The Good Of the Father (All Things New)

 

So that, if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: the primitive passed by.  Lo!  There has come new!  

Paul to the Corinthians (2) 5: 17, Concordant New Testament  

Some time ago, I made a point that once the new year came that I wouldn't dwell on those things of the past year.  What's done is done, so they say.  Indeed, far too many people stayed awake last night to celebrate the passing of the new year.  Even though I was invited to some alchohol infused bash, I decided to pass and spend the evening at home in solace.  After all, to engage in the liquor fueled festivities would be to revert to what once was, not to acknowledge the man I am now.  As the apostle Paul has proclaimed, all has become new {Paul to the Corinthians (2) 5:17}.  But Paul wasn't referring to new year's eve celebrations, but something far more important.  To put this in perspective, how many times have you sat through a Sunday sermon where being "Saved by grace" is celebrated?  As Christians, we all too often take great pride in the false narrative that we are indeed saved by the grace of the Lord.  I have no argument with that, but when we attach the word "Sinners" in front of that phrase I instantly start to cringe.  For the record, I have had many discussions with believers who proudly describe themselves as "Sinners saved by grace."  These believers are quick to point out that it was indeed Christ Jesus who saved them from their former condition, yet they continue in their belief that sin is a major part of their lives.  Usually my response to such silliness is to simply ask them, "Did Jesus die for your sins or did He not?"  The usual response is, yes...but.  But?  But what?  Either Jesus died on that cross for the forgiveness of all sin or he didn't.  It's that simple.  If the forgiveness of sin requires a sacrifice, how many times are you willing to put Jesus to death in order to satisfy your false belief that sin still exists in your life?  Paul proclaims in Romans that Christ Jesus "Died to sin once for all time" {Paul to the Romans 6:10}.  Paul also has proclaimed that Christ took the sin of mankind upon Himself on that cross {Paul to the Corinthians (2) 5:21}.  So tell me again, what sin did Jesus forget to cover?  

Knowing this, that our old humanity was crucified together with Him that the body of sin may be nullified, for us by no means to be still slaving for sin.  For one who dies has justified from sin.  Now if we died together with Christ, we believe that we shall be living together with Him also, having perceived that Christ, having been roused from among the dead, is no longer dying.  Death is lording it over Him non longer.  For in that He died, He died to sin once for all time, yet in that He is living, He is living to God.  Thus you also, be reckoning yourselves to be dead, indeed, to sin, yet living to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Paul to the Romans 6: 6-11, Concordant New Testament 

I find it interesting that far too many believers know more about who they once were than who they are in Christ today.  Indeed, our former nature which Jesus died on the cross to remove from us is even today still acknowledged as real.  Not only that, many believers combine this false belief with the truth of Jesus dying for the forgiveness of sin.  This isn't even the best of both worlds, but the error in our  thinking that Jesus died for nothing.  We continue to live in the past.  Thankfully, our heavenly Father has removed our former sin condition that He would once again restore His relationship He once shared with His children.  Through Christ Jesus, all things have become new.  We no longer need to focus on the past.  We can now look towards our future in the Father {Johns Account 14:20}.  That's right, not only has Jesus given Himself for the forgiveness of sin, but that we would live in union with He and the Father.  Even so, many believers continue to cling to the lie spoken by the deceiver in the garden {Genesis 3:1-6}.  Their own imaginations ignoring the truth of who they are in the Father.  They BELIEVE that they are but sinners saved by grace.  But the truth proclaims something different.  Through Christ, all has become new.  As a good friend once told me, when Satan reminds you of your past, remind him of his future!  We are new creations in Christ.  

~Scott~