Word of the Week - New Creation
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The Old has gone, the new is here!. 2 Corinthians 5:17
New Creation – So how do we know if we are truly “in Christ”? It seems clear in this verse and several others that when we become one with Christ we are transformed into a new person. Our minds are renewed by the spirit and we think and act different then we did before we knew Christ.“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2
The Old Man vs. the New Man – “That, however, is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ and were taught in Him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” Ephesians 4:20-24
Below are some thoughts from Pastor Larry Stockstill’s “One year bible” Devotion today and this topic:
The exciting reality of Christianity is that a believer becomes a new person. In Ephesians 4, Paul contrasts the "old man" and the "new man." The old man is a liar, while the new man tells the truth (Ephesians 4:25). The old man is always angry, but the new man controls anger and makes amends for it before the day is over (v. 26).
There are further contrasts between the old man and the new. The old man is stingy and steals, but the new man has a desire to work hard and give to others (v. 28). The old man uses abusive language, but the new man speaks words that encourage others (v. 29). The old man holds grudges and bitterness for years, but the new man is kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving (v. 32).
For you to say that you have become a Christian yet continue to lie, vent your wrath, steal, curse, and harbor unforgiveness is a contradiction in terms. As a Christian, you must put off your old self and put on the new self, which was created to be like God. In this way, you will live a life "worthy of your calling" (v. 1) by the grace God has given you through salvation.
Remember: You are a new person!
Power of the Spirit – It is not us but the power of the Holy Spirit that gives us what is needed to be transformed into a new creation. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 I will never forget how God transformed me by the power of His spirit when I surrendered by heart to Jesus 20 years ago. For me, it was an amazing and miraculous experience that totally and radically transformed and renewed my mind. The old bad thinking was replaced with a fresh life giving perspective. It impacted every area of my life in a positive way, including business/career. I was blind and I saw, seeing gave me a new perspective on life. This truly allowed me to be “born again of the spirt” and become a new person in Christ. I am still growing and being sanctified, and at times the old man sneaks in, but I can honestly say that I have become a new creation in Christ and the old has gone and the new has come by the power of the Holy Spirit. We cannot change ourselves, we must be transformed by the power of the Spirit.
Let’s walk and live as a New Creation in Christ Jesus!!!!