Why is the Christ after the cross, and not the Christ before the cross, the object of our salvation?
The Christ after the cross is the object of salvation because the work of the cross—His death, burial, and resurrection—makes the salvation experience possible. Before the cross, He was known in His earthly ministry and after the flesh, but now the ascended, glorified Christ is the one believers are attached to.
Les teaches that Paul is not preaching Jesus merely in His earthly ministry—His miracles, signs, and wonders—but Christ after the work of the cross. The cross, His death, burial, and resurrection, makes possible our salvation experience. Though it is the same man and same God, the Christ before the cross was not the object of our salvation as He is after the cross. Now ascended in glory, He is the Christ we are attached to; hence Paul says we know no man after the flesh.
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.