2 Corinthians 5:11-21

 (2 Corinthians 5:11-21)

Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.  For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart.  For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause.  For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:  And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.  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.  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 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. 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.  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.

 

Paul had hope. It was a hope for an eternal home in heaven. Because of that hope, Paul confessed that he preached the Gospel in truth and humility, not being discouraged or afraid of death even in the midst of great tribulation. The Bible says that Paul's so sacrificial labor for the gospel was because he was compelled by the love of Christ revealed on the cross. Jesus died on the cross by redeeming everyone. Those who are compelled to the love of Christ say, "Therefore we know no man after the flesh from now on." To know after the body is to judge by the body.

 

False teachers entered the Corinthian Church. They boasted of their appearance and judged according to physical standards. They had great eloquence, recommendations from celebrities, backgrounds and experiences people would envy. They denied Paul's apostolic power. They denied the gospel preached by Paul by knowledge of the flesh. Humans hate weakness. They hide the glory of God because they see their appearance and judge the flesh according to what they know. Therefore, they believe that those who believe in Jesus must live well to reveal the glory of God, and should not be tails but heads. People even judge faith according to the flesh.

 

Those who know after the flesh, those who boast of appearance, cannot accept Jesus as Savior. Because Jesus Christ is from the perspective of the world, Jesus is the most cursed and dead loser. At the time of Jesus, the Israelites eagerly awaited the Messiah. However, the Messiah they waited for was the Messiah who, like David and Solomon, freed Israel and subdued the whole world before him. But the Messiah appeared to them, but it was not the greatness they expected. Even he died helplessly on the cross. The Israelites, who expected the excellence of appearance following the flesh, could not accept Jesus as their Savior.

 

On the contrary, Paul boasted of his weaknesses. 『And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 』It is not the standard of the flesh, but those who are compelled by the love of the cross of Christ are those who are in Christ and are new creatures. He who is a new creature in Christ does not see the world as he knows after the flesh. The saints do not judge people based on the external standards they see.

 

Because one died for all, all lived. Today the church does not say that everyone is dead. If I don't die with Jesus, I'm still the master. It means that they will not live for themselves again, but for those who have risen again. If they live for themselves, it is the result of not being in Christ. The word “for the person who lives again” is the expression “to the person who lives again”. Today, most of the church people believe that "Christ died for everyone." But they may be addicted to humanism. Christ must be everything. That is to gain repentance and justification. When we repent, faith comes, when we believe, we are justified, and when we believe, we receive the Holy Spirit and become holy.

 

Today, most churches believe that when people believe in Jesus, they become holy. However, we must understand exactly the meaning of repentance. Repentance is the realization that everyone is a human being who cannot but die before God. To die with Christ is the way to be sanctified and justified. Our inner identity does not change with effort. So no matter how hard you try, it is not sanctified. Only one must die with Jesus to be transformed into a new creation. You have to pay attention to the change. Change is not to leave the old one as it is, but to deny the old one. How can a person who asks how this is possible to believe in being born again with water and the Holy Spirit?

 

『 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead』 These words are often brainwashed and embedded in the brain as knowledge. And they can explain to others. But if life doesn't move, it won't be dead. If our lives are based on the knowledge of the world, our physical emotions, and our will, we cannot say that we are dead. The living Jesus directs our hearts and, accordingly, produces the fruit that only the Holy Spirit can bear. We must live a life with the Holy Spirit. However, most people presuppose that they cannot do it themselves, and they are obsessed with the idea that everything will be solved if you confess and reflect on it.

 

Those who die should not live for the world, but must be overcomers toward the world. Those who live for the world are not those who are in Jesus. Those who overcome the world are those who are in Jesus. We must awaken from convenient doctrines made by people. You cannot enter into Jesus unless you follow what Jesus died for everyone on the cross. You will never live for yourself again. So 『Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 』.

 

If you are in Christ, you become a new creature. In the book of Galatians it is said, "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature."

 

Salvation is only a new creature, a reborn. It means that the old thing has passed. The word ``passed away'' is the word for ``Even though heaven and earth disappear, the word of the Lord is forever.'' There is no middle of being born again. The old self who has been regenerated disappears and does not exist. However, many people today hold onto the old man even though they say they are born again. The new heaven and the new earth are not with the old world. In 2 Peter 3:12-13『Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. 』

 

Salvation is given an opportunity to those who have left the world. In the wilderness, God does not remember the sins of the people in Egypt. In Egypt, painting the blood of a lamb is a pass over. But as soon as the people crossed the Red Sea, the Lord did not overlook the sins of the people. So, God gives the opportunity to repent through the law in the wilderness. The law convicts the people of sin. At Pentecost Sinai, God gave the law to the people, so he said, "If you enter the land of Canaan, you must live like this in the new heaven and the new earth." They realize in the wilderness that "This is not possible." For 40 years, even before the Jordan River, the Lord has sworn. He swore, "If we enter the land of Canaan, those who said, "We will die," and those who weep when they hear it, will never enter the land I promised. So the old man must die.

 

The standard of salvation does not come out of Egypt. It means that washing away sins with the blood of Jesus is not the standard of salvation. The standard of salvation is to cross the Jordan River and enter Canaan. The old person dies and the new person enters. Canaan is the fullness of Christ. Those who enter Christ are those who enter Canaan. Those who enter Christ enter into the ark. This is salvation. Many church people today do not understand entering into Christ. We believe that Jesus died for my sins. Then, through repentance, they are baptized in Jesus' name and are forgiven of their sins. Baptism is when I am buried with Jesus. To be buried is to enter into Christ. However, they try to skip the process of being sold. It is because only sins are trying to be forgiven. The forgiveness of sins is the result of burial (death) and baptism.

 

We are baptized. In Romans 6:4, ``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. 』It is baptism that is united with the death of Jesus. Merging with death is the process of being buried in the water. In the Red Sea, King Pharaoh's army was commanded. None of the Hebrews died. It is a place where all old people died in the wilderness. Only new men enter the Jordan River with Joshua. Joshua in Hebrew is Jesus in Greek.