There is a rather well-known verse of scripture in 2nd Corinthians 5:17 which states that “the old things have passed away and behold all things are become new”. Yet for many people it seems that we are still stuck in the old. Our old habits, our old desires and our old selves. Why is this so when the scripture is so clear about being a new creation, and how can we actually live this new life in Christ?
Today we will be exploring this topic in detail to discover how we can move beyond the old self and let it truly die, and how we can fully embrace this new life that Jesus desires for us to live.
So let’s begin by examining this verse of 2nd Corinthians 5:17:
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
We can see from reading this verse that it is very clear that we are new creations in Christ Jesus, but we can also see that there are a couple of preconditions here… some of you may only be noticing the first one, but stay with me here.
The first condition is the obvious one, that this promise of being a new creation is only to those who are actually in Christ. No-one can be a new creation if they are in themselves, but in Christ all things are possible. Therefore it will greatly benefit us to learn what it actually means to be in Christ. Let’s read now Romans 3:21-26:
“But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ to all and on all them that believe: for there is no difference:
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believes in Jesus.”
Those who are in Christ, are covered, surrounded and living in His righteousness, not for themselves but for Christ. The difference between living by your own efforts and living by Christ’s finished work is huge, and it affects every area of your life. If you are trying to earn the favor of God and trying to justify yourself by your own merit or works, then you will find yourself always lacking and always condemned; as we see in verse 23, all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.
Many times I have spoken with people who claim to believe in the grace of God, but when we have explored together what they believe, it has been shown that they actually deep-down inside still believe in their own merits and having to earn the favor and righteousness of God through their works.
In truth my friends, any promise which we claim in the Bible can only legitimately be claimed through faith in Christ’s payment for us and on our behalf. Anything which we claim based on our own merits are worthless.
Jesus simplified this idea further when He stated the following in John 6:56:
“He that eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, dwells in me, and I in him.”
Now Jesus purposefully changed the Greek word used here for “eats” to trogo, which specifically means “to chew, with the idea of a crunching sound”. This is Holy Communion. This is why communion is so vital. Jesus here is saying that those who are always identifying with Him, living in the reality of His sacrifice and immersing themselves in His redemption, those are the ones who dwell and abide in Him. So this is how we live in Christ.
Now returning to our scripture in 2nd Corinthians 5:17, we have covered the first condition of being in Christ, so what is the second? Let’s look at the verse again:
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
The second condition to becoming a new creation in Christ Jesus is to behold. This word means to look upon and see. We should be beholding Christ in all of His resurrected glory and then seeing how we are complete in Him. So many believers look at themselves and see their lack rather than looking at Christ and seeing His fullness. This is the true meaning of dying to self, to let your entire being be totally saturated in Christ and letting Him truly be LORD of your life.
My friends, this is the essence and the core of our new identity… where life does not revolve around ourselves, but around Jesus. This may seem almost unnatural or “weird” at first, but that is only because nature has been corrupted by sin. When Adam and Eve ate of the wrong tree, sin was allowed to enter, and it caused one simple thing… it caused self to be awakened. This is why the Bible says that we must die to self. It is not talking about ending our lives or debasing ourselves, but returning to the original divine plan via the way of Jesus to where God is once again at the center of each of us, and we can partake of His Divine nature once again.
I can not take credit for this revelation, it has been in the Bible all along. Galatians 2:20:
“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
This is the way each of us was destined and designed to be. The Divine Nature of Christ in each of us. Does that sound too good to be true? Read it for yourself in the Bible – God’s Word for you.
You are more valuable and more precious and more important to God than you can even imagine. This is why He saved each of us, and why He cares so deeply about us. Don’t let anyone ever tell you that you are not valuable or special. Does this make you think about yourself and your purpose differently? Perhaps think twice about wasting your life on desires and sins that are quite honestly beneath you. Such a one as you, called to a Divine Nature is worthy of so much more.
Always remember, you are a new creation in Christ.