New

We recently celebrated Christmas. I’m guessing you received at least one new thing. Among my new things were several books – children’s books and theological books. I enjoy both, and there is always an excitement when I first pull back the cover of a book, especially a hardback book. It makes a certain noise the first time it is opened. You know it is a new book. I’ve already read through the new children’s books. They are on the shelf and will be read again by myself or visiting kids. The new book sound is gone. With each reading, the pages will get a little more worn, bent or torn given they are children’s books. The newness doesn’t last.

It is also a new year – time when we often make resolutions. Maybe we are excited about trying something new or setting a new goal, and goals can be good. But often, New Year’s resolutions are fueled by a sense of past failings and discontent. Following the resolutions, we start off well, but eventually forget or fail in keeping them. We feel like the old self, the one that is still stuck in a bad habit, a rut, a sin, an undesired weight, a frustrating job, poor health, etc., is winning. We need the continuing message of Christmas.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

2 Corinthians 5:17

Jesus came to make us a new creation in Him by His death, burial, and resurrection. Did you catch what Paul said above? “The old has passed away; behold the new has come.” Those in Christ are already changed, the old is gone. Done deal. We are no longer a slave to the old sinful nature. My new books will only get older. We will still fail with our resolutions and endeavors. We will still sin, but in Christ we are already made new. That is our identity – a new creation in Christ who is defined by Christ’s righteousness alone.

Not only have we been changed, but God continues to work in us, changing us, conforming us to the image of His Son. In Scripture we see that we are to put off the old sinful ways and to put on the things that glorify God (Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:9-10). This is daunting and impossible apart from Christ, but this is why we return to the good news of Christmas. Jesus is Immanuel, God with us. He does not leave us alone as we endeavor to live a life glorifying to God.

First, as we saw earlier, Jesus has given His record of righteousness to those who are in Him. This is freeing. There is nothing we can do to cause God to love or approve us any more than He already does, and there is nothing we can do to cause God to love or approve us any less than He already does. In Christ, you are secure in your standing before the Father because Jesus did everything required on your behalf. Jesus is now sitting at the right hand of the Father always interceding or “reminding” the Father of this truth.

Second, whereas the things of this world, like my new books, only get older and worn out, God gives us this wonderfully encouraging promise:

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day.

2 Corinthians 4:16

Wow! Compared to our physical body and physical things, God is actually renewing us – making us more and more like Jesus – day by day. We may look at ourselves and see how we failed again. We see the ongoing sin and struggles. We see our bodies that are failing. But the encouraging news, the good news, is that God is working in us each day, and He promises to continue that work until it is complete (Philippians 1:6). Yes, we have our part to do in putting off the old sinful nature and putting on the things that glorify God, but at the same time, God’s Spirit is working in us. Just as we could never earn our own salvation, we cannot be conformed to the image of Christ apart from God’s ongoing work in us. We are continually drawn back to what God has done and is doing for us, not what we do for God.

Paul states it this way, “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12-13, emphasis added). God commands us to live in light of the salvation we have received (“work out your own salvation”), but we can only live what we have been saved to because God is willing and working in us. We are not left on our own.

The enemy loves to whisper (or shout) lies to us. He wants us to live defeated. He wants us to find our identity in what we once were before Jesus redeemed us. My prayer is that increasingly you will live remembering you are a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come. You belong to Jesus. He is with you. He is for you. He has given you His righteousness already. His Spirit is continuing to work in you, conforming you to His image. Live in your new, lasting identity.

Reflection

1. In what ways do you still feel like the old nature defines you?

2. What lies have you believed about your identity? List how God defines you using Scripture.

3. What is most encouraging to you about being a new creation in Christ? How does this impact your obedience?