WE KNOW CHRIST AFTER THE SPIRIT

By Pastor Art Watkins of Coden Bible Church (Coden, Alabama)

May 19, 2010

A scripture that hyper dispensationalists have used for years to turn people away from the ministry of Christ in the four gospels is 2 Corinthians 5:16 which says: 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.
They say this verse proves we don’t know and should not follow Christ in his earthy ministry after the flesh. One hyper dispensationalist writer says this is actually a command not to follow Christ in the four gospels! This is total nonsense. The flesh in the verse is ours not men or Christ. When we were lost we were in the flesh and when we were in the flesh our views and understanding of both men and Christ was distorted.

We did not see men as God sees them. In the flesh we did not see Christ as he is portrayed in the scriptures. We did not see him as our friend, but as our adversary. But now we are no longer in the flesh for in the context it says we are dead with Christ in verse 15. Our old man was crucified with Christ. We are now in the Spirit and new creatures and all things have become new including how we now see and perceive men and Christ.

We now see men as they really are in Romans 3:9-18. They are totally depraved on their way to hell and need a Savoir to save them. We now see Christ as he really is; He is indeed Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, and The Prince of Peace. He is the Messiah, the King of kings, Lord of Lords, God manifest in the flesh. He is our Great High Priest, Mediator and Intercessor. He is our friend and not our adversary. He is our Savior and not our destroyer.

This verse has absolutely nothing to do with Christ in his earthly ministry. It has to do with us when we were lost in the flesh and now that we are saved and in the Spirit and new creatures in Christ. This shows us how far hyper dispensationalists will go to keep people out of the four gospels and to turn men away from the preaching of Christ. Some of them would have you to believe that there are two Christ’s; one in heaven and one on earth, as if they are not the same person!

(More later)