The Good Of the Father (O' Man!) # 1963

 

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: 17, Concordant New Testament 

Are you a new man?  This was the question asked by a few friends this week.  Honestly, when I first heard of this my first thought was to the apostle Paul and his own description of the new creation in Christ Jesus {Paul to the Corinthians 2:17}.  But was this the original intent of the author C.C Lewis whom the question originated from?  A little history will tell us that Lewis identifies Christ Jesus as the "Origin and center" of all new men.  That God became man to produce a new kind of man {Johns Account 1:14}.  Now, this would definitely lead us into that iconic scripture of Paul.  That all who are in Christ are indeed new.  The old and primitive have passed away {Paul to the Romans 6:6}.  Of course, I have always been of the opinion that this new man was just that, a physical man.  But, that's the old school separation theology of the church in me.  That is what I was raised in growing up.  For anyone who has read this page for a time, you know that I no longer hold to these teachings of the church.  I now follow the truth of Christ which we find in the evangel of the apostle Paul.  That we are not separated from Christ, but that we live our life through Him.  We are not separated from God, but live in union with Him.  Jesus speaks to this truth in the book of John {Johns Account 14:20}.  So, when I heard of C.S. Lewis speaking of the new man, my first thought went to the separation theology of the mainstream church.  I might just have been in error on this assumption.  For I have learned that C.S. Lewis, despite making a career out of the apologetics of Christianity, also had some profound thoughts on our life with Christ.  It is obvious to me that when Lewis speaks of the "New man" that he is referring to the original in Christ Jesus.  That I can be on board with.  For Jesus is the original new creation.  

"I have called Christ the 'First instance' of the new man...He is not merely a new man, one specimen of the species, but the new man.  He is the origin and center and life of all the new men.  He came into the created universe, of His own will, bringing with Him the Zoe, the new life...and He transmits it...by what I have called 'Good infection.'" 

C.S. Lewis ~ Mere Christianity 

So, in regards to the question, do I represent the new man?  Do we represent the new man of Christ Jesus?  It is without a doubt that we are connected with the new Man.  Our life is in Him.  If Jesus is the original copy, as Lewis proclaims, then we indeed the imprint of that impression.  This is indeed the "Secret among the nations" which Paul spoke of, our hope of glory {Paul to the Colossians 1:27}.  This secret is the truth of Christ Jesus among us, THAT is our hope.  I believe that C.S. Lewis was correct in saying that God became man that He would produce a new kind of Man .  A Man which all would share in.  This is our life in Christ.  But, do I represent Him well?  Are my own words and actions a good representation of Christ Jesus in me?  Paul speaks to that which he is hating, this he is doing {Paul to the Romans 7:15}.  Paul definitely knew right from wrong, but he also realized the pull of the flesh in his life {Paul to the Romans 7:18}.  I definitely know that my own heart is in Christ.  Yet I also realize that there are those times, while being in Christ Jesus, that I might not act much like a new man.  Of course, this does not change the truth of my life in Him, the only thing which has changed is my memory of who I am in Him.  I am no longer that old man, he was crucified along with Christ {Paul to the Romans 6:6}.  Who I am is the exact imprint of that new Man in Whom I live.  

~Scott~