2 Corinthians 5:16-17 (HCSB)16 From now on, then, we do not know anyone in a purely human way. Even if we have known Christ in a purely human way, yet now we no longer know ⌊Him in this
way⌋.17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, ⌊he is⌋ a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come.
We have heard these verses, especially verse 17 many perhaps hundreds of times;
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, ⌊he is⌋ a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come
But do we really know what Paul was saying when he wrote these words to the Christians in Corinth?
Being a new creation in Christ means that you constantly being renewed. The old sinful person you once were has gone as a result of the finished work of Christ. When you made that confession of faith and prayed a prayer like “Dear God, I am a sinner and need forgiveness. I believe that Jesus Christ shed His precious blood and died for my sin. I am willing to turn from sin. I now invite Christ to come into my heart and life as my personal Savior.”;
You were instantly saved, and justified. Not made perfect, but being constantly renewed and sanctified so that you will be conformed to the image of Jesus, become like Jesus, which is God’s purpose for you.
Romans 8:28-30 (HCSB)28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose.29 For those He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers.30 And those He predestined, He also called; and those He called, He also justified; and those He justified, He also glorified.
That process continues and will not be complete until Jesus returns but that’s another lesson for another time.
Tonight we are talking about the new and renewed creation that you have become if you are saved or will become when you that the step of accepting the gift of salvation.
The first thing we need to understand that this new creation is something created by God.
We have heard these verses, especially verse 17 many perhaps hundreds of times;
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, ⌊he is⌋ a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come
But do we really know what Paul was saying when he wrote these words to the Christians in Corinth?
Being a new creation in Christ means that you constantly being renewed. The old sinful person you once were has gone as a result of the finished work of Christ. When you made that confession of faith and prayed a prayer like “Dear God, I am a sinner and need forgiveness. I believe that Jesus Christ shed His precious blood and died for my sin. I am willing to turn from sin. I now invite Christ to come into my heart and life as my personal Savior.”;
You were instantly saved, and justified. Not made perfect, but being constantly renewed and sanctified so that you will be conformed to the image of Jesus, become like Jesus, which is God’s purpose for you.
Romans 8:28-30 (HCSB)28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose.29 For those He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers.30 And those He predestined, He also called; and those He called, He also justified; and those He justified, He also glorified.
That process continues and will not be complete until Jesus returns but that’s another lesson for another time.
Tonight we are talking about the new and renewed creation that you have become if you are saved or will become when you that the step of accepting the gift of salvation.
The first thing we need to understand that this new creation is something created by God.
John 1:12-13 (HCSB)12 But to all who did receive Him, He gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in His name,13 who were born, not of blood, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God.
This tells us that this new birth or creation was brought about by the will of God. We did not inherit the new nature, we didn't re-create ourselves. God didn't just clean up our old nature either; He created something entirely fresh and unique. The new creation is completely new, created from nothing, just as the whole universe was created by God from nothing. Only God could do that.
We don’t know how it happens but we know that is does. In Jesus conversation with Nicodemus when he asked Jesus how is it possible to born again Jesus said
John 3:7-8 (HCSB)7 Do not be amazed that I told you that you must be born again.8 The wind blows where it pleases, and you hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
Let me give you what it says in the Wycliffe Bible Commentary
Flesh can only reproduce itself as flesh, and this cannot pass muster with God (cf. Rom 8:8). The law of reproduction is "after its kind." So likewise the Spirit produces spirit, a life born, nurtured, and matured by the Spirit of God. If this spells mystery, let it be recognized that there is mystery in nature also. Wind (pneuma, the same word as for "Spirit") produces observable effects as it blows, but its source and future movements remain hidden. So the redeemed life shows itself as something effective, though defying analysis by the natural man
The Wycliffe Bible Commentary.
With this new creation,“old things have passed away.” The “old” refers to everything that is part of our old nature—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. The new creature looks outwardly toward Christ instead of inwardly toward self. The old things died, nailed to the cross with our sin nature.
This new creation is constantly being renewed or constantly "changing into something new and different, something better." That’s really what renewal in Christ means. We were remade into something better. For some of us, it may have been quite a struggle to remove the old sinful self and totally renovate our lives. It may continue to be a struggle, but know this: if you stay steadfast in your relationship with God, He will continually work in your life to renew you and get rid of the of the sin that may constantly tempt you.
Philippians 1:6 (HCSB) I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
So what does this renewed person look like?
Romans 6:1-7 (HCSB)1 What should we say then? Should we continue in sin so that grace may multiply?2 Absolutely not! How can we who died to sin still live in it?3 Or are you unaware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?4 Therefore we were buried with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in a new way of life.5 For if we have been joined with Him in the likeness of His death, we will certainly also be in the likeness of His resurrection.6 For we know that our old self was crucified with Him in order that sin’s dominion over the body may be abolished, so that we may no longer be enslaved to sin,7 since a person who has died is freed from sin’s claims.
The baptism that Paul is talking here is immersion although I believe that it can also be applied to other ordinances of baptism.
The focus here is on the meaning and outcome of Jesus' death. Being immersed is like being buried. "Being buried together" stresses the reality of Christ's death. Christ died, and the believer really died with him. When we came up from the water it was like being resurrected from the grave. The resurrection brought to the Lord Jesus a new kind of life. Since we were identified with Christ in his death, we are identified with him in his resurrection. For the Saviour, the resurrection meant a new manner of life. We were buried with Christ in order that we, like him, should live in newness of life.
To walk in a new way of life means the day-by-day living as we go through our ordinary day.
