560 - Les Feldick Bible Study - Lesson 2 Part 4 Book 47 - 2 Corinthians 5:14-20

https://lesfeldickbiblestudy.com Through the Bible with Les Feldick LESSON 2 * PART 4 * BOOK 47 2 Corinthians 5:14-20 Remember now all these verses are building on the fact that Christ, Who Israel knew as Jesus of Nazareth, was indeed God the Son. Hebrews 2:17a You know I’m always emphasizing that in Christ’s earthly ministry, how did He live? He lived under the Law. Verse 17 again. "When the most High (the term of God concerning Gentiles) divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel." So the Most High is the term of Deity that reflects on the Gentile world. Hebrews 2:17b "…that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people." Now that word reconciliation, if I’m not mistaken, is almost exclusively used by the Apostle Paul. Well the best place we can use it in everyday living is husband and wife. Reconciliation. There was a great division that developed between God and the human race. Reconciliation. He needed to be brought back into fellowship with God. Let’s just start with verse 25. Romans 3:25-26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: (in other words the Righteousness of God) that he (God, Christ) might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus." II Corinthians 5:14a "For the love of Christ…" Love! Now it’s the same way with God. Remember, God’s love hasn’t died down to a fading ember, it is always vibrant, but mankind’s love is a different story. So we have to kindle that spark of love that will respond to the love of Christ. You remember way back when we talked about creation, what was the main purpose in God’s thinking, in creating man in the first place? The love of Christ that is constantly being extended to lost mankind. II Corinthians 5:14-16a "For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one (Christ) died for all, (the whole human race) then were all dead: (and in need of reconciliation) 15. (Paul’s Gospel of salvation that we must believe.) 16. Wherefore (Paul says, ‘because Christ died, and rose from the dead’) henceforth know we no man after the flesh:…" A reference to Christ’s earthly ministry. Paul couldn’t keep salvation based on Christ’s earthly ministry of miracles and signs and wonders because that’s not where salvation rested. Salvation rested in His finished work of the cross. So he says in verse 16 again: II Corinthians 5:16a "Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh,…" Paul says I have known Christ after the flesh. Paul was living contemporary with Jesus of Nazareth. I think Paul, or Saul of Tarsus, was a young man of 30 about the same time that Christ began His earthly ministry, so yes, Saul knew Christ in the flesh. II Corinthians 5:16b "…though we have known Christ after the flesh,…" II Corinthians 5:16b See, that’s why Paul will never mention Bethlehem or His earthly ministry, because that’s moot. Now verse 17. II Corinthians 5:17-19a "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: (it’s the new birth) old things are passed away; (the old lifestyle, the old habits, the old desires) behold, all things are become new. Now let’s back that up with another Scripture, Colossians chapter 2 verses 8 and 9. Now remember why we’re going to Colossians, we have been reconciled by the God Who was in Christ. "To wit, that God was in Christ, (how much of God? The whole Triune God, the Father the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all embodied in God the Son, and as such then)reconciling (or bring that estranged mass of humanity) the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and hath committed unto us (I think here Paul not only speaks to himself, but all of the believers) the word of reconciliation." "Now then (we as believers with the message of reconciliation) we are ambassadors for Christ,…" What’s an ambassador? You’re ambassadors? You’re not in your home territory, you’re in a strange country, so we’re ambassadors for Christ. Continuing on with verse 20. "…through God did beseech you by us; we pray you in Christ’s stead,…" Well I wasn’t the kind that was constantly pushing at people. Now completing the verse. "… be ye reconciled to God." Don’t go through life estranged, don’t go out into eternity estranged, but be reconciled to God, and be brought back into that relationship with Jesus the Christ, the God of glory. Where once again we have this word reconciliation. "For he (Christ) is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;" Now here Paul is speaking as a Jew, and that God has taken away that partition in the temple area as it was mostly made known between the Jew and Gentile. #LesFeldick #BibleStudy #Bible