take our text this morning from the same chapter which we have been pursuing in this last few weeks. And this morning and this evening, we shall bring whatever thoughts we may have upon this chapter to an end. As you know, the holiday season is now upon us August is very much a month of coming and going. And I shall be coming and going next Sabbath day, myself, and Mr. Higgins, who is always so ready to help us, even at short notice, and who I believe to be very faithful minister of God in these things will be with you next Lord's Day in the morning and in the evening. I'm sure that those who look for a blessing will receive a blessing. But after the holiday break we expect to resume our consideration of other parts of scripture which have been suspended since before we went to America. So today we intend to conclude our consideration of this great fifth chapter of 2nd Corinthians and we select verse 17 for our consideration. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. All things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new. We shall not confine ourselves entirely to this verse, but this verse will be the center of anything we may have to say. Paul has been reasoning with the Corinthian believers concerning certain evils which are amongst them and he has risen to great heights in this chapter in expressing the Christian's hope and assurance concerning the world it is to be. He is coming to the grand conclusion of this portion of his remarks in our verse. Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. All things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new. In that he is seeking to Convince them and inform them of their new standing and high privilege in Christ. That they're not the people they thought they were. They're not the people they used to be. It may be true that they're not the people yet that they're going to be. But he says that they're new creatures in Christ Jesus. He gives this as one of the marks of their true and saved condition. That if they are in Christ Jesus they are new creatures. And they may look with confidence and work with diligence to this end to show forth the fact that they are not what they used to be. that they are made a new creation in Christ Jesus. Now there are two things in particular that we need to remark in order that we may understand the meaning of our text. The first is that Paul is quoting from the prophets when he says Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. And when the New Testament quotes from the Old, it is a good thing, a very useful and proper thing, that we should go to the Old Testament and find out what it is that was said from which the New Testament is quoting. Now, the verse that is being quoted is embodied in the last phrase of this verse. Behold, all things are become new. And we turn to the 43rd chapter of Isaiah and verse 19. Behold, I will do a new thing. Or behold, I will make a new thing. Behold, all things are become new, says Paul, quoting generally from this verse, as is his common practice. Not the exact words, but the meaning of them and the significance of them as touching the truth which he is now laboring to enforce. He is quoting from this verse Isaiah 43 and verse 19, Behold, I will do a new thing. Now it shall spring forth, shall ye know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. Now what God is saying in Isaiah is that unto the gospel, which of course had not come in Isaiah's day, not by 800 years. A long time was to pass before these words were to be fulfilled. But God speaks as though it were already done. As so often in the Old Testament, He speaks about the certainty of it. And throughout this chapter and the chapters which are before and after it, he is speaking of the high privileges of the people of God in the Gospel. Some think he is speaking about earthly Israel and their restoration to Palestine. And the present events in the Middle East are often referred to by good men in these days as being a fulfillment of scriptures of this nature. But whatever one may say upon that point, we certainly do not agree that these scriptures have anything to do with a special earthly condition of anybody, be he Jew or Gentile. It is a spiritual things that the Prophet is speaking. And this is confirmed by the Apostle Paul in his quotation of this verse to a church which is almost purely Gentile, the church of Corinth. He says, if any man, no matter who he is, be in Christ, he is a new creature. Then goes on to quote, behold, all things are become new. All things are passed away. Now as touching earthly things, we are none of us new creatures. We look more or less the same except perhaps a good piece older than when we were converted and became new. Our step is not so brisk as it was. Things are inclined rather to get older rather than newer. Paul says, Behold, I make all things new, or rather Isaiah does, and Paul quotes him. If any man be in Christ, he's a new creature. Therefore, it is not of earthly things and material things that Paul and the prophet are speaking. He's speaking of that renovation, that new creation of our inner being, which is seen only by God and not by us. It might be felt by us, but is not seen in an outward sense. We bear the same appearance as we did when we were converted. Except, as I say, we're all of us a good piece older than what we were then. Unless you were converted only yesterday, but you're getting older too. Things are changing. Things are getting older in this world all the time. The world itself is getting old. It's getting into a rundown state both scientifically and in every other way. This new creation of which the prophet and the apostles speak has