The Big Picture

A New Way of Seeing

2Cor.5:16 (KJB): “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.”

The End of Worldly Measurements

Have you ever found yourself sizing someone up based on their accent, their clothing, or perhaps their social standing? It is a natural human tendency to categorise people by what we see on the surface. However, for the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Apostle Paul declares a radical departure from this way of living. He uses the word "wherefore" to point us back to the reality of the cross. Because Christ died for all, the old ways of measuring human value have been utterly dismantled. To "know no man after the flesh" means we intentionally lay aside the tinted glasses of worldly prejudice. We no longer look at a person and see primarily a Jew or a Gentile, a rich man or a poor man, a success or a failure. Instead, we see a soul.

In our modern world, we are constantly pressured to identify ourselves by our heritage, our politics, or our physical appearance. But does any of that actually define who you are in eternity? Paul argues that these physical markers are now irrelevant to our spiritual standing. In the Age of Grace, the middle wall of partition that once separated people into religious categories has been torn down. We are invited to look past the "fleshly" exterior and recognise the "new creature" that God is at work in creating.

A New Relationship with our Lord

Perhaps the most challenging part of this passage is Paul’s statement regarding Christ Himself. He acknowledges that there was a time when Christ was known "after the flesh." This refers to the earthly ministry of Jesus, where He walked the earth as a minister to the circumcision, fulfilling the promises made to the Jewish fathers. During that time, His mission was focused on the lost sheep of the house of Israel and the offer of a literal, Davidic Kingdom.

However, Paul provides a vital key for "Rightly Dividing" the Word of truth. He tells us that "now henceforth know we him no more" in that manner. We do not relate to Jesus merely as a Galilean prophet or a physical King on an earthly throne. We relate to Him as the risen, ascended, and glorified Head of the Body of Christ. While the accounts of His earthly life are beautiful and true, our specific instructions for today come from the glorified Lord through the Apostle Paul. Our focus is not on the Christ who was under the Law, but on the Christ who has redeemed us from the Law. This shift in perspective is essential for spiritual maturity; it moves us from a religion of physical imitation to a life of spiritual participation.

Learning for Today

How does this truth shape our thinking today? We must ask ourselves: Are we still trying to find our identity in our earthly pedigree? If we are "In Christ," our old identity has been crucified. We are no longer defined by our past mistakes or our family tree. This is the essence of doctrinal renewal—replacing our "In Adam" perspective with an "In Christ" reality.

We must also maintain practical vigilance. It is easy to slip back into judging others by outward performance. We might find ourselves looking down on those who don't look like us or act like us. But if we are not careful, we end up building back the very walls that Christ died to destroy. Are we viewing our brothers and sisters through the lens of Grace, or are we still keeping a "fleshly" scorecard of their faults?

Finally, let this passage be a personal encouragement to you. You are more than your physical limitations. You are more than your bank account or your job title. God does not "know" you after the flesh. He sees you as you are in His Son—holy, unblameable, and unreproachable in His sight.

The Mirror of Truth

Think of the "flesh" like a distorted, old mirror in a funhouse. It might make you look taller, shorter, or completely out of shape, but it never reflects the true image. For years, we have looked into the mirror of the world to tell us who we are. Paul tells us to smash that mirror. The only reflection that matters now is the one we see in the Word of God, which tells us that our physical outward man is perishing, but our inward man is being renewed day by day.

Summary & Exhortation

In summary, the Apostle Paul wrote to a distracted church in Corinth to remind them that the cross changed everything. He moved them away from the historical, fleshly Jewish context of Christ’s earthly ministry and pointed them toward the heavenly reality of the Body of Christ. Today, we live out this truth by refusing to let worldly labels define us or our neighbours. We live as those who have been reconciled to God, seeing through the eyes of faith rather than the eyes of the flesh.

Motivational Exhortation: Lay aside the measuring tape of the world and start measuring your life by the fullness of Christ!

Pastoral Prayer: Gracious Father, we thank You that You do not judge us by our outward appearance or our earthly failures. We ask for the grace to see ourselves and others as You see us—new creatures in Christ Jesus. Help us to walk in the spirit and not in the flesh, rejoicing always in our heavenly identity. Amen.