Brand New Man

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 NKJV

Drifter,  a good friend of mine and a faithful brother, once kept a picture in his wallet that was taken of him in years past while he was living on the streets.  I remember him calling this picture "The old man."  I found it odd at the time that this man would keep in his possesion a photo to remind him of such a time in his life.  It wasn't until I grew in my understanding of my own faith that I began to understand just why he would keep such a possesion.  See, the man in Drifters picture no longer existed.  Instead of the unsaved individual in that picture,  he had exchanged  his former life for a new life in Christ.  I can't think of a better example to illustrate the scripture in 2 Corinthians 5:17 than my friends old picture.  I'm not sure if this photo of the "old man" served as a reminder to him of where he had come from, but Drifter was always the first one to thank his "Daddy" for the change that had been brought in his life.
Scripture is full of refernces to our new life in Jesus when we accept him into our lives.  Like the change that God had brought into my friends life, we also are changed when we accept Jesus.  2 Corinthians 5 talks of the New Creation that we become in Christ, with the old self passing away.  I'm guessing that means that means our old self has died once and for all with Jesus when he was crucified.  That new creation,  the brand new man, is one that is in our Lord Jesus.  No longer are we tied to this world, but to Jesus our savior.   In John 3, Jesus tells a Pharisee named Nicodemus what one must do to enter Gods kingdom.

Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
John 5:3 NKJV

For those who have accepted Jesus, we are a new creation in our Lord.

~Scott~