to do with divine and spiritual and unseen things. Therefore when He goes on to say, take away in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. We're not to run to the Middle East, to Palestine. The desert places to expect rivers to start flowing there. Or going into the wilderness and find suddenly there's a motorway, a highway being built across it. That this would be no fulfillment of this grand prophecy of Isaiah. It may be quite proper. for rivers to flow in desert places. And highways to be built across wildernesses. Man has always been doing that. There's nothing new about that. When the Prophet says, I will do a new thing, behold it shall spring forth. I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. He is speaking of that which he had already spoken of in an earlier chapter. when he said a highway should be there and away and it should be called the way of holiness through the wilderness of this world. A holy way, a new way, a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. Look not, dear friends, whatever books may say or preachers may declare, however honest and good they may be and no doubt are. about earthly fulfillments of these promises. Paul is quoting them to show that they're spiritual. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Look for this new creation not in Palestine, but in your own hearts and in the fellowship of God's people in the church. This is where God makes all things new. not in this weary old world, not in restoring verdure and prosperity to lands which have long since been desert or wilderness, though this would always be a praiseworthy thing. What matters to the Apostle Paul in his quotation of this verse is the inward man of the heart, and new creature in Christ Jesus. Now you may say, but how can we be sure that Paul is quoting from Isaiah 43, seeing that he is not quoting the exact words, but as you the preachers say, the sense of them. How do we know that he's quoting from this verse? We know it because of the strange appearance in our text of the word behold. It is not a word which Paul commonly uses or would use in this connection. Notice how, as I read the verse, the Old Testament ring that there is about it. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. All things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new. This is not Paul's ordinary way of writing at all. He is quoting from the prophets and he intends himself to be understood as quoting from the Old Testament which was the only Bible of the church in his day. The New Testament not having been written. 2 Corinthians was only a portion of that book which he was then writing with his own hand on the parchment. which was shortly to become, after some years had passed, what we now know as the New Testament. It had not been written, their only Bible in those days was the Old Testament. And they proved everything in the Gospel thereby. There is nothing in the Gospel which you will find in the Old Testament. How then was it not known to the ancient world? Because they didn't have the key, that's why. And what is the key? The key to prophecy is Christ. The key to the Holy Scriptures is Christ. Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is this new creation. All things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new. He points his hearers back to the only Bible which they had. The only Bible which they knew. In the words of Isaiah, behold, I will do a new thing. Now if we are right in this, and I'm sure you'll agree that we are, then you will understand that we have a key to the understanding of Old Testament prophecy. For what applies to one chapter applies to all chapters of a similar nature. And it is because of this principle that we seek today to direct men's minds away from Palestine to Christ. For it is becoming a great evil that men are looking to Palestine instead of to Christ. And to Jewish people instead of to Christ. And to a future day instead of the Gospel. To some new earthly creation. some new earthly work of God when he is directing us to the inward state of our own hearts that we may examine ourselves and find out by experience if we are new creatures in Christ Jesus. Now inasmuch as the words are introduced by this arresting word behold We are called upon to witness a marvel, a marvel indeed. Behold, says the prophet, I will do a new thing. Or in the words of Paul, behold, I make all things new. We shall see pleasantly that Paul is not the only one who quotes this text. John the Apostle also quotes it. We shall see that presently. Behold, I make all things new. And when God uses this word and it's God's word, behold, I will do a new thing. Behold, all things are become new, says Paul. Behold, I will do a new thing. When God uses this word of himself, concerning things which he is doing. He is throwing wide an entire field of revelation. He is bidding us see a great marvel, a wonderful thing. It's an arresting word to all hearers upon the face of the earth. Like that word which he uses In Isaiah 55 and verse 1, Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters. An arresting word, an exclamation, which bids all men attend, to pause, to listen, to behold, and say, Behold, I make all things new. A marvel indeed is introduced here. Paul is speaking as we have seen about the Christian life and not something which lies in the future in Palestine. