2 Cor.5 #3 Walking?

We are in the center chapter (37) of the books which Paul wrote to congregations of people: Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians—all together that is 73 chapters. 2Corinthians 5 is the 37th. In this chapter is one of the single most important verses that every saved person should latch on to and never forget…and the Lord has set it up in our King James Bible so we can see it very clearly, He caused the translators to put it in a parentheses! Verse 7, (For we walk by faith, not by sight.)

It sounds simple when we read it, but to walk by faith, not by sight means sight cannot be used as our judge. Not about any spiritual matter, not in any decision making we are forced or drawn into, we just can’t us a “seeing is believing” premise for judgement. Sound difficult? It is. Let’s look at verses which will help us understand this. In 1 Cor.2:9-16 he starts off this way: “But as it is written, eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” If anywhere in His word the Lord makes a more profound statement about the difference between us and Himself, I don’t know where to find it! Yet verse 9 is followed by verse 10! How important are the words on the pages of Scripture?! Penned by the Holy Spirit for us to see what He wants us to see! (For we walk by faith, not by sight.) (Also, His words assure us that when God is judged He will always be justified: He’s always correct! see also Rom.3:4-6; )

Then later in 1 Cor.2 he tells us that spiritual things should be compared with the spiritual-v.13. It doesn’t say spiritual things with spiritual things—it says spiritual things with spiritual—the context being about the spiritual person. With that in mind let’s go back to 2 Cor.5 and look at three very difficult verses to take in and unto ourselves—verses 14,15,16.

For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all deadAnd 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.

Mmm, Yes “the love of Christ constraineth us.” It really does. We need only think of the poet’s words in At Calvary: “Oh, the love that drew salvation’s plan; Oh, the grace that brought it down to man; Oh, the mighty gulf that God did span, AT CALVARY!
To constrain means to compel by force or draw. Shall the love of Christ not constrain you? But, Paul explains further; we can see or understand that since Christ died for all mankind, then God would by necessity see all mankind as dead, then those who are “alive in Christ” should have no reason to live after the flesh, even if they still lived in the flesh. 

He then circles back by the edict of verse 16: Wherefore henceforth (don’t you just love those two words?) — “Since that then from now on,” He’s saying, know we no man as if we’re judging about his flesh AND likewise we only look at Christ as a resurrected Savior, just as we and our brethren are also resurrected by FAITH. Then, for instance, does it make sense to look to Jesus’ earthly ministry and try to mimic or copy His and the 12 Apostles actions? No. The Lord sent us Paul to write the word of God for the church in our dispensation of time. We’re spiritual in His eyes. We know no man, even Christ, after the flesh. For we walk by faith, not by sight.

The next verse and a few more words say this: 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…

If we’re saved we’re “in Christ” and therefore we’re a newly (old things not being remembered ever again) created being, not yet born again, but we are sealed unto that occurring. In the previous writing we discussed the seal of the Holy Spirit, right? So, now let’s add a few more verses to see this part of who we are “in Christ.” In Paul’s first letter to these people (1 Cor.15:43-51)

So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:

It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:

It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.

The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.

As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.

And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

I’m sure you can tell two things out of the underlined verse. 1. We have borne the image of the earthy (flesh), and 2. We will bear the image of the heavenly (Christ.) We have been borne into this world, but we have not yet been borne into our eternal abode. Phi.3:21 tells us the same thing: (Christ) Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

Won’t that be somethin’!! Yessir, it surely will be somethin’! More to come. Thanks for reading, the Elder