Commentary on 2 Corinthians 5:15-17: The New Creation Has Dawned!

EXEGETICAL IDEA: The death of Christ has brought about a reality in which those who receive new life gain a spiritual knowledge of Christ and others which demonstrates that they are part of the new creation.

HOMILETICAL IDEA: As those who are in Christ, we have a new way of thinking that evidences our new creational status.

In v. 15, we see that “Christ died for all so that those who live might no longer live for themselves.” Now, at the beginning of v. 15b, the words “so that” indicate purpose—the purpose for which Christ died. What follows the words “so that” in v. 15 is a purpose for which Christ died.

Next note that the purpose for which Christ died in v. 15b relates to “those who live.” It was for the purpose that “those who live” might no longer live for themselves. Now, in Paul, and elsewhere in the New Testament, the concept of life often has more to do with spiritual life than mere physical life. And so the phrase “those who live” should be understood as a reference to “those who have come to have new spiritual life in Christ.” So, v. 15 indicates that Christ died for the purpose those who have come to have new spiritual life in Christ “might no longer live for themselves.” This is what they’re not going to do. Rather, Paul says in v. 15c, they are going to live “for him who died for them and was raised again.” Christ died for the purpose that those who have come to have new spiritual life in Him might no longer live for themselves, but for their Savior, Jesus Christ, who died for them and was raised again.

Now as I dive into v. 16, let’s look at the phrase “according to the flesh.” See in v. 16a where it says that “from now on we know no one according to the flesh” and in v. 16b where is says that “we had known Christ according to the flesh”? A prima facie reading of this might lead one to think that this refers to the fact that Christ’s earthly followers at one time experienced Christ’s physical presence with them on earth. Christ lived and dwelt among his disciples during his earthly ministry. But now, Christ is seated at God’s right hand. And so both Paul and those to whom he is writing no longer experience Jesus’ fleshly presence with them on earth. However, this is not what is in view. Notice that in other instances when Paul uses the phrase “according to the flesh,” that it has negative connotations. In Romans 8:4-5, Paul indicates that "we do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit." Here the phrase clearly has negative overtones. Also notice 1 Corinthians 1:26-27, "For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise." Here the phrase has a similar nuance. Not many who are called to Christian leadership were wise “according to the flesh,” that is, not many of them were wise according to the worldly standards of the old fallen order.

Now, keeping this in mind, let’s look at v. 16. The word “therefore,” indicates that what preceeds in v. 15 (see above) is the cause of that which follows in v. 16. The fact that “from now on we know no one according to the flesh” (v. 16) that we know no one according to the world’s standards, is what has resulted from Christ’s dying so that his followers might live for him (v. 15). Since Christ died for the purpose that those who have come to have new spiritual life might live for him, it has therefore produced the result that Christians no longer evaluate things according to the world’s standards, even though, moving on to v. 16b, we had known Christ "according to the flesh," which is to say, even though we had known Christ according to the standards of the fallen world. Before those who make up Paul's audience were Christians, they did not esteem Christ. They thought about Christ using the corrupt patterns of thinking prevalent in the world. But, Paul says in v. 16c, “we no longer know him in this way.” We have a new way of thinking that is unlike the way of thinking that characterized the old fallen order.

Therefore, Paul concludes in v. 17, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation! The old has passed away, the new has come. This is an allusion to Isaiah 65:17. Isaiah and other Old Testament prophets developed this concept of new creation. The Scriptures teach that we live in a fallen world in which sorrow, sin, suffering, sickness, and death are a reality. Ultimately, the entire created order is under the curse that God brought upon the earth because of the sin of Adam in Eden. But Isaiah and other Old Testament prophets foretold of a new era in which the curse would be brought to an end. Isaiah indicates that the wolf and the lamb will dwell together in peace (Isaiah 11:6). There will be no more death and God’s people would experience a resurrection to eternal life (Dan 12:2). God’s people would be made righteous and a new Davidic King was to rule over them upon a new earth in this new creational order (Isaiah 11, 60:21). God would make his covenant with his people and write his law on their hearts (Ezek 36:26-27).

