try and see what Paul means when he used this term.

At this point Paul, having made it plain that

All are dead with Christ
That some rise to life with Him,
And that they were to no longer know any person by their flesh (which I would suggest says that Christians ought to see all people as either DEAD with Christ only OR as Dead with Christ AND as having risen to New Life.

Speaking to the latter category, Paul now adds some of the most important words to those who have been regenerated by Christ and risen from the grave with him, saying:

17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

This is a huge Therefore and speaks directly to the change that comes with personal regeneration or when a person sees themselves as having experienced death in their flesh with Christ because of their SIN (and therefore redemption with God) but not only that but also has been spirit-filled and has joined the throng of people who rise up into new life with Him.

There is important imagery going on here that ought to be addressed and is often overlooked –

When Paul says “all are dead with Christ” (which death is the result of our sin and the wages of sin being death which He paid through his substitutionary sacrifice for all) this does not have a physical, actual literal application. It has a spiritual actual literal application. We can say this because while we are all dead we all are still alive here in the flesh, aren’t we?

This fact caused Paul to say:

Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

In this passage we see that the application of what Paul has said here in 2nd Corinthians 5:14-16 is all based in FAITH – in other words, these things are actuated and lived out by us here on earth by and through faith. This does not make them any LESS real – they are very real. But they are not physically literal. They are spiritually literal – proven by Paul saying that he has been “crucified with Christ,” yet nevertheless, he adds, “I live.”

Then, speaking to the manner in which he lives, he adds:

“And the LIFE that I NOW live in the flesh (referring to the real, authentic, abiding eternal life that He now lives in the flesh, as the result of rising up with Christ, he adds)
“I live by FAITH in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

This amazing rub, this constant confrontation, cannot be dismissed with rhetoric. In other words, when I say that I tell Christians who find themselves in sin that it is not them that sins, that that is not who they are, and that that being will go to the grave when the real identity will go to God – which is His – I mean this, but as a stance in faith, as a perspective to assume, as a spiritual reality but not a physical reality.

I want to make this plain because while I personally have experienced a change in my person by living by these principles, my actual material flesh rises up daily to try and assume control of the throne, and it is only by and through realizing its power am I able to acquiesce to the power of the Risen Lord and to allow Him to assume reign.

In the end what I am trying to say is Yes, it is a spiritual fact that we are all dead with Christ, but it is a physical fact that our bodies are still in operation. And it is a spiritual fact that all regenerated Christians walk with the Resurrected Lord and their strength, we are still walking on terra-firma, and all that comes with it.

I implore you and myself to see our real identity before God as Spiritual and in Christ completely – and without exception or fail – that is what Paul is clearly describing, but I am not sure it is entirely possible to abandon the reality that we are in actual physical flesh and see ourselves as it being in the grave as we live out our mortal lives.

It IS the goal. It is. But I had to tap on the reality and the reminder that the Grace of God is there to make up for whenever the flesh rises up and attempts a coup.

But let’s return to the ideal that Paul presents us here – and ideal that when I am able to embrace it and live in it, I am truly victorious. That ideal is captured in verse 17 where he says

“THEREFORE . . .

. . . if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. “

Taking this and seeing it literally in the life of a Christian here on earth, we would have to say that

“If any persons is in Christ, that he is a new spiritual creature; and the old mind is passed away, and look! All things relative to the former carnal individual lies in the Grave and all things present in the resurrected life of the Lord are at work.”

When we are born again, do our dental defects perfect? No. Do the things surrounding our material beings become entirely new? Not usually. Not yet.

So when Paul says, ALL things,” lets get real here. The all things are all things relative to the former man or woman and their spiritual state or condition before God – their mind, their will, their emotion – that is what has become new.

What kind of new – the new that Jesus was when He rose from the Grave! In other words, we are born-again into Him who rose from the grave and we are imputed with His mind, His will and His emotions.

Granted, the presence of these things in us CAN alter the physicality of our mortal persons – I don’t dispute this – but the point Paul is making is while we have died with Christ in His substitutionary death for our sins of our flesh, when we are spiritually regenerated we RISE up and walk IN HIS RESURRECTION – HIS – NOT OUR OWN – HIS.

And therefore all things have become new – for they are His. We are walking in and with Him. He is in us, His resurrected persons, walking with us in this life.

We can get in His way. We can let our flesh rise up and reign – but the BEST mind-set to bear is the mindset Paul gives us here – we are all dead with Him, therefore the flesh has zero say in anything, and therefore the way is paved for us to now live in Him or unto Him – in His resurrected person.

There is another important clarification I want to point out here that came to me.

Several times we read in scripture that God is not the God of the dead but of the living. Jesus said in Matthew 22:32

I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

I have always wondered about this description of God – and it makes sense when we consider the interactions God had with the dead and departed prior to Christ – he was certainly depicted as a God not of the dead but of the living – with the living being those who walked in His ways and spirit.

Certainly God is the God of all living, but we have scriptural evidence that directly says he is not the God of the dead.

Then something happens. Jesus. Listen, for instance, to how scripture describes him, the mediator between God and Man.

