All right, good morning. Good morning. All right, brethren, 2 Corinthians. Lord willing, we'll get to verse 17 today. 2 Corinthians 5, 14 to 17. That's what we'll read. Remember we talked about last week What is it that motivates you as a Christian? What is it that propels you forward in your Christian life? What is it that moves you to live for Christ, if that's in fact what you're doing? I mean, listen, there are many that would say they're believers in Christ, and yet they don't live for Christ. Well, Paul says here is, the love of Christ constrains me. And he's not talking about Paul's love to Christ, though Paul loved Christ. But when he says the love of Christ constrains him, or compels him, or it has seized him, What he's talking about is Christ's love, which was commended toward him, toward Paul. And listen, beloved, if we perceive that love, and we'll see that in a few moments in the book of 1 John, when we look at a passage there, there is a way in which we perceive the love of God. Perceive there meaning, how do I know the love of God. Well, God tells us how we know, and we'll see that in a moment. And I'll remind you that, and we'll get there. It'll just be a few minutes. But first, the question for you, and listen, everyone is motivated by something in their lives. Something motivates you. Something propels you forward. You're living for something. Well, Paul teaches us here that the Christian should live for Christ. we should live our lives to honor and glorify Christ. That's who we should be. Now look what Paul says here. He says, for the love of Christ constraineth us. That word constrain means it compels us. It governs us. It propels us forward. It carries us along. This is what it means. It constrains us. He says, he goes on, because, or this is the cause, because we thus judge, or we discern, or we're convinced that if one died for all, then we're all dead. Take note of all these alls. And that he died for all, that they which live, not live physically, but live spiritually. And that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth or any longer live unto themselves or for themselves or for self. See, that's a motivating factor for a lot of folks in the world. They live for self. It's all about me. That's why a lot of people, that's what drives them in their lives. They want to get as much of the world's portion as they can for them. So I live for me. Well, that's not how the Christian lives. The Christian does not, henceforth, live for themselves. Or it means the Christian no longer lives for themselves, but they live, notice, but they live for the one who 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. That's no longer the way we know Christ. Verse 17, Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Means a new creation. All things are passed away. Behold, all things have become new, including that person. In other words, everything's become new. I shouldn't say including, it's that person's become new. Listen, if you're in Christ, you're not the same person that you were. I had a conversation yesterday with someone. If you're a Christian, you're no longer the person that you were. That old person is dead, and that's what you were to reckon if you're in Christ. Paul teaches us that as well. So again, what motivates and carries you along in your Christian life? Another word is controls. What controls you? Now listen, for some it's duty. It's commitment. Some folks are just going to do the right thing. They're going to be where they have to be when they have to be there. And I'm talking about church and opening their Bible and reading their Bible. Some people go through the means of grace dutifully and committed. Because that's the way they were raised, and I'm just going to do what I'm supposed to do. But they're not really motivated by the love of Christ. I'm just going to do what's right. And listen, there's nothing wrong with being committed and dutiful in your Christian life, but are you motivated and committed to Christ? Because you love Christ. Because you love Christ. I mean, that's really what we should be, brethren. Do you do what you do in your Christian life because you love Christ, because He loved you first, and you see that love that He had for you in Christ and in the cross and in His death for you? That's what Paul's talking about. That's why the love of Christ constrained Him and governed Him in His life. Listen, the Apostle John, look at 1 John chapter 1. Let me just show you this. The Apostle John wrote about this love which should be in you if you're a Christian. You know, I use the word should and I struggle with whether I should use the word should. It must be in you. But should is okay. But this love should be in you. If you are in fact in Christ, then it should compel you. You'll hear me using a lot of different adjectives because that's the sense in what Paul's saying. 