Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
(2 Corinthians 5:17) To be in Christ is to have Christ dwell in one’s heart by faith. It means to be united to Christ by faith. When a person places their faith in Christ… 1. He is a new creation. The verse emphasizes that when someone becomes a Christian, a radical change takes place. That person is not only mended; that person is new made. Once a person has accepted the gift of salvation, they are a new creation in Christ.
We cannot become new on our own; we need Jesus Christ to become new. The Christian is a totally new thing that God has created.
The caterpillar, when a tiny baby, eats lots of leaves and grows bigger. When it’s ready, it builds a special shell where it sleeps for a while. Inside this shell, the caterpillar’s body changes completely, growing beautiful wings and becoming a beautiful flying butterfly. The same God who changes the caterpillar can also change you. God can change any person. (If any man) When a person places their faith in Christ… 2. Old things have passed away.
When someone accepts Christ, their old life of sin is replaced by a new life in Christ; they experience a complete transformation.
Their former views of Christ have passed away.
Their former habits have passed away.
Their former attachments have passed away.
Their former supreme love of self has passed away. Their former love for the world has passed away. Their former love for sin has passed away.
Their former life of rebellion has passed away. A deep and radical change takes place. It begins at the new birth, carries on until entire sanctification, and then continues until death.
3. Behold, all things have become new.
One’s purpose for life becomes new.
One’s feelings of the heart become new.
One’s principles become new.
One’s heart forms new attachments.
One’s motives are new. One’s principles are new. One’s plans of life are new.
There are new views of God.
There are new views of Jesus Christ.
There are new views of this world and of the world to come.
There are new views of truth.
The Bible seems to be a new book.
Prayer seems to have new meaning.
Worship seems to have new meaning.
All is new! My son Jonathan has a 2019 Kia Rio. There was no compression in one of the cylinders, and one of the fuel injectors was bad. The repair shop told us that his engine was bad and he needed a new one. Repairing the old engine was not an option. We are all born with a bad heart. Repairing or mending our bad heart is not an option. We need a completely new heart. When a person repents and places their faith in Jesus Christ, they receive a new heart.
Thought for the week: You can have a fresh start in Christ.
Prayer for the week: Pray that many in Madill will repent and place their faith in Christ.