In the New Testament, you can read about this in Revelation, chapter 21. This will be a time when there is no more death, no more sorrow, no more sickness, no more sin, and no more suffering (Revelation 21:4). God will be our God and we will be his people and we will never cease to praise his name (Revelation 21:3). But here in 2 Corinthians 5:17, Paul says, “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has gone, the new has come.” In light of this Old Testament eschatological perspective and Paul's direct allusion to Isaiah 65:17, Paul is saying that the promises made by Isaiah and the rest of the prophets have already begun to be fulfilled. Through his life, death, and resurrection, the cosmic event which is the culmination of all of redemptive history has come upon us. The new creation has broken into the present age and we experience it in the fact that God is writing his laws upon our hearts and we have come to acknowledge the Lordship of the coming Davidic King. Ultimately, although we were dead in trespasses and sins, we have now been raised from the dead and given new spiritual life so that we no longer evaluate things according to the standards of the old fallen world order.

Making Different Choices in the New Year

As I survey the past year, I can think of a few things I'd like to do differently or better in the coming year. It seems that not everything I've done has been optimal. I've made little decisions here and there that have been time wasters or that have not served ultimate priorities. What can I do differently in the coming year?

It seems that we often choose things that hinder us in our pursuit of happiness. Sometimes our ability to develop habits proves helpful (the discipline of exercise, for example). Yet at other times this propensity for habits inhibits us in our quest for happiness (think overeating or overspending). Obviously, we need to make some different choices if we truly want to be happy.

But perhaps a deeper question needs to be asked—the question of “why?” Why are we so prone to make choices that impede our joy? Why are we so inclined to continue in habitual patterns of living that prevent us from experiencing the contentment we so earnestly seek? The answer, it seems, is that we, as humans, are the kind of beings for whom futile choices come quite naturally. I can’t count the number of times I have personally chosen to pursue something that was absolutely contrary to what wisdom prescribed. Unfortunately, this isn’t something to which I must look to the distant past to observe. And we need only scan the headlines to observe that this is a universal problem. Humanity seems to be held hopelessly captive to reaping the rewards of foolish decisions.

I think we must recognize that making wrong choices is something from which we are unable to set ourselves free. Our problem is not only that we make the kinds of choices that hold us back from finding happiness, but that we are the kind of people for whom such choices seem reasonable and good. At the end of the day, we all make choices based on our greatest affections in a given moment. We all do what we most want to do. But what if the thing we most want in a given instant will lead to our downfall? What if our strongest desire at the moment of decision will lead us to make a choice that will continue to hamper us in our pursuit of joy? This, I believe, is the root of the problem. Our will—the human decision-making mechanism—is in bondage to the often times misguided affections which reside deep within each one of us.

What’s the answer? Should I just try harder? Whether or not I try harder is ultimately dependent upon what I most want to do. And my problem up to this point is that I want the thing that’s holding me back more than I want to overcome it. Otherwise, I would have dispatched with the thing long ago. The real answer, then, is that my affections need to change. I must become the kind of person for whom good and wise choices come naturally. The inner longings which drive my decisions are in desperate need of transformation.

This is connected to the story of redemption about which the Scriptures speak. Part of the redemption God brings through Christ is redemption from the slavery of our will. Too often the Christian message has been truncated to a message about our eternal destiny. We have all sinned and deserve to go to hell, but Jesus came and took the penalty we deserved upon Himself so that we might have eternal life. While this is most certainly true in regards to the Christian, it is only part of the redemption that is offered in Christ. The message of the Christian faith is not only that Jesus came to save us from the penalty of sin, but that Jesus came to save us from sin in its totality. Jesus came to save us from the penalty of sin, the effects of sin, and the reign of sin in our lives. He came to deliver us from the curse that has come upon all creation as the result of the Fall. This deliverance begins in this life. In terms of our poor decision making, the choices that hold us back are choices that are contrary to God’s law. If we live in accordance with God’s law we will be blessed; if we disobey God’s law it will result in pain and turmoil. Yet because of what we are deep down—sinners by nature and choice—we all choose to disobey God’s law and to make decisions that hold us back in our quest for happiness. The good news is that Christ came into the world and took upon Himself the pain and turmoil which should have been upon His people because of their disobedience. Christ thereby rescues us from the pain and turmoil of disobedience, changing us and our desires, and enabling us to make the kinds of choices which will result in blessing.