1 John 3.16, I'm sorry I didn't tell you where. You remember we talked about how do you know God's love for you? Well, here it is. Hereby perceive we. Hereby know we. The love of God. How? Because He laid down His life for us. That's how I know His love for me. Listen, somebody gives their lives for you. I mean, that's a definition of love. He says, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. If the love of Christ is in you, that's what it should beget in you. But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother had need, and you shut up your bowels of compassion, in other words, you're not compassionate, is what he's saying. If you have lots of stuff and you have the means to relieve your brother, but you're not compassionate, and you don't relieve his needs, John says, well, how does the love of God dwell in you? See, the love of God will manifest itself in this way. He says, my little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue. Don't just love by saying, I love you. Show me that you love me. Show them that you love them. So let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in what you do, in deed and in truth. That's how love is really seen. It's like mercy and compassion. It's not merciful and compassionate to say, oh, I feel so sorry for you. What's merciful and compassionate is when you do something about it. Mercy is an action word. You go do something about it. John goes on to say, and hereby know we that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him. This is one of the characteristics of a child of God. Paul says, I mean John, John says, hereby perceive ye, this is how you know the love of God because Christ died for you. God sent his son to die for your sins. That's how you know the love of God. Now that's very simple in the mind and a lot of people just pass that thought off. But you think about the son of God putting off his divinity and being robed in human flesh in the likeness of sinful flesh and came into the world to die for you. to suffer the wrath of Almighty God in your place. That is love. It's the truest definition of love. 1 John 4, 7, look at it. We're talking about this love. Beloved, let us love one another, because love, or for, love is of God, and everyone that loves like this is born of God and knows God. He that loveth not knoweth not God, for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, and here it is again, because God sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we love God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins, to die in our place. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us and his love is perfected in us. So based on what John wrote here, brethren, if you're born of God, you will be governed, you will be controlled by the love of Christ. That will be who you are. It will be part of your character. Let me just show you a few other things that will be true of you if the love of Christ is in you. And if the love of Christ is in you, we go back to what Paul says, it should compel you. You should be motivated. You should do what you do in your life. Everything that you do, you should be motivated by the love of Christ. I mean, you ought to think, I've thought this this past week, well, what would Christ do in this situation? You know, people used to wear the little bracelets. What would Jesus do? Well, nothing wrong with that. Don't need a bracelet for that. But listen, Christ is our example, brethren. And that's how I want to live my life. I want to be motivated by the love of Christ. I'm motivated by His love toward me. And so we should manifest that love in the world toward others. John 13, this would be true of you. If that love is in you, John 13, 34, Christ said, a new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another. Here's the standard as I have loved you. I read that and you think, I can't do that. If Christ gives a command, Christ will give the capability to fulfill that command. He says, love one another as I have loved you. How did Christ love us? Sacrificially, selflessly. He loved us with a disinterested love. You know what that means? I have to look that up. That means that he loves you in spite of you not loving him. That's just, that's how Christ loves us. His love is unwavering toward his people. And so that's how he loves me. And he says, that you love one another as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this love in you shall all men know that you are my disciples when you love each other like this. I want that to be in me. I want that. to be in each of you who profess faith in Christ. If it's not, then we truly misrepresent the definition of what it means to be a child of God. And so, beloved, it should be in us. It's a radical love. It's a love that doesn't love like the world does. Look at Luke chapter 6 and verse 27. This is just the second thing. I'm just showing you three things about this love. Listen, this is how you'll love those that hate you and that mistreat you and those that abuse you. Nobody likes that. Nobody likes to be trampled on. Nobody likes to be mistreated. Nobody likes to be hated. But the love of Christ in you will cause you in your new nature to gladly and willingly keep this command. Beatitudes, this is the Luke rendering. Verse 27, 627, but I say unto you which hear, that's important. I say unto you which hear. Many hear but they don't hear. Or they hear but they're not listening. He says, I say unto you which hear, love your enemies. You could just stop right there. That's difficult. We need, I need, that's one of those times when you say, Lord, increase my faith. Help me, Lord, to do this. Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you. This person hates me, I'm to do good to them? Yes. And listen, we shouldn't argue with God and in our spirits when we read this, we should say, and listen, It's not that this is not going to be difficult for you. Yeah, it's going to be difficult, but you should say, yes, Lord, I want this to be in me. This is who I want to be, Lord. Help me, Lord, by your grace to love my enemies and to do good to those that hate me and to bless them that curse me and to pray for them which despitefully use me. And unto him that smites you on one cheek, offer the other also. And to him that takes away your cloak or your coat, forbid him not to take your coat. Give to every man that asks you, and of him that taketh away thy goods, ask them not again. And as you would, as you would that men should do to you, not as they have done to