GOD PROMISES WE ARE A NEW CREATION
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17
The world God was created was perfect and so were the people in it. Adam and Eve were faultless until they sinned. Then they fell, and all of us are born with that sinful nature. But God didn’t leave us in that fallen state. He paid the price for all those sin so He could recreate us, make us a new creation in His sight. 2 Corinthians 5:17 explains how this happens.
There are 3 amazing promises in this verse for anyone who is “in Christ.” That refers to all who believe in Him, who have received His free gift of salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9). He promises 1) we are a new creation, 2) that the old has gone, and 3) that the new has come. These all are parts of one promise, but it is stated in three ways so we will completely understand all that is given us.
First, we are told we are a new creation. In the verse before this promise, 2 Corinthians 5:14-16, Paul said we died with Christ and no longer live for ourselves. Our old sin nature is no longer the stronger, controlling force in our lives. At salvation His new nature is put into us, the “new creation” He makes us. It is stronger than our old sinful nature, so we no longer need to be captive to sin. We can still sin, but we no longer have to sin for His power is us I greater than the power of sin. In Genesis man is physically created, the old creation. But now in Jesus we have newness of life (Roman 6:4). We aren’t under sins control any longer (Romans 6:12-23). We still sin (1 John 1:8-10) but we aren’t under the control of sin’s power. That’s a great promise!
Second, Paul explains this by saying “the old has gone.” We don’t have to live as we did before salvation, when we were dead in sin (Ephesians 2:1-9). We can use this verse to claim our new birth in Jesus (John 3) and break any claim demons make to us through generational or ancestral openings. All that is gone.
Third, because the old I gone, “the new has come.” There are many changes that take place at the moment of salvation, many special benefits and blessings that become ours as children of God. When we put our faith in Jesus and are born into His family, He shower us with many special blessings and privileges that we don’t have before salvation. He promises that all our sin and shame are gone (Colossians 1:14) and we are His children (John 1:12) both by new birth (John 3) and adoption (Ephesian 1:5). God call us His friend (John 15:15) and unconditionally loves us (roman 8:35-39). We can talk to Him any time (Ephesian 2:18; 3:12) and receive guidance and wisdom whenever needed (1 Corinthians 2:16). He promises to provide for all our need (Philippian 4:19). Another benefit of being a new creation is the victory we can have over sin (Romans 6:2; Galatians 2:20) and over Satan and his demon (Colossians 1:13; Luke 10:18-20). This is because God lives within us (1 Corinthians 6:19-20; 3:16). We are secure in Him and can never lose our salvation (2 Corinthians 1:21-22; Romans 8:31-39). When we die, we know we will be with Him forever in heaven (Ephesians 2:6; Philippians 3:20). All this and much more is what we are promised as being His children.
The Bible is full of examples of those who have become His new creation at salvation. Rahab, the ex-prostitute from Jericho, is one. Mary Magdalene, who was possessed by seven demons (Luke 8:1-3), is another example of a changed life. Many other names could be added to the list, including mine and yours!
This verse is easy to memorize. It’s good to quote whenever you are faced with difficulties, temptations or when you feel God isn’t as close as you’d like Him to be.
cto Rev. Dr. JERRY SCHMOYER
Christian Training Organization
Jerry@ChristianTrainingOrganization.org
(India Outreach, Spiritual Warfare, Family Ministries, Counseling, World View)
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