Verse of the Day for September 25

Before Paul writes the famous line about the new creature, he writes something about how we see other people. Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh.

Paul had once judged Jesus that way, as a troublemaker from Nazareth, a failed messiah. He admits it: though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. His way of seeing changed completely.

That change touches how he sees everyone. If any man in Christ is a new creature, Paul cannot keep holding people to their old version. The brother who lied, the friend who betrayed, the young man who was reckless: if they are in Christ, the old file is not the full truth about them.

This is what forgiveness with an open hand looks like. A closed hand grips the record. An open hand lets God rewrite it. old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. Behold means look. Paul is asking you to look again.

You may have someone in your church or your extended family you have quietly filed under their worst moment. This week, look again. Ask God to show you what he has made new in them, and let go of the file.

People in Christ are more than their worst moment.

Behold means look again, so look again at someone.