New Creation
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The Charge for Those With Authentic Faith
The Charge for Those With Authentic Faith
We are going to take a break from James this week due to our Anniversary service, but I’m not going to stray from this idea of Authentic Faith. As I’ve been praying about what God wanted me to talk about today, I was taken back to one of my favorite passages in the New Testament, 2 Corinthians 5. In this chapter, really in the book, Paul is defending his ministry to the Corinthian Christians. He has felt looked down upon and questioned because of his complete devotion to the Lord, ironically from a group of believers that were dear brother and sister in Christ. In the Middle of the chapter Paul finds himself a bit frustrated at the thought of having to justify how he has and is living his life to these Christians that look more at physical appearances and status than they do at the life of a man who is sold out for Jesus.
6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord,
7 for we walk by faith, not by sight.
8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
Paul’s saying, the Authentic Believer is to walk by faith and not by sight. Even though we still find ourselves here on this earth and not with the Lord we would rather be away from this body of flesh and with the Lord. And that may sound crazy. Why, because most humans don’t want to die, they want to try and live forever for this life and completely ignore the fact that we will all stand before God one day and be judged. And it is with the Love of Jesus that we do what Paul states next.
11 Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience.
12 We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart.
13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you.
14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died;
15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
First of all, I wanted to point out that this word that is used in the phrase “fear of the Lord” is not the usual reverent awe.
φόβος phóbos, fob'-os; from a primary φέβομαι phébomai (to be put in fear); alarm or fright:—be afraid, + exceedingly, fear, terror.
So, because we realize that there is judgement coming on all those who do not believe, we persuade others. Paul’s saying that God knows where Paul stands with Him and he hopes these Corinthian church members know in their conscience where they stand with the Lord.
Paul is saying that he’s not really trying to convince them of the validity of his ministry for them, but so that they can give an answer to those looking at what is on the outside and not what God cares about…what is in the heart.
Verse 13 speaks to this. 2 Corinthians 5:13
13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you.
The meaning of the phrase “if we are besides ourselves” means, if we are seen as crazy by the world, in other words if we are following the Lord and the wold sees it as foolishness, than this is for the Lord. On the other hand if we go around looking like we are just like everyone else, i.e. “if we are in our right mind” it is for you, or, it would be to keep the world happy and not stand out as other, holy, set apart.
verse 14 goes on to state the true reason for a believers desire to “persuade others”.
14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died;
15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
One thing to clarify in this passage is the word ALL and this idea, false understanding actually, that this means that because Jesus died for all that all will be saved. This is partially what leads Universalists to believe that all people will end up in heaven or in eternity in the end. “because He died for all”.
Rebate check! The president could send out a rebate check to every person in the nation, but unless you endorse the check with your name, receiving the gift and attaching your name to the fee to be paid, you will not actually receive the rebate. You will not have redeemed the offer. So, he has died for al and those who live MIGHT no longer live for themselves but FOR HIM WHO for their sake died, and was raised.
In other words, for those who received the redemption of their souls for all eternity, we should live our lives TO HIM! If we died with Him, then we will also be raised with Him!
10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
11 The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him;
12 if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us;
13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.
New Creation
New Creation
16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer.
Here Paul is saying that collectively the apostles and other eye witnesses saw and knew Jesus while he was in the flesh. But he’s also saying that to know Jesus in through the power and revelation of the Holy Spirit is to know Him more completely and deeply!
9 But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—
10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.
11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
"I know no language, I believe there is none, that can express a greater or more thorough and more radical renewal, than that which is expressed in the term, 'a new creature.'" (Spurgeon)
"My brethren, it was more difficult, if such terms are ever applicable to Omnipotence, it was more difficult to create a Christian than to create a world. What was there to begin with when God made the world? There was nothing; but nothing could not stand in God's way — it was at least passive. But, my brethren, in our hearts, while there was nothing that could help God, there was much that could and did oppose him. Our stubborn wills, our deep prejudices, our ingrained love of iniquity, all these, great God, opposed thee, and aimed at thwarting thy designs… Yes, great God, it was great to make a world, but greater to create a new creature in Jesus Christ." (Spurgeon)
Living as a new creation is something God works in us, using our will and our choices. So, we must both receive the gift of being a new creation and be challenged to live the life of a new creation. All this is God's work in us that we must submit to. This reminds us that at its root, Christianity is all about what God did for us, not what we can or should do for God. HE does have something for us to do, but even that is still Him doing what He is going to do and he will do it through us. we are merely the conduit that carries the message and the power. It’s the message and ministry of reconciliation.
Ministry of Reconciliation
Ministry of Reconciliation
18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
This work of a new creation and our eternal destiny are works of God, not something we have to earn and achieve.
God initiated this ministry of reconciliation, even though He is the innocent party in the estranged relationship. He reconciled us to Himself; we did not reconcile ourselves to Him.
Now God expects us to take up the ministry of reconciliation and has therefore gave us the word of reconciliation.
It is even more amazing when we understand, in light of what happened on the cross, that at some point before Jesus died, before the veil was torn in two, before Jesus cried out "it is finished," an awesome spiritual transaction took place. The Father set upon the Son all the guilt and wrath our sin deserved, and Jesus bore it in Himself perfectly, totally satisfying the justice of God for us, for the world! He did that for us. (David Guzik)
Reconciled means - to receive into favour. God the Father through God the Son, Jesus Christ and his death on the cross, receives into favor those who would believe and place their faith and trust in Him for salvation!
This Phrase Not counting their trespasses to them: Why? Was it because God went soft and gave mankind a "Get Out of Hell Free" card? Instead, it is because our trespasses were imputed to Jesus. The justice our sin demanded is satisfied…….. not excused.
If God sets aside His wrath or His justice to save sinners, that means then that the cross, instead of being a demonstration of love, is an exhibition of unspeakable cruelty and injustice, and of one man's misguided attempt at “do-goodism”. If sin could just be excused, then it never needed to be satisfied.
An ambassador does not speak to please his audience, but the King who sent him. An ambassador does not speak on his own authority; his own opinions or demands mean little. He simply says what he has been commissioned to say. But an ambassador is more than a messenger; he is also a representative, and the honor and reputation of his country are in his hands.
We are ambassadors As an ambassador Paul makes a simple, strong, direct plea: be reconciled to God.
This makes it clear that the work of reconciliation mentioned previously in the chapter does not work apart from our will and our choice. Who are the ones reconciled to God?
Those who have responded to Jesus' plea, made through His ambassadors.
21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
"Christ was not guilty, and could not be made guilty; but he was treated as if he were guilty, because he willed to stand in the place of the guilty. Yea, he was not only treated as a sinner, but he was treated as if he had been sin itself in the abstract. This is an amazing utterance. The sinless one was made to be sin." (Spurgeon)
"I do not say that our substitute endured a hell, that were unwarrantable. I will not say that he endured either the exact punishment for sin, or an equivalent for it; but I do say that what he endured rendered to the justice of God a vindication of his law more clear and more effectual than would have been rendered to it by the damnation of sinners for whom he died." (Spurgeon)
"What a grand expression! He makes us righteous through the righteousness of Jesus; nay, not only makes us righteous, but righteousness; nay, that is not all, he makes us the righteousness of God; that is higher than the righteousness of Adam in the garden, it is more divinely perfect than angelic perfection." (Spurgeon)
He did all this for us and for His glory! How can we not, in return fulfill our portion of being an Ambassador of the Message of Reconciliation.
Lets Pray