As New Creatures We Need to “Put Off” Some Stuff and then “Put On” Some Other Stuff
Since we are new creatures and have been renewed there are some things that we should put behind us or stop.
Colossians 3:1-9 (HCSB)1 So if you have been raised with the Messiah, seek what is above, where the Messiah is, seated at the right hand of God.2 Set your minds on what is above, not on what is on the earth.3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with the Messiah in God.4 When the Messiah, who is your life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.5 Therefore, put to death what belongs to your worldly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry.6 Because of these, God’s wrath comes on the disobedient,7 and you once walked in these things when you were living in them.8 But now you must also put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth.9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old self with its practices
Sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed are things that are attitudes and actions of the “old nature”. Anger, wrath, malice, slander and filthy language and lies are things that come from our mouths.
We are told to stop or put off these things in our renewal because as a new creation we now have the help of the Holy Spirit which gives us the ability to stop these things.
If we put something off ,like taking off our clothes, then we need to put something else on. Paul tells us what those things are that new creatures need to put on.
Colossians 3:10-17 (HCSB)10 and have put on the new self. You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your Creator.11 In Christ there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all.12 Therefore, God’s chosen ones, holy and loved, put on heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,13 accepting one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a complaint against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also ⌊forgive⌋.14 Above all, ⌊put on⌋ love—the perfect bond of unity.15 And let the peace of the Messiah, to which you were also called in one body, control your hearts. Be thankful.16 Let the message about the Messiah dwell richly among you, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, and singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, with gratitude in your hearts to God.17 And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, acceptance of each other and forgiving each other, are all attributes of Jesus in whose image we are being transformed in our renewal. All these attributes add up to love which as verse 14 says is the perfect bond of unity.
If you want the complete definition of love read 1 Corinthians Chapter 13. We aren’t going to read it tonight. You’ve heard it or read it many times. That long definition includes those things that we as new creatures are to put on.
Okay we are new creatures, where does this renewal take place?
Our hearts - It starts in our hearts
Psalm 51:10 (HCSB) God, create a clean heart for me and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Proverbs 4:23 (HCSB) Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life.
The heart is the center of life. It is within this uniquely created internal organ that we have physical life. Without it, life is just not possible. The heart is also the center of spiritual life. Proverbs tell us that we must guard our heart because it is the wellspring of both physical and spiritual life. Our heart determines our actions and reflects whether or not Christ is the center of our lives. That is why it is important that we ask God to continually renew our hearts. Take an inventory of your heart today. Is your heart where it needs to be or do you need God's renewal? Ask God to renew your heart and commit that He will remain at the center of your heart.
Our minds - It also takes place in our minds
Romans 12:1-2 (HCSB)1 Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship.2 Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
We’ve heard that the mind is the devil's playground. There is a lot of truth in that statement. Most the spiritual battles we fight against our enemy take place in the mind. Maybe it's the guilt of a past sin that constantly comes to your mind or the cravings of an addiction that you have not fully overcome. Maybe you hear whispers of negative words that give you doubts about your faith or your ability to accomplish what God has intended for you to do. So as the verses we just read say, allow God to transform you through the renewing of your mind. Pray and ask God today to remove the negative thoughts our spiritual enemy continues to infiltrate your mind with and allow God to renew your mind and replace the negativity with clarity and purity. Let God help you fight the battle in your mind and gain victory.
How do we renew our minds? By spending time in God’s word, meditating on it, listening to it, applying it.
Our bodies - Renewal also takes place in our bodies
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (HCSB)19 Don’t you know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,20 for you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God in your body.
It’s important to realize that this renewal is not only for the inside but the outside too. Think about it for a moment. Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit and should be treated as such. Would you let your home look run down or distressed? Of course not if something need to be fixed we would do or have it done so that our home does not look in disarray. We should treat our bodies the same way and continually renew them so that they are able to carry out God's purpose for our lives?
Renewal of your bodies can look different for everyone. For some it might be the need for a little more exercise or a better diet. It could be the need for physical healing. For others, it may be allowing God to renew you from a past sexual sin. Find where you need renewal for your body and allow God to work His healing in your life.
So if we are this new creation why do Christians continue to sin?
There is a difference between continuing to sin and continuing to live in sin. No one reaches sinless perfection in this life, but as I mentioned earlier God continues the work of sanctification. We are being sanctified day by day, sinning less and hating it more. Yes, we still sin, but unwillingly and less and less frequently as we mature. Our new self hates the sin that still has a hold on us. The difference is that the new creation is no longer slave to sin, we are now freed from sin and it no longer has power over us.
Romans 6:6-7 (HCSB)6 For we know that our old self was crucified with Him in order that sin’s dominion over the body may be abolished, so that we may no longer be enslaved to sin,7 since a person who has died is freed from sin’s claims.
Romans 6:11-12 (HCSB)11 So, you too consider yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, so that you obey its desires.
We now have the power to choose not to sin.
The new creation is a wondrous thing, formed in the mind of God and created by His power and for His glory.
Conclusion
Jeremiah 29:11 (HCSB)11 For I know the plans I have for you”—⌊this is⌋ the LORD’s declaration—“plans for ⌊your⌋ welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
God has a purpose for each one of us. Some of us know our purpose while others are still in the process of uncovering it. When we know our purpose, God uses it to enable us to renew His kingdom, but in order to renew His kingdom; we must continually renew our purpose and ourselves. Don't let God's purpose for your life become stale and feel old to you. Allow God to renew His purpose in such a way that it feels as fresh as the day you first uncovered it. Ask Him to expand your purpose and show you specifically the ways you can contribute to renewing His kingdom in the same way He has renewed your life and purpose.
Let’s pray
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