you, but as you would that people should do to you, do you also to them likewise. For if you love them which love you, what thank have ye? For sinners also love those that love them. That's just typical. Listen, love is not exercised when you love somebody that loves you. Love is exercised when you love somebody that hates you. That's when the love of Christ is truly exercised. That's when it's put under stress. But that's what the love of Christ does. If you lend to them of whom you hope to receive, What thank have ye, for sinners also lend to sinners to receive as much again. But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again. And your reward shall be great, and you shall be children of the highest. For he is kind to the unthankful and to the evil. And so this is what that love in you should look like. 1 Corinthians, one more example. This should be you. 1 Corinthians 13, 4. The word charity is agape love. It's the love which comes from God. Charity or love is long-suffering. It suffers long. It's kind. Charity does not envy. It does not vaunt itself. It's not boastful. It's not puffed up or arrogant. It does not behave itself unseemly, in a rude manner. It does not seek its own. It's not selfish. It's not easily provoked. And love thinks no evil. If you're constrained by the love of Christ, if Christ's love has seized you in your heart and taken control of you, this is who you will be in your life. You won't be the same person that you were. Understand that. Hateful Christian doesn't go together. Those are mutually exclusive terms. Compassionate Christian goes together. Loving Christian goes together. That's who we should be. But let's move on to why Paul was constrained by the love of Christ. 2 Corinthians 5.14, in the second part of the verse, Paul says, because we thus judge that if one died for all. Now this is why Paul was constrained to live for Christ, because Christ was the one that died for him. It was Christ's death for him that convinced Paul of Christ's love for him. And listen, that's what every sinner must be convinced in their minds of. Listen, there are people that will say, yes, Christ died for our sins, but they still live the same way that they used to live. That's not salvation. When God saves someone, He changes that person. He gives them a new nature. He gives them a new heart. They no longer walk in their sins. They no longer love the world, but they hate the world. They turn away from the world. They repent of their sins, and they continue to turn from their sins. That's what it means to be a Christian. Think about it. If Christ died for you, Christ died in your place. We start talking about the love of Christ. If Christ died for you, Christ died in your place. He died for the guilt and punishment of your sins. His love for you was so great that he voluntarily laid aside his divinity. He left heaven, came down, and was robed in the likeness of sinful flesh. He wasn't a sinner. and he suffered and died for the sins of the world. That's what the scriptures teach us. Beloved, that is a demonstration of the love of Christ for sinners. The gospel is preached to so many who cast aside that demonstration of love and continue to love their sins rather than to turn from their sins and to love Christ. So Christ is the one who died for all, Paul says here. Now that's another way of saying Christ was the Savior of the world. He's the only Savior of sinners. He is the Savior of the world. Now notice there's three all's in verse 14 and 15. You can see there, it says that if one died for all, then we're all dead. So who are these alls? And then in verse 15, he reiterates that, and that he died for all. And then he qualifies that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves. And we'll get to that in a moment. So if one died for all, then we're all dead. And that he died for all. So let me first say something about this one dying for all. Paul was not teaching us here that Christ died for all without exception. He was teaching that Christ died for all without distinction. You see, what Paul was teaching here, because there were still Judaizers in the church at Corinth, Paul was teaching he didn't die for the Jews only, but also for the Gentiles. for Jews and Gentiles. 1 John 2, 2, just listen. John says, and Christ, and he is the propitiation for our sins, Jews. How do I know that? By what he says next. And not for ours only, not for the Jewish nation only, for the sins of Jews only, but also for the sins of the whole world, Jews and Gentiles. People from every nation, kindred, tribe, and tongue. Look at Revelation chapter 5. Look at that. Let me just show you this. If you ever want to know John 3.16, for God so loved the world, what does that mean? Well, this is a good place to go. For God so loved the world. Revelation 5.9. It speaks here of a scene in heaven, prophetically, that the apostle John wrote. Chapter 5 and verse 9 says, And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof, for thou wast slain, speaking of Christ, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood. Here's the world out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation. Look at chapter 7 and verse 9. Very similar verse. John says, and I beheld and lo a great multitude. People ask you how many are going to be in heaven? Here's a good definition. A great multitude which no man could number of all nations and kindreds and peoples and tongues stood before the throne and before the lamb clothed with white robes with palms in their hands. Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world. That's what Paul is saying here. John 1.29, what did John the Baptist say when Jesus walked on the scene, when John was baptizing in Jordan? Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins, not of just the Jews, but of the world. Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world. Notice, which taketh away. First John, just listen. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. The Savior of the world. Remember the woman at the well? The woman that sat on the well, she went back to the city of Samaria, and she says, this man's told me everything about myself. Is this the Messiah, the one that was sent to be the savior of the world? Savior of the world. And then go back to the text, 2 Corinthians 5, 19, which is after our text. We're not there yet, but we see that. That truth also expressed here by the Apostle Paul in verse 19. He says, to wit that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation, or that is, the Gospel. So in one dying for all, Christ did not die, and Paul's not teaching that Christ died for all without exception, but for all without distinction. And in John 6.37, and we'll close this little subject, in John 6.37, Jesus gives us a good definition of the all. He says here, all that the Father giveth me shall come to me. And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. Listen, you talk about the doctrine of election and sometimes people say, what if I'm not one of God's elect? Don't worry about whether you're one of God's elect. Turn from your sins and come to Christ. Because him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out. Nobody's gonna come crying for mercy and grace and forgiveness from Christ, and he's gonna say, sorry, you're not one of the elect. No, all that the Father giveth me shall come to me. And him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which has sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it or them up again at the last day." Christ was Paul's Lord and Savior. If you're a Christian, then he should be your Lord and Savior. The love of Christ constrained Paul. If you're in Christ, the love of Christ should control and constrain you as well. Therefore, Paul said, my life is now completely devoted for him. I live my life not for myself, but I live for him. Why? Because he died for my sins. He died in my place. He suffered and he took upon himself the wrath of Almighty God for me. Now, go back to 2 Corinthians. We have to get to this second all. In verse 14, there is this other all. If one died for all, we just talked about that. Christ is the one who died. Then we're all dead. What does that mean? Was Paul speaking of us when we were dead in our trespasses and sins? That's plausible. I mean, it seems like that could be the meaning. I mean, this is a condition of every lost sinner when they're born. We're all born. Chris talked about this. We're born dead in our trespasses and sins. That's how we're born. So the thought comes into my mind, OK, is this what that means? Let's just look to show that this is a truth. Look at John chapter 5, just a few passages. John chapter 5, verse 24. This is the words of Christ here. And we're talking about, then we're all dead. One died for all, then we're all dead. It means all died. Jesus here says, verily, verily, I say unto you, he that hears my word and believes on him that sent me has everlasting life. and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live. That's regeneration. That's salvation. When the dead, in their trespasses and sins, hear the gospel and believe. When they're born again, except the man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Jesus told Martha, you remember, at the tomb of Lazarus? She said, Lord, if thou had been here, my brother had not died. Jesus said, I am the resurrection and the life. He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. He wasn't talking about raising Lazarus. He was going to do that, talking about regeneration. And you hath he quickened who were dead, So we see this phrase in the scriptures. So until the time of our new birth, we were dead in our sins, alienated from the life of God. But I don't think that's what this died is. I don't think that's what Paul's talking about. Go back to 2 Corinthians. I don't believe Paul's talking about when we were dead in our sins That if one died for all, then we're all dead, literally means then all died. Listen, the scriptures teach, and this is what I think this means, beloved. I think Paul is writing here about our being united to Christ in His death. Listen, you're united to Christ in His death. When He died on the cross, so did you. Just like His life is your life now. We're united to Christ in both His death and in His resurrection. You believer died with Him. So here in verse 15, Paul did not write about your condition when you were lost, dead in your sins. He wrote about the certainty of what happened to you when Christ died on the cross. The old you died when He died on the cross. You died unto sin. You died to the guilt, dominion, and power of sin in your life. Now listen, understand this about this passage. This death in your life was not experienced or realized until you turned from your sins and believed in Christ. Just like Chris said today, no one was always saved. You were children of wrath even as others. But when you believed Christ, and you trusted in His sacrifice for your sins, and you trusted in the blood of His cross, you trusted in His death for your sins, the old you died. Crucified. Gone. Think about it. Now think about this. Let's just back up a little bit from before the cross. We were all once upon a time, when we were dead in our sins, united to Adam. In Adam, 1 Corinthians 15 says, all die. That's all of us. I mean, look back at Romans. In fact, just back up to 1 Corinthians, and then we'll go back to Romans. 