A New Creation
Apr/27/2023
2 Corinthians 5:17 is a powerful verse that speaks to the transformation that occurs in the life of a believer in Christ. The verse states, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." As Christians, it is important to understand the significance of this verse and how it applies to our daily lives.
The phrase "in Christ" is central to understanding this verse. In Christ, we are made new. This means that our old nature, which is inherently sinful and separated from God, has been replaced with a new nature that is created in righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:24). This new nature is a gift of God's grace and is given to us through faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9).
The old nature that has passed away refers to our former way of life, which was characterized by sin and disobedience. In Christ, we have been set free from the power of sin and death (Romans 6:6-7). We are no longer slaves to our old way of life but are free to live a new life in Christ (Romans 6:4).
The new nature that has come refers to the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. When we accept Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us (1 Corinthians 6:19). It is through the power of the Holy Spirit that we are able to live out our new nature and grow in righteousness (Galatians 5:16).
As new creations in Christ, we are called to live differently than we did before. We are called to put off our old selves and put on our new selves, which are created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:22-24). This means that we are called to live a life that is pleasing to God and reflects the character of Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:17 is a powerful reminder of the transformation that occurs in the life of a believer in Christ. Through faith in Jesus, we are made new creations, and our old way of life has passed away. As Christians, we are called to live out our new nature and reflect the character of Christ in all that we do.