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. And what he is saying is this, that the moment a man becomes a Christian, a new creation rises up and appears. that was never there before, a new thing. Now let us apply this to ourselves and to our experience as Christian men and women. The moment a man becomes a Christian, a new creation rises up, a new world, a new order life from the dead. That is the whole of life alters its meaning and its appearance. And the whole of life alters its purpose completely. The direction, the motive, the outlook, the purpose are entirely different. They're absolutely new. If any man be in Christ, He is a new creature, behold, all things are become new. I wonder if this is true, or has been true in any sense, in the history of all of us here. I know it is so in the case of many. I would that we could be sure that it was in the case of all, but we're not so sure about that. Maybe we're not sure because we don't know enough about different people. But you will know, even if I do not know and others here do not know, you will know whether God has ever pronounced over your soul these words, behold, I make all things new. And in that instant all things are become new. Let us test it. Paul says in the preceding verse, that is verse 16, 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. That is, we don't know him no more after the flesh. You see, there were many believers who were alive when Paul was writing this letter, who had known Christ after the flesh. He tells us in the first epistle to the Corinthians, chapter 15, that Christ was seen of above 500 brethren at one time in the day of his resurrection. And many of them, says Paul, are alive unto this presence, but some are passed away. But in the time that Paul wrote, which might have been some 20 years after the resurrection of Christ, there were many people on the earth who remembered him, who had seen him during his earthly ministry. Some were alive and seen him in Phaon up on the cross. There were many who were still alive who'd seen him after he rose from the dead. And above 500 saw him at one time, says Paul, when the disciples were gathered together. Now, Paul was not of that number. Paul had never seen Christ in the flesh. How do we know that? Well, he leaves the door open for the understanding of that here. Yea, no, we have known Christ after the flesh. He's referring to those who have known him after the flesh. That touching himself, if he had ever seen Christ after the flesh, it would have come out in one of his writings. It would have come out for sure and certain in this place. He had seen Christ after the spirit. For Paul says, I was the last one in this world ever to see the risen Christ but I saw him in heaven. Whether in the body or in the spirit, I cannot tell. I was caught up to the third heaven and heard unspeakable things. It was not lawful for a man to utter. You can say it was in a trance. I think it was more than in a trance. I think it was in the spirit. He says, Last of all, he was seen of me as of one born out of due time. That is, born after the event, who came in after all this scene and history had been completed. Last of all, he was seen of me. He was seen of him in that special sense in which the risen and glorious Lord conferred upon him the apostleship of the Gentiles. for which reason you and I are gathered in this house of prayer this morning. Because we are all Gentiles here. And it is a consequence of Paul's apostleship that we are so gathered together. Paul was a foreign Jew. He didn't belong to Jerusalem. He often used to visit. In his earlier days, when he was being educated, he came to Jerusalem to be educated at the feet of Gamaliel, who was their great rabbi and sage at that time. But Christ, he did not sing. He was not in Palestine when Christ's ministry was exercised. He did not come upon the scene till long after that. But he was not disadvantaged. any more than we are. Nor were those people who had seen Christ after the flesh specially privileged above what our privileges are, inasmuch as they saw Christ and we hadn't seen Him. Because Paul says, Yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we Him no more. For those who saw Him after the flesh saw deity veiled in flesh and saw in him no beauty that they should desire him. There was nothing about Christ in his earthly condition that held the attention so that people would turn round as he went and say now there is a man. Behold something different. On the contrary, he was despised and rejected of men. We hid, as it were, our faces from him. He was despised and we esteemed him not. There was no special privilege attached to being on the earth in Palestine when Christ was there. There were greater experiences than that. What could be greater than the experience of John at the Last Supper in laying his head in the Lord's bosom and hearing his very heart beats. Listen. Our experience is greater than that. Our privilege at this table is greater than that. For we have Christ in the full revelation of himself through the Spirit. in our midst and the blessing flows and the glory comes down upon our souls as we remember the Lord's death until He comes. We know Him no longer after the flesh but in the full blaze of the glory of His deity, in the wonder of His beauty. which was never seen upon the earth, not even after his resurrection. Not even on the Mount of Transfiguration. His death was not accomplished there. The revelation was only being spoken about. Moses and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration with Christ spoke of his death, which he must shortly accomplish at Jerusalem. But it hadn't taken place. They could only speak about what was going to be. Something that was never fully understood, not even by angels, nor could be. Until thou, my God, shouldst die for me. And even then was not fully understood until the Apostle Paul came along with a full revelation of what Christ had done and what it meant. And we have the