1 Corinthians 15, verse 21 and 22. And again, I love how the Lord does that. Chris was in these passages. But in verse 21, For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. That's the first and second Adam. As in Adam all die, So in Christ shall all be made alive. So the question for you today is, who are you united to? If you're lost, you're united to Adam by default. Back to Romans 5 and verse 12. There's nothing that happens for you to be united to Adam. You're in Adam if you're lost. Romans 5-7, wherefore is by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin. And notice, and death passed upon all men in his loins. You weren't there, but his death came through the loins of Adam. And so when Adam sinned, you sinned. For until the law, sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed where there is no law." Well, the Mosaic law didn't happen until Moses' time. He goes on to say, but death reigned from Adam to Moses, that's because there was law. It wasn't written, we didn't have the commandments yet. And he goes on in these verses 15 through 19, and he talks about the first and the second Adam. Chris read a few of those verses as well. In Adam all die. So if you're lost today, you're united to Adam. The wages of sin is death. The wages of his sin is your sin is death. But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. You're either united to Christ today, passed from death unto life, or you're united to Adam. So we're either in Adam or we're in Christ. Again, Paul was speaking of our union with Adam when we were lost. But now, beloved, we are, as we were united to Adam in his sin, we're united to Christ in his death and in his life. You died with Christ. If you believe Christ, the Scriptures teach that you died with Christ and now you live with Christ. Now, the Scriptures explain themselves perfectly. Look at Romans 6. You're right there in Romans. Now listen to this. Listen to the language. Listen to what the Apostle Paul says. And there are indicative statements here and there are imperative commands. An indicative statement means it's something of certainty. This actually happened. imperative commands or commands for you to do something by faith and to do what the Word says. He starts off with the indicative statements. Notice, what shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? He's talking to Christians. No, God forbid. How shall we that are, there it is, dead to sin. How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein? Know you not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into what? His death. Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so also we should walk in newness of life. It's not talking about water baptism here. It's talking about you being baptized into his death. It's talking about you dying with Christ when he died on the cross. the old Jew being dead now. How shall we that are dead to sin? My sins were killed on the cross. It's what Paul's teaching here. Look at verse five. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection. We're united to him in both his death and in his life. Knowing this, by faith, that our old man is crucified with him, see that's the language we're talking about, that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. And listen, we're gonna get in chapter seven here in a moment, we're gonna see how the law had us in bondage as long as we were outside of Christ, as long as we were in Adam. But look, let's go on. Verse 8, now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Christ. You see that? You see our union with Christ in both His death and in His life? Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more, death hath no more dominion over Him. For in that He died, He died unto sin once, but in that He liveth, He liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin. This is what you should believe. You should think I'm dead unto sin. My sins were crucified with Christ on the cross. So I need to reckon myself Myself to be dead indeed under sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Here's the imperative command. Let not therefore, because of all this, you know this, you believe this, let not therefore sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in the lust thereof. Don't let sin govern you. You should be governed by Christ. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but yield yourselves unto God as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. And this is a true statement about the Christian, for sin shall not have dominion over you. You won't live in your sins if you're in Christ. For you are not under the law, but under grace. And there's the law. Now look at chapter 7, just the first few verses of chapter 7. Paul uses an example of a man and a woman who are married. And the subject of divorce comes up. Notice. He says, know you not, brethren, verse 1, for I speak to them that know the law. Of course, the Jews knew the law. How that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives. So if you're outside of Christ, the law has dominion over you. The law says, if you're gonna live by the law, you better keep every jot and till of it. You better keep every line of it. Now he's using a marriage example. Verse two, for the woman which has a husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth. Now remember, the Christian died with Christ on the cross, the believer. So the woman's bound by the law to her husband as long as he's alive. But if the husband be dead, She is loosed from the law of her husband. So then, if while her husband lives, she be married to another man, she should be called an adulteress. She's offended. But if her husband be dead, she