January 1, 2021
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
~II Corinthians 5:17~
Happy New Year my friends! What better for a new year then to discuss a new creation! When we accept Jesus into our life as Lord and Savior we are under His authority. We are telling God that we are His. In the beginning of the foundation of the world God made the first man, Adam. Yes, I know you know the story of what happened with Adam, he was the main cause of why the world is flawed now. Our great enemy satan tempted the first man and woman and created chaos for the rest of us. Even though God knew this would be the outcome, as He knows how everything will play out from beginning to end, He still loved us enough to let it play out and send His Son as a living sacrifice so we had a way to eternal life. The love of our Father is so great that He sent Jesus to die in our place and in doing so we are officially a new creation when we take Jesus to be our Lord. When we were born into this world we were naturally born into the fallen nature of sin. We are born under Adam the man of sin, when we believe and follow the Lord Jesus we are putting on the new man of righteousness as Jesus was perfect, without sin; "knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin." (Romans 6:6)
How amazing a gift Jesus gave us by shedding His innocent blood on this ground to design such a powerful covenant with us. A covenant with God is a serious spoken bond; "“Nevertheless I will remember My covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you." (Ezekiel 16:60)
When God makes a covenant He seals it in blood. The original law required constant sacrifices to make atonement for sin, when Jesus sacrificed His body He made atonement for every single human on this earth. There is now a new covenant made for us to either accept or decline. When we accept we are now to God what Jesus is, isnt that too much to even imagine? It is true though. When God sees believers, He sees Jesus, we are the sweet smelling aroma Christ formed for us; "For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing."(II Corinthians 2:15)
All of our past life living in sin is wiped away; "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”
(Hebrews 8:12)
God is so good in that while we were sinners, Christ died for all of us. We did nothing to deserve it, it is pure love. The Father does not wish that any should suffer; "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance."
(II Peter 3:9)
The only way to true repentance and life is our Lord Jesus Christ. The Father made that way for us to know Him and to be with Him. We would be foolish not to accept a gift of new life! When we approach this new year we should really give special thanks as we remember the new creation we truely are as we continue to follow Jesus. We are no longer slaves to sin, we are new in Christ! I don't know about you but a new life with a fresh slate from the old me is exactly what I needed to be healed and free! Glory be to God!
"Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends." (John 15:13)
The Father never needed us, He wanted us. Let us have a thankful demeanor making it into another year unharmed and loved by Him. We are His new creation, sealed by His new covenant in a new year with new opportunities heading our way! Let us use this to serve Him who served us while He walked this earth, because to have another chance is far greater then anything we could imagine!
Prayer:
Father God, thank you for allowing a way for me to know You. Thank you for the new covenant in which You sealed and sanctified me in Your Son's blood. Thank you for true redemption and freedom. I am grateful to have made it to this new year and I look forward to the plan You have ahead for me. Show me how I can start the year off by showing Your glory and shining Your light. Help me to stand firm in my faith and to reveal the evil in this world so we can invite more people to the great wedding. Jesus, there is no one greater then You; no one stronger and no one worthy. You are the only way and today I remember all things made new because of You! I give the praise and honor to Your beautiful Name, my Lord, my Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.