“Therefore if anyone is in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Savior], he is a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold, new things have come [because spiritual awakening brings a new life].” 2 Corinthians 5:17 AMP

For the next few days, I want to look at what the Scripture declares about our new life in Christ. The first thing I see is that when we surrendered our life to Him, we became a totally new creature! Jesus described this transition to a new life as being born-again.  Not physically but rather spiritually! Before coming to Christ, I was spiritually blind, and we lived only for sin and self and had no real consciousness of the spiritual life. This new perspective that was given to us through faith leads to new identity, purpose, and power to live righteously, moving from sin to a relationship with God, empowered by the Holy Spirit. It is a total change from death and destruction to life and freedom! This born-again experience is a regeneration of our spirits giving us a new heart and mind aligned with His will. This wasn’t something unexpected. We see the promise given long before Jesus arrived on earth. 

“Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you, and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My ordinances and do them. 28You will live in the land that I gave to your fathers; and you will be My people, and I will be your God.” Ezekiel 36:26-27 AMP

Being born-again is more than just saying a few words! Look at the above promise of God. We see in this verse we receive a new heart and God’s Spirit so that we can walk in His ways and benefit from His promises. With this change comes a new identity. Becoming a new creation in Christ means that we are no longer defined by what we were but rather by what we are becoming! That transformation is the work of the Holy Spirit within us. Many believers today do not realize that the same power that raised Christ from the dead now dwells in them. As the transformation process continues, we have new purpose and perspective on life. We shift from worldly concerns and selfish living to concerns of eternal significance glorifying God, doing His works, and seeking heavenly treasure. Transformation also brings with it freedom. Look at what Jesus said about His mission.

“for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10

We were lost in our sin and heading for destruction when the God of creation intervened and rescued us from ourselves. Before our life in Christ, we owed a debt we could not pay; Jesus however paid a debt he did not owe! Because Christ died for us, our life was redeemed and we are no longer under the power of sin and death! The greatest effect of salvation is that we are now united with Christ and can share in His resurrected life! The Apostle Paul put it this way.

“We have therefore been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory and power of the Father, we too might walk habitually in newness of life [abandoning our old ways]. 5For if we have become one with Him [permanently united] in the likeness of His death, we will also certainly be [one with Him and share fully] in the likeness of His resurrection. 6We know that our old self [our human nature without the Holy Spirit] was nailed to the cross with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin.” Romans 6:4-6 AMP

Are you walking habitually in the newness of your life? Have you abandoned your old ways and been united to Him? Let me remind you today that you are no longer a slave to sin but united to Christ in freedom! Have a blessed day, Pastor Ken