December 10:   You’re a New Creation

By Bassey Ekong

This is how the Bible describes New Creation: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”(2 Corinthians 5:17). The word “therefore” refers us back to verses 14-16 where the Apostle Paul tells the church that all believers have died with Christ and no longer live for themselves. Our lives are no longer worldly; Christians walk by faith and not by sight. They are in the spirit. Our “death” is that of the old sin nature which was nailed to the cross with Christ. It was buried with Him, and just as He was raised up by the Father, so are we raised up to “walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4). That new person that was raised up is what Paul refers to in the passage above as the “new creation.”

To understand the new creation, first we must grasp that it is in fact a creation, something created by God. John 1:13 tells us that this new birth was brought about by the will of God. We did not inherit the new nature, neither did we decide to re-create ourselves anew, nor did God simply clean up our old nature; He created something entirely fresh and unique. The new creation is completely new, brought about from nothing, just as the whole universe was created by God [ex nihilo], from nothing. Only the Creator could accomplish such a feat.

Second, “old things have passed away.” The “old” refers to everything that is part of our old nature—natural pride, love of sin, reliance on works, and our former opinions, habits and passions. Most significantly, what we loved has passed away, especially the supreme love of self and with-it self-righteousness, self-promotion, and self-justification and everything that promotes and glorifies self. The new creature grows out of darkness into the light of Jesus which enables all believers to live in their spirit and look outwardly toward Christ instead of inwardly toward self. The old things died because Jesus nailed them to the cross along with our sinful nature. Sin grows in the dark but when exposed to light, it loses its glamour and incurs shame and rejection. Jesus exposed all of our sins to the light of His salvation on the cross. Sin shall have no more dominion over God’s people. Hallelujah! Note: Christ Jesus came to make new creation out of all mankind from after Adam fell from grace to grass.

Let’s pray: Our Father, we see how much You have loved us by giving us Your Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. He has remade us and redeemed us. Lord, give us Your Spirit and Your grace to remain the new creation that Jesus died for, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Today’s reading: Hosea 1-4; Revelation 3-4

Let's Walk by Faith and not by Sight.