Old Is Gone

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
-2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)

As we start this brand new year, are you making a resolution? Many of us do. And, for many, we never follow through. For the Christian, many times we fall into doing the same sins over and over and over again. Is that what God wants of us? I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I don't believe that God provided Jesus to be the sacrifice for our sins, so that we can continue living our lives of sin. When we continue living in sin, it's as if we are slapping God in the face. Paul teaches us something radically different.

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." Paul is emphasizing something important for those who are, or call themselves, a Christian. He says, "Therefore, if any man be in Christ." There are some key words in this verse that I'm going to illustrate. These key words are for those who are living in Christ. How do you know if you're in Christ? I think we can look to the words of Jesus in John 14:23-24, "Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me." To put it simply, are you keeping (doing) the words and commandments of Jesus? If not, then you are proving that you don't love Jesus. Take some time, this day, to evaluate your life to be sure that you are in the faith. 

Talking about the Christian, Paul says that "he is a new creature." New means "not existing before." When you give your life to Christ, you become a new creature, someone who has not existed before. Your life of sin has been forgiven, and you are starting a new life. A life that longs for the things of God, and gets away from the things of the world. Part of being a new creature is that we begin a new life. If you still get up each day and continue living your life of sin, then you may need to get things right with God.  The second thing I want to illustrate is, "old things are passed away." Old things (that is our life of sin) have passed away. Passed away means they have died. We no longer serve the life of sin. Why? because we are a new creature.

Are you still serving your old life of sin? If so, then you need to pray, seek God and get things right. Think About It.