2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things are passed away: behold, all things have become new.
*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 2537
New: fresh, new, unused, novel, unprecedented, unheard of before
From the Greek word 'kainos' (pronounced kahee-nos'): new in quality (innovative), fresh in development or opportunity – because "not found exactly like this before."
On becoming new believers in Christ God has made our old selves obsolete. With Christ in us and us in Christ we can now begin to live the holy life God deeply desires for us.
We are a new creation, a new beginning, a fresh start. We desire to draw near to God because we love Him. As John writes, "We love Him because He first loved us." (1 John 4:19). He needed to make us new because our old selves were unfit for the glories of the realm of heaven. Our old selves were unholy and the unholy has no place in God's dwellingplace.
You see how different the faithful believer is from the not so faithful believer. It is confusing when one says that they are a Christian but their life says very differently. Christian literally means one who lives in Christ. The 'ian' denotes nationality.
Peter writes that we are "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should show forth the praises of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy." (1 Peter 2:9, 10).
See? In time past we were not God's people. But now, in Christ, we are God's people. It is only through the power of God in Christ via the power of the Holy Spirit that we are now made new in Him. Only God can make us new creations in Christ: nothing and no one else has this power. How cool is that? How awesome! How wonderful!
I am so glad that I am a new creation in Christ. My old self was destined for hell. Though I had been raised with a solid Christian upbringing, I did not stay there. I had low self-esteem and was always up for a good time, not realizing that those 'good times' weren't really good times. I made a lot of stupid, bad choices before I made one really good one: I asked Jesus into my heart.
God found me and made me His own. He made me new. He began to write His Word on my heart. He filled me with His Holy Spirit and beautiful songs poured out of my heart and my mouth. He anointed me to serve Him as a teacher and a preacher. My motherhood became anointed, too, because I was already a Mom when some of these things began to take place.
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