And so the answer is not just to make different choices. The thing from which we need to be freed is our propensity not to make different choices. We are voluntary slaves in that we habitually choose to live in ways that are contrary to human success and happiness. Our decision-making mechanism is, in effect, broken. Thus, we are unable to make the choices needed to set ourselves free and must look to Christ to set us free.

At the end of the day, we can only experience true happiness, fulfillment, and meaning in life when Christ becomes all-satisfying. Too often Christianity is looked upon as a list of dos and don’ts, but this is just religion. Religion says you have to do x, y, and z in order for God to be pleased with you. But we are unable to do x, y, and z because we are sinners by nature and choice! Jesus came to save us from religion. Jesus came to do x, y, and z on our behalf so that we might have a relationship with the only One in whom we can know true happiness. The tragedy of our sinfulness is that we become enslaved to a life of idol worship. We seek our joy in family, career, money, school, wine, women, song, basketball, stamp collecting, or a whole host of other things that can never truly satisfy us. It’s not that these things are inherently bad. Idolatry is just what happens when good things become ultimate things. Idolatry is what happens when we seek to fill our inner need for the awe-evoking, all-supreme God of glory with anything else. But God comes to us in His unsearchable grace and transforms our lives through the life, death, and resurrection of His Son, opening our eyes to the truth of His revelation and instilling within us a love for Him.

Praise be to you, Lord Christ!

In the coming year it is my hope to rely more wholeheartedly upon Christ knowing that He is the only One who is able to rescue me from my propensity to make choices that threaten to snuff out the joy I'm seeking in Christ.

Regeneration: The New Birth

The new birth marks the beginning of the Christian life and the beginning of the process of sanctification. Before we come to Christ we are spiritually dead. Those who are spiritually dead are unable to turn to Christ and believe, unable to do anything good as God counts good, and unable to recognize the truth of the gospel. Before we came to Christ we naturally resisted the truth and put our trust in other things. We looked to money, sex, power, alcohol, drugs, relationships, hobbies, and all kinds of other things to deliver us from our problems and to satisfy us. Yet we found that these things did not satisfy us. It was at this point that God mercifully came to us and took away our heart of stone, giving us a new heart so that we were made able to understand and recognize the truth of the gospel. We then naturally responded in saving faith and, as a result, came to experience all-satisfying joy in Christ.

Thanks be to God for the glorious grace of regeneration!

Save Ourselves?

As those who desire to follow Christ, we must constantly wrestle against our tendency to try to save ourselves. Our natural inclination is to try to overcome sin in our own strength. But note that the things we might try to do to save ourselves are the very things from which we need to be saved! Seeking to overcome our sin through good works, trying harder, or in any way through our own strength is what Christ came to save us from.

Praise be to God that we are, through the gospel, being delivered from slavery to our sinful and ineffectual attempts to save ourselves!

Will God Judge Christians for Their Words and Actions?

I have heard a number of Christians indicate that certain other Christians will be held accountable before God on Judgment Day for the things they have said or done. I’ve heard other Christians say that they should exercise care in the way they live because they will one day have to give an account to God. Yet Romans 8:1 indicates that "there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus," and concerning His people, God says, “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more” (Heb 10:17). If we trust in Christ, our sins—past, present, and future—are forgiven because of Christ’s death. Christ’s sinless life, then, is credited to our account.

