Our New Realities in Christ
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1. When a person gets born again, he/she becomes a new creation in Christ
1. When a person gets born again, he/she becomes a new creation in Christ
16 So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! 17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
Paul says, at one point, we though of Christ merely from a human point of view. And this what we see in the four gospels: (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), we see a historical Jesus. They recorded His earthly life and ministry, His death or suffering, burial resurrection and His ascension in glory. This is all that the four gospel tells us. Paul now says, we can’t just know this historical person but we have to go beyond “the son of Mary, the miracle-worker, and see by revelation, our risen Lord in His glory and be able to see what He accomplished for the church on the Cross, what he did in the grave, what He accomplished at His resurrection and how that apply to the believer today
It should be noted that Paul is not saying, we should have a disinterest in the earthly or historical Jesus, only seeing Him purely from the lenses of the four gospel. He does not want us to be unspiritual in our understanding of who this Jesus is. He is more than a suffering person on a pole, He is our sin bearer, our mercy-seat, our high priest, our passover lamb, our sacrifice...
63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, 4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) 5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, 4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) 5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
Word Study
Revelation -------- apokalypsis
to reveal, to disclose
to make fully known
to uncover
manifestation
to unveil
Note: This word denotes a revelation or appearing. (“apo” from “from,” kalupto, “to hide, cover”)
Mystery ------------ mysterion
secrets
reveal secret
knowledge withheld
He said, by revelation, God revealed to him, the mystery that was hidden. So what was that mystery that was hidden?
Thus the revelation that was with-held in the Old Testament was the about Christ. That is
19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,
9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
3 Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:
16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
He said, by revelation, God revealed to him, the mystery that was hidden. So what was that mystery that was hidden?
Thus the revelation that was with-held in the Old Testament was the about Christ. That is is why the Old Testament is referred to as “Christ concealed”. He was hidden in the stories and rituals that are found in the Old Testament. Thus, it become very evident that when a preacher preaches from the Old Testament, He/she has to bear in mind that he is talking about Christ. Failure to come to this understanding, he has not done a good job of revealing christ to his/her congregation. No matter where we are preaching from the Word, it is the job of the preacher to unveil christ to the people.
NOTE: The message of the Bible is about Christ and what he did for mankind by means of His death, burial, resurrection and accession into heaven. He is the main character.
I. Christ in the Old Testament
At this point, we want to uncover Christ in the Old Testament. First and foremost, we must understand that Old Testament was written in types and shadow. Thus, it will take some level of study to reveal Christ in those rituals and ceremonies that were used to talk about Christ.
He was the promised messiah of the Old Testament of whom Moses and the Prophets talked or prophesied about. (
Heb.9:8-9, Col. 2:16-17
Word study
shadow ------- skia
shade
error
A shadowy copy
Ceremonies under the law with all its rituals.
Sense: An example that prefigures or foreshadows what is to come.
18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. 19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.
21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.
24 And they which were sent were of the Pharisees. 25 And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet? 26 John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;
6 For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
2 But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah,
Though thou be little among the thousands of Judah,
Yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel;
Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion;
Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem:
Behold, thy King cometh unto thee:
He is just, and having salvation;
Lowly, and riding upon an ass,
And upon a colt the foal of an ass.
24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not. 25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: 26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. 2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. 3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.
Note: The Ceremonies and the rituals, in the Old Testament were all shadows or pictures of christ. A shadow can never claim to be a complete revelation of its object. At best it can give only the barest outline of the reality. Moreover, once the true form has been seen, the shadow becomes irrelevant.
Going after the shadow while the real thing is here, makes no sense to the person who has seen the real thing. Thus, the writer of Hebrews is saying that the law was a shadow of good things to come and Christ is that “good thing” that was to come.
8 the Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing. 9 It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience—
16 So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. 17 For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality.
We see Christ in the killing of the innocent animal to cloth Adam and Eve
Gen. 3:21 ...the Lord make coats of skin and cloth them
Word Study
Cloth ----- labash
to put on a garment
to cover
We see the gracious act of God
We see gracious God showing His love and mercy in man’s fallen and disobedience state. He did not sent them out in shame and disgrace (nakedness) But He covered them. This shows that God is gracious and He will continue to show us love and mercy even if we don’t deserve it.
The clothing foreshadow the metaphor of Christ imputed righteousness for the church
We see the righteousness of God been given to Adam and his wife, letting us, believer know that the day we got saved, we were clothed with the righteousness. It was a foreshadow of what the church will enjoy in our new realities. He is our righteousness and as such, we are clothed in that right standing.
(Phil. 3:9, Rm. 3:21-22, Eph. 4:23-24, Rm. 13:14)
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:
14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
The Price for the “coat” that was put on them
This is the picture of the cost of our salvation in Christ. An innocent animal was killed to covered the shame and disgrace of Adam and his wife.
The animal was their substitute, taking their place in death and shame to cloth their nakedness. This is what Christ did for mankind, He took our place in sin He gave us His “covering” His righteousness.
For salvation to take effect, there must be shedding of blood and what Christ that for us when He gave up His life for us. god Presented Jesus as the sacrifice of our atonement.
(Rm. 3:25, Heb. 9:22, John 1:29)
25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past,
22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
Thus, the atonement is our place for covering. So than, on the basis of His atonement, God clothed the believer in righteousness forever.
Note: The atonement of Israel in the Old Testament was God’s grace on display (Lev. 16:7, 15-17, 21-22, 33-34)
7 And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
15 Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat: 16 And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness. 17 And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel.
21 And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: 22 And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.
33 And he shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar, and he shall make an atonement for the priests, and for all the people of the congregation. 34 And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year. And he did as the Lord commanded Moses.