Is it wrong for preachers to focus on Jesus' earthly ministry, His miracles and signs?
Scripture indicates that preaching only Jesus’ earthly ministry, miracles, and signs is not the message Paul directs believers to. Paul writes that we know no man after the flesh and are to take Christ after the work of the cross—His death, burial, and resurrection—because that work makes salvation possible.
Les explains that Paul, in verse 16, says henceforth we know no man after the flesh, which refers to Christ in His earthly ministry. Les notes that much preaching today focuses on Jesus, His miracles, signs, and wonders Sunday after Sunday. But Paul says we are not following any man in the flesh; we are to take Christ after the work of the cross—His death, burial, and resurrection—now ascended in glory. Les grants it is the same man and same God, yet the Christ before the cross was not the object of our salvation that He is after the cross, because the work of the cross makes our salvation experience possible. Paul lived contemporary with Christ, but from the cross onward we 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
Why shouldn't we only preach about Jesus' earthly ministry, miracles, signs, and wonders?
A lot of today's preaching presents only Jesus in His earthly ministry—His miracles, signs, and wonders—but Paul says that believers are not following any man in the flesh and are not to preach that kind of flesh-based Christ.
What should believers focus on instead of Christ's earthly ministry?
Believers are not to concern themselves that much with Christ's earthly ministry, but rather with the work of the cross, because that is where everything comes to a head.