record and we know. And by faith, and by the understanding of faith, We see the full glory of Christ, not as touching the flesh, but as touching the spirit. What he did upon the cross, the atonement, the reconciling work, the wonder of that closing verse of this marvelous chapter, God hath made Christ to be sin for us. Though he knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. The most tremendous statement in the whole of the New Testament or in the whole of the Bible for that matter. And we know it and seek to understand it. We have a key to the understanding of Old Testament and New in our glorious and risen Redeemer now upon the throne. supreme who will one day reappear in glory and in power. This is knowing Christ after the Spirit. Now, says Paul, this principle extends not only to Christ but it extends to every man we meet upon the streets. Henceforth we know no man after the flesh. Why? Because we are a new creation in Christ Jesus. We have a new standard of values. Values are not according to what we see with our eyes. What do we see with our eyes? We see a queen riding around in a golden coach. God sees just a poor, indigent, human soul. in need of clothing with the garments of heaven, in need of being made a new creature in Christ Jesus. We see men and women rolling around in glorious mechanical chariots. We see them dressed up in their finery. We see the women for glittering in fabulous jewels. We know no man after the flesh. What are these baubles to one who is a new creature in Christ Jesus? What is fame? What is distinction? What is earthly brilliance? It's nothing compared with heaven. It'll all crumble away into dust. What is that poor man? clothed in rags. He never has had very much. He's only one suit to his back, and that's an old one. But he's a child of God. He is walking in the heavenward way. Let us do him honor. James tells us that if a rich man comes into your assembly with jewels upon his finger, it would be highly improper for to give him the front seats for everyone to bow to him and say please sir come and take the finest seat that we've got in the place and a poor man comes in and James says you put him on the back seat out of the way because he does not adorn the assembly no no he says this is all wrong this is judging men after the flesh and after the appearance He who is a new creature in Christ Jesus knows no man after the flesh. His values are not according to what he sees. Just as the glories of Christ were veiled in flesh when he was in his earthly condition, so his glory in the soul of man is veiled too. And we look not at what we are now, but what we are going to be. It doth not yet appear what we shall be. But we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Now we see in a sense which was not before possible. We have our eyes open. Then we saw no beauty in him. that we should desire him. Now we have new eyes, new ears. What do we use them for? Listening to scandal? Behold, I make all things new. New speech? What do we use our tongues for? To bring down somebody's character or belittle somebody that we have no special regard for? Is this being a new creature in Christ Jesus? Are these the people upon whom God has pronounced the sentence, behold I make all things new? New speech, the language of conversion, the language of Canaan. Why we read of some in the Old Testament, that they were put away because they spoke the language of Ashdod instead of the language of Canaan, the language of the people of God. And there's a good deal of the speech of Ashdod in Christian assemblies among Christian society to this present day and is a great shame indeed. For Ashdod was the was a heathen city, one of the cities of the Philistines, where false gods were worshipped and false values were set up. We ought to speak the language of Canaan. We ought to speak about God in Christ Jesus. About the glories of the gospel and of the eternal world. About the new things with which we are acquainted. We know no man after the flesh, but we see all men with new eyes to know what their true worth is in the sight of God and what the importance, or otherwise may be, of lower things. For, says Paul, all things are of God. That is, they have no significance at all except as they relate to God, and what his purpose is, and what the end is which he has in view. And those who are truly converted think along these lines. All things have been made new to them. As one day, as John tells us in the book of Revelation chapter 21, And verse 5, And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And there John is having a privileged peep into that eternal state where everything is new and ever new. And as eternity rolls its course it will still be new because nothing ever grows old. And nothing ever changes in that eternal sphere. We shall find ourselves new people, in a new place, in a new creation. And says Peter, we eagerly look forward and haste unto the coming of that day of God. For we seek new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness. We're a new creation now and we're only fitted for a new sin. And the time will come when God will say, for the third time, once in Isaiah, once in Paul, and now in the Apostle John in his revelation, behold, God says once more these words, behold, I make all things new. We ought to thank God that we are new people in Christ Jesus and we ought to act and think and see and speak and understand as those who are new creatures in Christ Jesus. Behold, all things are passed away. All things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new. Now we close by singing the hymn 425. 425. What shall I do, my God to love, my Saviour and the worlds to pray? 425.