Acts 10:36 The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)

Romans 14:9 says “For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.”

Verse 15 here in 2nd Corinthians 5 reiterates this, saying

“And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him WHO died for them, and rose again.”

I think its important to note that Jesus Himself said that God is not the God of the Dead but of the Living but that scripture describes Jesus as LORD over all. It says a LOT about the mediatorial role of Christ in reconciling all to God in the end.

It says a lot to our everything being in and through Christ, who, again, is LORD of the dead (as all are dead in His death) and of the living (for all who rise up and live unto him).

To properly cover verse 17 here I think we must read through chapter six of Romans which says so much relative to the topic of

. . if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. “

In chapter 5 of Romans, Paul speaks to the justification we have by faith in Christ – among other things.

But then at chapter six he adds: (read with me)

6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.

There is a lot to talk about here folks – a lot – as Paul brings some interesting twists to the idea of being dead with Him and therefore living with him. But that is for another day as we are studying through 2nd Corinthians and not Romans.

But at this point Paul gets to some parallel ideas to what he has written in verse 17 of 2nd Corinthians, saying:

8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.

Such beautiful points about Jesus death being once and for all but His resurrected life being forever. And then to the believers at Rome Paul says (verse 11)

11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God (who is the God of the living) through Jesus Christ our Lord (who is Lord of the living and the dead!).

12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Admittedly, these passages muddy the clarity of the words Paul uses in 2nd Corinthians – and all of them must be taken into account to get clarity on the subject.

But it seems that the Romans verses are speaking to the reality of what Paul says in 2nd Corinthians 5 – and 2nd Corinthians 5 are speaking to the spiritual truth absent a description of the reality.

In any case, the principles are VERY CLEAR –

Those who are His, who have both died with Him in His death and have risen up to Life in His resurrection, are to walk as new creations, and not according to the will and ways of the flesh that has been crucified with Christ.

The phrase, to “be in Christ,” evidently means to be united to Christ through faith – to be in him as the branch is in the vine–that is, so united to the vine, or so in it, as to derive all its nourishment and support from it, and to be sustained entirely by it in the production of fruit.

Of course Jesus made it clear in John 15:1 – 4 saying

John 15:1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

To be “in Christ” as a branch abides in a vine describes a completely natural union.

The implication is that all our support, strength, love, faith is from him in the life of a true, living Christian.

We say it, almost as if it was a catch-phrase that presents humility, but the fact of the matter is, in the Kingdom, resting on high, everything that is eternal and that will continue on or contribute to the expansion of His reign in bringing souls to God, is from Him.

All of it.

The reality of this brings us to a few considerations:

First, when we think its up to us, that it is our labors, intelligence, skill, or ideas that are going to serve the kingdom we have deluded ourselves. In fact, we are probably getting in the way of what He is doing when this is the case.

Secondly, to truly be effective in the kingdom is to be like the branch and allow Jesus to work, and to allow God to prune and trim and cut us back as He sees fit – all as a means to bring forth more fruit in and through the finished work of His Son.

This concept is really difficult for many Christians – and I am frequently asked how a believer knows what to do, when to do it, and how to do it – while relying and resting as a branch in the vine.

In the school of ministry I attended I was surrounded by dozens of men who had grown up in the Christian faith and a good majority of them took the illustration so seriously and to heart that some of them have not really moved or done anything in their walk – except waited on the Lord to move them.

I find a similar state in Christians I have met here in Utah – they long to do something for the Lord but are waiting for Him to move them to action.

Is this what is meant here by abiding in the vine?

I have lived my Christian life in another way – for whatever it is worth. I see the vine branch relationship as relational and symbiotic. In other words, without the vine there would be no branch – and therefore everything that the branch does or allows is in accord with the vine – and its will, ways, and make-up.

Simultaneously, the branch looks to the branches to produce fruit which is enjoyed by the world and is created by the nutrients of the Vine.

So, taking the idea that the branches cannot produce any fruit on their own or of their own, and that the vine needs the branches to brings its fruit forward to the world, then I live my life as a Christian like this:

God created me to produce certain things in His Kingdom. He has given me traits and desires and penchants that are especially useful.

With those natural inclinations and skills given me by God, I look to the vine and vet all my natural talents through its will and ways – and not my own.

When my inclinations rise up that are my own but not beneficial to His Kingdom in some realistic way, or they are not in harmony with His will and ways, I try to avoid pursuing them.

I try.

Sometimes my flesh rises up and I pursue producing fruit that I justify as good and of Him – but it’s not – and that is often shown to me along the way or even after my efforts have been fully extended.

However, when my efforts are supported by both my desires, my talents, the Spirit, love, and appear purposeful to Him and His kingdom and will, I pursue them.

Looking back over the course of my life I have produced a LOT of things – writings, teachings, shows, content – much of which has not ever been seen. Much of which should not ever be seen.

But there is a quantity of work that God has allowed to thrive and last, and those things, when I look back, were often the things that came about most fluidly.

In other words, when I am engaged in creating them or presenting them, they move out with a fluidity then other things that contain awkwardness to them.

