Devotional - Summer 2023
A New Creation ~ David Allen
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
What does it mean to be a new creation in Christ? To the church at Colossae, Paul spoke to the parishioners about putting on “the new self” and to set [their] minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. (Col 3:2, ESV) On an intellectual level, we can understand what Paul is talking about here. There is the image of “our old self” as being dead in sins, and our “new self” as being made alive in Christ.
At the cross our sins were made null and void through the greatest act of sacrificial love in the universe. It was God’s plan from before the beginning of time, and no act can ever compare; not then -- not now -- and not ever. But that’s not all! If the cross was the debt payment for our sins, and the severance of our old self, the resurrection was a game-changer and a new beginning for us. Through the resurrection, we were transferred with Christ from the domain of darkness to God’s Kingdom of light (Col. 1:13) But how do we apply this great truth?
When I made the decision to follow Christ, there were some things about me that changed. My circle of friends grew smaller, and I cut certain things out of my life. It’s not as if the old world no longer existed. It was still there with its relentless and seductive pull. What was different was the presence of the Holy Spirit, and God’s sure promise that “He who is in me is greater than he who is in the world. “(1 John 4:4) I also had a new group of friends with whom I could talk about the Lord and be spiritually encouraged.
To be “a new creation” means to be led by the Spirit, rather than by the desires of our former, worldly self. Paul tells us to “be filled with the Spirit”. (Eph. 5:18) He is speaking to us in the imperative voice, meaning it is not a mere suggestion -- but a command! I’ve thought about this verse a lot and I think Paul intends for it to be a constant condition in our lives where we are continually filled with the Holy Spirit. Picture a glass sitting underneath a running tap. Eventually the glass fills to capacity until the water tops the rim and overflows. I think that is the goal -- but are we there yet?
I think most of us may have a person or two in our lives who seems to demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit in the way they live. They emanate Christ in one harmonious chord of His “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Gal. 5:22-23, NKJV) On a good day, I think I may demonstrate only three of these godly attributes, and not all at once. But isn’t the goal to bear all that glorious fruit in what we do and say? I’d like to think so. That goal is prayerfully before me in my everyday choices.
We live in such a world where temptations and distractions are everywhere. It can be a real struggle for us to walk out of the house every day into a world where evil is called good and good is called evil. The enemy is trying to subvert God’s plans with lies, deceit, and confusion. But we know that Satan is a liar and a destroyer. He can create absolutely nothing, and is only capable of taking what God created and distorting or perverting it. The enemy’s sole purpose is to remove Christ from all aspects of our lives and transfer us back to the dominion of darkness. But that cannot – and will not – happen as we cling to Jesus!
As followers of Christ, we often get a bad reputation. We’re accused of being intolerant, or not accepting of whatever is the current cause of the day. We need to find a way to hold fast to the truth of what God promises us in His Word, without being harsh or condemning. That is a tall order! I think our pride gets in the way and we try to fight our battles using the tools of our former self, instead of putting on “the full armor of God” and using the gifts of the Spirit. Brothers and sisters, we were put on this earth to worship and glorify God; not only that, “we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, that we should walk in them.” (Eph 2:10, ESV) If we are honest with ourselves, I think we sometimes forget this – at least I do.
We’ve just come out of one of the most beautiful spring times in recent memory. All around us, we witnessed lifeless woody stems take on a yellowish green hue that gradually transformed into the lush, deep verdant color of new life. That was our magnificent Creator at work creating a new creation! As we transition to the hot, lazy days of summer, let us meditate on what it means for us to be a new creation in Christ, and learn how we can protect ourselves against the scorching heat from our enemy.
These are some helpful directives from God’s manual for our daily living that assist in that continual transformation of our created selves as we seek Him first and His righteousness:
Let us spend time in prayer and in His Word every day.
Let us not live in isolation, but share our sorrows and joys with one another as a church.
Let us encourage one another in the faith and be of one mind and spirit in the Lord.
Let us serve as ambassadors for Christ until we reach the fulfillment of what God created us to be when we meet the Bridegroom face-to-face and sit together at the marriage supper of the Lamb. Oh – what a glorious day!
