Old Things Have Passed Away
2 Corinthians 5:16-17
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.
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
This an amazing passage if you really take in what Paul was saying. In verse 16 he says, “Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh:..” He’s saying we don’t know anyone by their outward appearance.
Then he continues, “…yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.” Here he’s admitting that he used to know Jesus by his outward appearance but he doesn’t know him by his outward appearance anymore. See Paul had a close encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus and now he doesn’t view Jesus just as a regular man anymore.
Verse 17 is where he explains why he doesn’t look on any man’s outward appearance. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” When you get saved, you become brand new. God brings out His spiritual eraser and erases all your mistakes, sins, and failures. You get a clean slate on life, a chance to start over with your life.
The only person that wants to force you to remember your past is satan. He tries so hard to make you feel guilty and condemned because of the sins you’ve committed. The reality you have to realize is that we’ve all sinned and fell short of glory (Romans 3:23). Jesus was the only man to walk the earth without sinning. Every single person has sinned and you have to tell satan that he’s a liar and he’s not keeping you down.
I love to think about Isaiah 43:25 which says, 25 I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. When we ask for forgiveness with a sincere heart, our sins are blotted and will never be remembered by God.
You and satan are the only ones that can remind of your sins. God never will. Remember that today and each time you might feel condemned. Know that condemnation is not of God. Use these verses to conquer condemnation in your life:
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. – John 3:17
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. – Romans 8:1
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