That is the best way I can describe what I believe is of God and what is not – the things of him flow out with fluidity and the things that are not of him are awkwardly delivered.

One last thing about bearing fruit through Him – all of it takes work, so I am not saying that the fruits from him arrive without labor.

They don’t. In fact, sometimes His fruits require more labor that other things that just come easily.

But looking back over my life, a lack of confusion, an abundance of fluidity, and a consistency that arrives with truth usually accompanies the fruits that are His where confusion, awkwardness and inconsistency accompanies the rest that comes from me.

So Paul gives us a universal truth here –

“if any man be in Christ.”

In other words, any and all who become actual Christians will undergo or experience such a change in their views and feelings that we could consider them (and us) as new creatures.

What is interesting about this statement is that it makes great sense when we are talking about criminals and sexual deviants and alcoholics but how does the universal nature of this apply to people who are clean living, relatively moral, law-abiding and the like?

All we have to do is look at Paul for our answer as he says of his former man in

Philippians 3:4-7 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:
5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

Amazing, eh? That Christ all people levels the playing field where all who are in him become Him – leaving the former person in the grave.

When I first met Bishop Earl, he was still in the LDS Church and could be perhaps described as a Mormon the way Paul is described as a Jew.

Having been out and in ministry for a while before Earl, I have had the great fortune of watching the man move from being a “good man” to becoming a “Christian.” There is a difference.

And so while in my own life, the former man was without question bad, over the years I have watched how Jesus in earl and myself has brought us to a level playing field – where His love, and His humility, and His ways reign.

In the case of Good earl and Bad Shawn, both have experienced all things being new.

So, one last time, Paul says:

17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

The text is really good here as the implication is not that if any man be in Christ they ought to be a new creature, but that they are a new creature.

The phrase “a new creature” also occurs in Galatians 6:15 where Paul writes

“For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.”

A great passage because it confirms that our outward status of circumcision and uncircumcision is irrelevant – the New Creature is the relevant part – the life now in Him.

Best understood, all who are his are new in a moral sense, as Ephesians 4:24 says:

“The new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”

This righteousness and holiness is the product of a new heart and mind, one where love for God and Man reigns supreme.

All who are His, all, will have this heart of love – which is manifested in terms of how scripture describes and defines it, and not religion, goodness, selfishness or any other former way.

This phrase evidently implies that the new man or woman has new views, new motives, new principles, new objects and plans of life.

She or he will seek new purposes and lives for new ends.

“Old things are passed away and behold, all things (relative to the human heart, the morality of the soul,) are become new.”

Again, from the perspective of the soul – the mind, the will, the emotion.

I want to wrap today up with some insights to this point.

Because it is “Christ in us,” and “us in Christ” in the new creature, I want to emphasize that the order of all things becoming new begins inwardly, spiritually, and on the heart.

This is a moral transformation that begins inwardly and works its way outwardly to the hands, and lives of the believer.

Every attempt to apply this phrase to the flesh ought to be abandoned because in the end all that is is religion and external laws working on the external presence of a person.

When Jesus moves in, there is little external changes – except for maybe in the eyes.

But it is the heart, and the mind, and the soul where all things become new first.

This is why repentance is a “change of mind” and does NOT mean a change of behaviors – initially.

Again, a change of behaviors is called religion, or the military, or life under the law.

But the change of mind, which has become new, ultimately allows for the external to conform to the internal – and that cannot be lost here.

We often see new or young Christians (and the religions that prey upon them) trying to perfect their flesh because they think all things must be new.

While admirable and well intentioned, this is not what is being described here.

And the principle point for people to understand is that its okay. Its okay. The sins of the flesh have been met and managed by Jesus for the world.

God has moved in and as a means to overcome the sinful flesh we do not pay it any mind. Instead we look to the inward person, to the laws God has written on our hearts, to THAT new creature, and with Jesus mindset, with His will, with literally Him guiding through His resurrected life, no believer has to fear what his or her flesh might do – the renewed mind will go a long way to keep that flesh where it belongs – in the grave.

Finally, many people wonder, what does it look like, feel like, to have experienced becoming a new creature in Christ?

Because the new creature is internal first, and is therefore the presence of Spiritual Christ in us, I would suggest that most of the indicators and tells of the change are inward too.

Remembering that all things are new, the Christian babe would look for changes in their

Hearts
Minds
Will
Emotions

They may be subtle or abrupt, but changes in these things are present.

For some the only material change comes with new sight or vision – in other words they “see” the world in a new way. Nature, trees, the mountains and stars and sea “look” different for some.

I experienced this and have heard from many others the same.

Also internal ambitions and desires for the world begin to change. And in my experience this snowballs as the believer lives their Christian life with Christ.

For many this culminates in having no care for their world at all.

Also – in time for some and immediately for others, there is a change in perspective, love and patience for others.

For family
In Relationships

As the LOVE of God begins to bear itself – in dozens of different ways, but always identified by

Patience, forgiveness, longsuffering, kindness, selflessness, peace, temperance and joy in this world.

(beat)

Let’s stop here.

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