Why did Christ's relationship to our salvation change after the cross?
Scripture teaches that Christ before the cross was not the object of salvation in the same way He is after the cross, because the work of the cross—His death, burial, and resurrection—makes the salvation experience possible. Believers now know Him no longer after the flesh but as the ascended, glorified Christ.
Les explains that because of the work of the cross—His death, burial, and resurrection—believers henceforth know no man after the flesh. He contrasts preaching Jesus only in His earthly ministry, miracles, signs, and wonders with taking Christ after the work of the cross, ascended in glory. It is the same man and the same God, but the Christ before the cross was not the object of our salvation that He is after the cross, since the cross makes the salvation experience possible. Paul lived contemporary with Christ after the flesh, yet now believers do not look back and know Him in His earthly ministry as such.
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.
More Questions
After the cross, how should we know Christ?
Instead of knowing Christ after His earthly flesh, believers are to take Christ after the work of the cross—after His death, burial, and resurrection—now that He has ascended into glory, because that risen and exalted Christ is the Christ to whom we are attached.