Now, while we are not saved by works, our works do testify to the fact that we have truly trusted in Christ. If we are saved, we will have works and if we do not have works then we are not saved. Before we come to Christ we are in bondage to sin. We were slaves of sin (Rom 6:17), we were hard-hearted and darkened in our understanding (Eph 4:18), we were spiritually dead (Eph 2:1-3) and we were enemies of God (Rom 5:10). Before we came to Christ, then, there was nothing within us that would have inclined us toward God or the Gospel. We naturally hated God and wanted nothing to do with Him. We would rather have kept our life of sin. But God came to us mercifully and opened our eyes to the truth and gave us a new heart that inclined us to respond to him in saving faith (Ezek 36:26-27). Indeed, no one will come to God apart from this supernatural work in their lives (John 6:44). Christ is truly the author of our faith (Heb 12:2). This is why Paul can say, “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works so that no one can boast” (Eph 2:8-9). If we accepted Christ because we had the good sense to recognize the truth or because we had the inherent goodness to do what was right or because we had the freedom to make the choice apart from God’s work in our lives, then we would have grounds to boast. But it wasn’t because of any goodness or merit within us. Rather, it was because God granted sight to the blind and faith to the faithless and a new heart to those who had hearts of stone. This supernatural work of God within our hearts, then, changes us so that we begin to desire the things that God desires. The result this produces in our lives is that we begin to live in accordance with those new desires. Our first act as people who have been changed is to trust in Christ. Afterward (or perhaps simultaneously) we also respond in obedience and joy to that to which God calls us. We may, for example, see that God calls us to speak the truth (Eph 4). Since we have been changed so that we love God’s law, we will then respond by striving to be truthful in our speech. Of course, we don’t do it perfectly on this side of the new creation (Rev 21), but we do begin to walk in ways that are pleasing to God. And as the Spirit works in our lives to sanctify us (by continuing to transform our hearts/desires), we become increasingly like Christ in the way we live our lives. But again, the point I really want to drive home here is that the internal change that takes place within our hearts changes us so that we naturally begin to do good works because we begin to desire to live for God more than we desire our life of sin. Therefore, if we are saved, we must do good works. They don’t serve as the grounds for our salvation, but rather our salvation serves as the grounds for our works.

Now, I think the reason people sometimes think that we, as Christians, will give an account to God for every sin we commit after coming to Christ is because of things like Matthew 12:36 where Jesus says, “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak.” But note that the context of this passage is one in which Jesus is making a point about the condition of a person’s heart. The condition of a person’s heart, He says, is revealed by the fruit it produces. And then note in v. 36, that the Greek word which is translated “careless” actually doesn’t connote sinful words, but rather words that might otherwise be considered insignificant. So the point Jesus is making is that even our seemingly insignificant words communicate something about the condition of our hearts. The implication, then, in this context is that if seemingly insignificant words communicate something about a person’s heart, how much more do the words of the Pharisees regarding the Lord Jesus in v. 24 indicate that they are evil and in danger of the coming judgment of God?

Lastly, look at v. 37. Jesus here provides the logical grounds for v. 36. The reason God will judge people based on the seemingly insignificant things they have uttered (v. 36) is because people are either “justified” or “condemned” by their words. Our words “justify” us in that they bear witness to the condition of our heart. If our hearts have truly been changed by the gospel, then it will be reflected even in the seemingly insignificant words we speak. Likewise, if our hearts have not truly been changed and if we remain at enmity with God, then that will also be evidenced by the things we say (just as it was evidenced by the words of the Pharisees in v. 24).

Our standing before God is based on Christ’s redemptive work—His life, death, and resurrection. If we have been reconciled to God, our hearts have been changed. Our changed hearts lead us to speak in God-honoring ways and our speech, then, serves as an indicator of our standing before God. In this sense, we will give an account for every insignificant word on the Day of Judgment. It’s not that God will reprimand us for every sinful word we speak, but that our seemingly insignificant words will be an indication of whether we will be either acquitted or condemned on Judgment Day on the basis of Christ’s redemptive work in our lives.