is free. from the law, so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man. Verse 4, wherefore, he used that to teach something, and that's what the wherefore is here. He says, wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law. How? By the body of Christ. When Christ died, you died with him. He fulfilled the whole law, so you're released from it. The law does not overshadow you anymore. You're no longer in bondage to it. You're become dead to the law by the body of Christ, that you should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work on our members to bring forth fruit unto death. In other words, we were lost. But now we are delivered from the law. How? By the death of Christ. That being dead, when we were held, that we should serve in newness of spirit and not in the oldness of the letter. Not in the oldness of the letter. We sing the little scripture song here, Galatians 2.20. I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave myself for me. That's the Christian life. See, the old Jew has been crucified. You need to reckon that by faith. When sin presents itself, you need to say, no, my sins were killed on the cross. They were crucified with Christ. I live my life now by faith. in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. I don't have to be ruled by sin any longer in my life. Paul said, this is in Colossians, just listen, he said, wherefore if you be dead with Christ, and Christian You need to reckon yourself dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world. Why, as though living in the world, are you subject to ordinances? We're dead with Christ, brethren. I love Colossians 3, 3, 1 to 4. Paul says, if you then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above. Risen with Christ, meaning born again. If you're alive in Christ, if you're united to Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God, sets your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. You know what the next words are, huh? For you are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. Man, that's good stuff. The old you is dead. Brethren, you need to reckon that to be so. And so 2 Corinthians 5, 15, or 14 and 15, I'll just read it to you again. So, the love of Christ constrains us because we thus judge that if one died for all, then we're all dead. All died, that is all those for whom Christ died. And that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him that died for them and rose again. So here is one of God's great, I would say, after-designs of Christ's death for His people. It's God's great design. The first design is that they might be saved from their sins, forgiven, reconciled to God, brought into fellowship with God. God's great design of His salvation to reconcile man to God. God did the reconciling, by the way, not you or I. And then, that they which believe Christ should no longer live unto themselves. That's one of the designs here. See, he says, and that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him who died for them and rose again. I mean, I take you back to Galatians 2.20. I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I. but Christ liveth in me. In the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. So Christians no longer live for themselves. They don't live for self. A Christian lives for Christ. Why? Because the love of Christ constrains them to do so. They're seized by the love of Christ. They love to be seized by the love of Christ. So self is not the object of the Christian's life. Christ is the object of the Christian's life. Now let's finish up in verse 16 and 17. Paul goes on here. He gives another wherefore. So this is connected to what we're talking about. Wherefore henceforth or from now on is what he's saying. We don't know man after the flesh. or we don't value or esteem or look at anyone as to their lineage, their birthright, or their status. We don't look at those things in regard to their faith in Christ. He goes on to say, yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now, henceforth, know we Him no more. We don't know Him like that. So Paul's saying, I think here, we no longer look at people through carnal, fleshly eyes. We no longer look through carnal, fleshly eyes. Romans chapter 8, we're not carnally-minded people. It was as if Paul was saying here, don't tell me that you're Abraham's descendants. Remember, there were Judaizers in the Corinthian church. They were trying to bring people back under the bondage of the law. And Paul said, don't tell me that you're Abraham's seed. Do you believe in Christ? Because that's all that matters. That's the only thing that matters. Not your lineage, not your birth, not your status, not whether you're a Jew or a Gentile. Listen, there's no ethnicity in the kingdom of God. There's no fleshly privilege. There's no one that's got any more a right than any other human but those that believe Christ. And that's what Paul means here when he says, wherefore hence know we no man after the flesh. Now let me help you with a passage. Look at Galatians 328. A couple of passages in Galatians I think will help you with that. Listen, every sinner, Jew or Gentile, from every nation, kindred, tribe, and tongue, any sinner that will come to Christ in repentance and faith, God will save them. