#5 of 2 Cor.5– IN CHRIST

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AUGUST 28, 2024

This will be the 5th and, for now, the last 2 Corinthians 5 blog. I’m well aware that I am not exhausting the content of the chapter, but I am also aware that I can make “run-on” sentences resulting in what lawyers refer to as “begging the point.” In the next couple of paragraphs I will have said enough about it.

The last two verses (vs. 20,21) complete the explanation of the chapter’s ministry purpose: first, stop wondering if you are saved or lost and simply “be ye reconciled to God.” How? by believing Christ died for the payment of your sins, that He was buried to complete the picture of a Savior heavy laden with the sins of the world who was taken out of the sight of God (example shown in Gen.23:1-4—“out of my sight.”); And then Christ was raised from the dead to show the perfection in resurrection unto life (see Rom.1:3,4 & Rom.4:24,25).

So then, to believe ON the Lord Jesus Christ is to place trust for your personal salvation, not in a work action which you might think to do, but rather in what Christ has done for you (read carefully Eph.2:4-8: what He did, where we are by grace through faith.)

Coming to the last verse in this magnificent chapter, v.21, we see that what God has done by being “in Christ”-v.19, charging Him in the judgment for all sins (made Him to be SIN FOR US), He who knew no sin became sin itself!) God, then, could look at us as having the righteousness that truly was the person of His son. He could see us as perfect as Christ was, with no imputing of sins towards us(v.19) and Christ having taken all sins away (see Col.2:13, 14) we are accounted as being IN THE PERFECTION OF CHRIST (“in him.” the verse says) and as complete in Him as we can be. We may perfect our doctrine by studying by rightly dividing the word of truth, but God sees us perfect in Christ the moment we place our trust in Him. I hope you’ve done that and if not, do it right now. Salvation is just a moment away. Remember, “believe on the LORD JESUS CHRIST and thou shalt be saved.

The last part of v.20 isn’t trying to call everyone who is saved to be a preacher, but with your personal testimony you can simply relay to your listener how you know you have eternal life—I hope you see you can become an ambassador for Christ even just to the next person with whom you talk .

This short message concludes my blogs about the chapter. I hope it has not been boring to you, but that it uplifted the glorious gospel of Christ that can save anyone anywhere every day.

Thanks for reading, the Elder

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Hi, I'm Jerry Lockhart. I've been a preacher of the gospel of Christ for 43 years. I served as a pastor for 36 of those years. Now I preach or teach classes regularly and by request. My wife and I have been married 59 years and counting--we just might make it. I hope you enjoy or gain some insight by reading what I write.

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3 thoughts on “#5 of 2 Cor.5– IN CHRIST”

  1. Thank you Elder. Given this teaching, what is the role of Baptism? Further, what are the downstream consequences of the teaching in terms of the various churches and how they respond to this teaching?

    Thank you,

    FranklyBarb

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  2. Sorry, Frank & Barb, I just now saw this . Thank you for commenting. Water baptism, Scripturally speaking, comes from the Levites’ priesthood under the Mosaic law–washing of the body and clothing of priests in the offering of the sacrifices the law demanded. When John the Baptist came baptizing, he was fulfilling prophecy concerning the chosen of Israel (the Lord Jesus said, “many are called, but few are chosen.”) Jesus was baptized, as He said, “to fulfill all righteousness.” then, according to Heb.3:1 Jesus is the High Priest of their profession.

    But, our Apostle Paul (the apostle of the Gentiles –announced 18 times in Acts through 2 Timothy) said this about baptizing: “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel; not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.”–1 Cor.1:17.

    Then, later in 1 Cor.12:13, Paul stated, “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body…” When he then wrote Eph.4:5 he said there is only 1 baptism. So, water baptism is for the ministry and future inheritance of the kingdom of Heaven, taught by Jesus to the 12 who by necessity had to baptize their converts (Mark 16 & Acts 2:38.) But we have an inheritance as the church, which is His body, which has only one baptism.

    Conclusion then is that water baptism is not a necessity in our dispensation.

    Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and the first 12 chapters of Acts were all about the kingdom of Heaven—their gospel is “Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus and ye shall receive the gift of the HOLY GHOST which is promised unto you.”
    Acts 13-28 and Romans through Philemon are all written TO us, the church which is his body—our gospel is, “..how that Christ died for our sins, was buried and was raised from the dead for our justification…” “Therefore, being justified by faith we have peace with God..” (a combination of 1 cor.15:3,4; Rom.4:24,25 and Rom.5:1.) and “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.” Acts16:31.

    Hope this helps.

    Thanks again for reading and responding.

    JL

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  3. to Frank and Barb,

    Allow me to suggest that you watch my message on FaceBook of last evening, or if you prefer, you may watch it on YouTube Channel, Brother Jerry Lockhart for 9/8/24. It might shed more light on how I see the bible divided and how we find our doctrine.

    Thank you for responding and I hope the word of God is the only guide for our discussions.

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