II Corinthians 5 speaks of a reality that is known only by faith. This reality concerns our very beings. Our fleshly bodies are temporal and pass, but what we truly are is known to God; v.11: “But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience.” Then in verses 16 and 17 we are told what we are: “From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold the new has come.”

It is essential to say that the context of this passage is that Paul is teaching the Corinthians to be reconciled to eachother and to be ministers of reconciliation since we are what Christ is: a reconciler.

These words are speaking of a reality that exists even now. We are new creations. In fact this reality is so real, that in comparison our fleshly bodies are only shadows (v.1-5).

Here revealed truth simply is not fitting into my categories of reason, for it does not seem to be the belief that “we all have a spirit” or that we have fleshly bodies now, but that later we will have spiritual bodies, but that even now as we dwell in our groaning flesh, we are risen with Christ and do not regard eachother according to the flesh. I do not believe that we are told not to regard eachother as flesh only to cause us to treat eachother as if we are already risen. For it is possible that we may not even realize that we are new creations (v.11), but we are nonetheless for we are known as such by God.

This seems to be a reality, dare I say physical reality, that is not flesh. It is truly what we are, but it is not seen without the eyes of the spirit. Take the risen body of Jesus. Paul uses it as an example, because what he is is given to us as we are united with him. Christ had a fleshly body. Then he died and rose again. His risen body is qualified as true body, for he ate and was touched, and his scars could be felt, and yet he is not to be regarded as flesh (v.16).

What a paradoxical category that is our true nature in Christ. Our bodies are flesh, and yet by grace we are made into another body, no less litteral, that is not flesh. I guess that’s whatcha call a mystery.