Grace, Grace, Grace

Consider this account from Charles Spurgeon:

One week-night when I was sitting in the house of God, I was not thinking much about the preacher's sermon, for I did not believe it. The thought struck me, “how did you come to be a Christian?” I sought the Lord. “But how did you come to seek the Lord?” The truth flashed across my mind in a moment—I should not have sought Him unless there had been some previous influence in my mind to make me seek Him. I prayed, thought I, but then I asked myself, “How came I to pray?” I was induced to pray by reading the Scriptures. “I did read them; but what led me to do so?” Then, in a moment, I saw that God was at the bottom of it all, and that He was the Author of my faith; and as the whole doctrine of grace opened up to me, and from that doctrine I have not departed to this day, and I desire to make it my constant confession. "I ascribe my change wholly to God."

I know, my new Christian brother, it seems like you did something in order to come to Christ. It seems like you are the one who took the initiative by choosing to trust in Christ. However, my friend, please understand that this was not something which you previously had the ability to do. It was a work of God. Before coming to Christ, you were spiritually dead and enslaved to sin. The Scriptures teach that there is none who seeks God (Rom 3:11). However, you were born-again. When you were spiritually dead, God gave you new spiritual life which then created in you the desire to turn to Christ. While you were spiritually dead and desired only sin, God gave you the disposition and frame of mind to see the beauty of Christ and the truth of the gospel so that as you heard God calling you through the proclamation of the gospel, you came to faith in Christ. Ultimately, then, your salvation is not the result of your choice, rather your choice is the result of the fact that God elected you to be saved. This is why Paul can say, “it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Assurance of Salvation

One of the most common theological questions posed to pastors concerns assurance of salvation. Am I truly a Christian? How can I know I'm a child of God? Regarding this question, Wayne Grudem provides some incredibly helpful insights in his Systematic Theology.

Generally speaking, assurance is something we tend to have in degrees. On the one hand, I know I am a true follower of Christ. On the other hand, how certain am I? Personally, I don’t believe we can have 100% certainty on this issue. Our perseverance as Christians is the ultimate test of our faith (see Heb 3:14, noting especially the verb tenses). Thus, there are times when we may question our faith. This is absolutely appropriate. The Apostle Paul encourages those in Corinth saying, "Examine yourselves to see if you are in the faith" (2Cor 13:5).

Yet at the same time the Apostle John writes, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). And so I believe we can know with some degree of certainty whether or not we have eternal life. In this regard, Wayne Grudem describes four helpful tests which can help us to discern whether we are truly God’s children. I have summarized them here.

1. Saving faith evidences itself in Christlikeness (1 John 2:4-6). If we see within ourselves the character of Christ in an increasing manner, it will provide us with a measure of assurance that we are truly God’s children.
2. Saving faith evidences itself by the subjective testimony of the Spirit (Rom 8:16). Paul indicates that the Spirit gives us an inner sense of peace about our standing before God. And while we must be careful that our hearts don’t deceive us, we should expect an inward testimony of the Spirit in conjunction with the other evidences of saving faith we experience.
3. Saving faith is evidenced by the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23). Every believer is indwelt by the Holy Spirit and should see the fruit of the Spirit as described in Galatians 5 produced in his or her life.
4. Saving faith is evidenced by sound doctrine (1 John 1:23-24; 4:6). If we find that we believe and affirm the central doctrines of the Christian faith, then that should also provide us with a basis for assurance that we are truly children of God.

So, if to the best of our ability to discern we believe we are showing signs of Christlikeness, we have experienced an inner sense from the Spirit that we are truly God's children, we have seen the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, and we believe the fundamental truths of the Christian faith, then we should take these things as evidence that we are truly God's children.

Lastly, I think, to the extent that we are not able to have 100% certainty, we must be content that our salvation is ultimately in God’s hands. If we have come to know God, this should encourage us all the more!