2 Corinthians 5
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. 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. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 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. 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.
That's a great text. There's a whole lot of stuff there!
Although we still live in the flesh, this text says that we are to regard no one according to the flesh. That new creation in verse 17 is talking about the born again spirit, a person being born again. This flesh we live in is useless, it is good for nothing, as far as godliness is concerned. It will fade away and be gone, and we will receive new bodies, spiritual bodies.
We are beings made up of three parts, body (flesh), soul (mind, will, emotions), and spirit (the deepest part of us). When a person is born again, born from above, born of the spirit of God, The Lord does an amazing thing, literally making that person a new creature. That persons flesh doesn't get born again, it remains corrupt. But, if someone is born again we are not to regard them according to the flesh, but according to the new creation, the work which God has wrought in their heart, a clean and willfully obedient spirit, which is joined with the Holy Spirit.
All of this redemption is possible only because of one thing, and that is the sacrifice that Jesus became for us on Calvary. Verse 21 is kind of confusing, but is important. Christ was made to be sin on our behalf, he paid the full price to redeem us. He tasted death for us, so that we might have eternal life. Otherwise, he perfect justice would demand us being condemned:
Romans 3:26 - It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
God is both just (he does not let the wicked go unpunished), and the justifier of sinners (he took our due punishment, in our place).
Travis