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found. Call ye upon him while he is near. Doesn't matter where you're from. Doesn't matter your status. Doesn't matter if you're rich or poor. None of that matters. What matters is that you believe Christ. Look at chapter 3, verse 26. Paul says, for you're all one in Christ Jesus. So none of those other things matter, and I think that's what Paul meant when he says, wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh. You remember the Jews in John chapter eight, don't tell us, we're Abraham's seed, we're God's children. Christ said, no, no, if you were Abraham's seed, you would love me. And so it's not attached to any fleshly privilege. Look at chapter 5 and verse 6. You're still in Galatians. Chapter 5 and verse 6. Paul says, for in Jesus Christ, neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith which worketh by love. Because there were still those that were saying, except you be circumcised, you can't be saved. Go back to the book of Acts. You can read that. And this is the things that Paul battled. It's important for you to understand this. Beloved Christ was the only determining factor of those that are in the kingdom of God. Do you trust Christ? Finally, look at chapter 6 and verse 12, same book. Paul said, as many as desire to make a fair show in the flesh, They constrain you to be circumcised, only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law, but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh. But God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world. For in Christ Jesus, this is the bottom line, neither circumcision availeth anything nor uncircumcision but a new creature. Back to 2 Corinthians and we'll finish. And I just wanna highlight this because there were those in the church that gloried in the flesh. You can see that in 2 Corinthians 5, 12. Paul said, when he was defending himself, he says, we commend not ourselves again to you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf that you may have someone to answer them which glory in appearance. That's like saying they glory in the flesh and not in heart, not by faith. Paul said none of that matters. What matters is that you believe on Christ. And furthermore, that is not how we know Christ, after the flesh. We don't know him after the flesh. We know and believe him and we are united to him by faith. You remember 2 Corinthians 5, 7? You can look at it right there. What does Paul say? For we walk by faith and not by sight. We walk by faith and not by sight. We'll get to the final wherefore or therefore. Paul says in verse 17, therefore, knowing all of this, if any man be in Christ, see, that was the bottom line. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creation. He's a new creature. Old things are passed away. Those that are in Christ are no longer who they were. There are those that say, yes, I believe Christ. Well, what's different about you from before you believed and after you believed? Well, nothing really. I just believe in Christ. Well, that's not salvation. Because when God saves a sinner, Something supernatural happens. God gives that sinner a new heart and a new spirit. God changes that sinner to where they hate their sins. And what did we say earlier? The old you died. You're no longer an Adam. You're no longer united to Him. You're united to Christ in His death. The old you died. That's no longer who you are. If you're in Christ, you know this. You say, no, I'm no longer that person. Yes, we all struggle with sin. But you say, no, I hate my sins now. And I'm no longer the person that I used to be. Now I love Christ and I want to live my life for Him. Yes, I'll be imperfect, but I want to live my life to honor Christ. So if any man be in Christ, he's a new creature. She is a new creature. Old things are passed away. Behold, all things have become new. You think differently. You speak differently. You desire differently. You're different in every way. It's because of the life of Christ in you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you. And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh. And I will give you a new heart of flesh and put my spirit in you. And I will cause you to walk on my statutes. And you shall be my people, and I will be your God. the salvation of the Word of God, brethren. That's the salvation which Christ procured for sinners. So if any man or woman be in Christ, means if you're united to Christ, He is a new creature. Remember, a Christian is no longer an atom, but in Christ. A Christian is no longer in the flesh, but in the Spirit. A Christian is no longer carnally minded, but spiritually minded. And this is who we now are in Christ. And that's why Paul said, back to verse 14, for the love of Christ constrained us. Amen. We'll stop right here, and then we'll pick up next time in verse 18. Let's dismiss in prayer and ask the Lord to help us. Father, help us to understand, I pray. Father, I know it's a lot of material, but Lord, I pray that you'd help us to take the good seed of the word and that we would make sure it's in the good ground Lord, I pray our hearts are good ground. I pray that we're not wayside hearers, or stony ground hearers, or those that hear among the thorns. I pray that our hearts and minds are not cumbered about with many things, but that, Lord, we can honor you by, Father, honoring your word. As you said in your word, and we read earlier, when you said to those that hear, I pray we would be hearers of your word, but doers of it as well. Father, bless your people, Father, as we go our separate ways. Help us, Father. Help us to walk by faith and not by sight. Oh, Father, help us to love the Lord Jesus Christ with all of our hearts and with all of our souls, with all of our minds. Oh, God, I'm so thankful for the cross of Christ. Oh, Lord, help us all to live for you, for our all of our remaining earthly days, help us. Thank you so much for your grace and kindness. We do pray for those that are out and couldn't make it, who are sick. We ask for your blessings to be upon them all. Well, we ask it in Jesus' name, amen.