A New Creation
Today's scripture includes perhaps some of the most powerful words of hope one could speak into a society that faces as many issues as the one we live in today. Our world does not need another religion that teaches rules and regulations without offering power to change. The beautiful thing about the gospel of Jesus Christ is the hope that he offers to the hopeless the newness of life that Christ offers to those whose life seems dead or drab and the power to create a new future for oneself regardless of the past that we leave behind us. Let's look at today's Scripture and consider the hope that is offered in these few verses.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. 21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
In John chapter 3 Jesus tells us that we must be born again, born of the spirit that is and not just of the flesh. The topic of sin and the destruction that it leaves behind is not always spoken of from the pulpit today. Perhaps that's okay because most of us already know what the nature of our heart is and that we need hope which offers the power to change. This Scripture tells us of the beauty of the gospel of Jesus Christ in that God left his heavenly kingdom came to earth took on the form of a man understood and felt the temptations of sin and then conquered sin for us on the cross. Jesus Christ paid the price for our sins that we could never pay on our own.
But does this mean that we continue living in our sin? Scripture says in Romans “God forbid.” Another powerful attribute shown through Jesus Christ's existence on earth, was the resurrection. Unlike any other image, idol or God worshiped throughout every other religion in the world, Jesus Christ resurrected from the dead! And in the power of that resurrection he offers us the hope of a new life. Not just a hope that we can dream of. But a hope that we can count on! Scripture says to put on the new man, which is found in Christ Jesus that all old things are passed away behold, all things become new!
Romans 8:11 tells us that if the same spirit which raised Christ from the dead dwells in us then he shall give life to our mortal bodies! What a powerful promise to know that God's Spirit lives in those of us who invite him in to our hearts and lives giving us power to conquer all works of sin and death. So have no more worries about God being unfair and requiring us to change if were going to enter his kingdom, and know that God wants to give us power to re-create our very existence through his resurrection! We cannot do this on our own strength. We must be born of the Spirit of God. So now instead of looking at what does God require us to change before we can know Him. Let's start looking at the God who has given us power to change once we do come to know Him!
For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever would believe in him would not perish but have everlasting life! The works that cause us to perish can easily be conquered once we have faith in what Christ did on the cross. The works that God wants to work in us can be accomplished, once we have faith in the power of the Holy Spirit, who now lives in us. So now the choice is yours to either live as the old man or woman. (Continuing in the way of hopelessness) Or, receive God's salvation and live, (in hope and power) as a newly created human being a child of the creator of all things.
Today's scripture includes perhaps some of the most powerful words of hope one could speak into a society that faces as many issues as the one we live in today. Our world does not need another religion that teaches rules and regulations without offering power to change. The beautiful thing about the gospel of Jesus Christ is the hope that he offers to the hopeless the newness of life that Christ offers to those whose life seems dead or drab and the power to create a new future for oneself regardless of the past that we leave behind us. Let's look at today's Scripture and consider the hope that is offered in these few verses.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. 21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
In John chapter 3 Jesus tells us that we must be born again, born of the spirit that is and not just of the flesh. The topic of sin and the destruction that it leaves behind is not always spoken of from the pulpit today. Perhaps that's okay because most of us already know what the nature of our heart is and that we need hope which offers the power to change. This Scripture tells us of the beauty of the gospel of Jesus Christ in that God left his heavenly kingdom came to earth took on the form of a man understood and felt the temptations of sin and then conquered sin for us on the cross. Jesus Christ paid the price for our sins that we could never pay on our own.
But does this mean that we continue living in our sin? Scripture says in Romans “God forbid.” Another powerful attribute shown through Jesus Christ's existence on earth, was the resurrection. Unlike any other image, idol or God worshiped throughout every other religion in the world, Jesus Christ resurrected from the dead! And in the power of that resurrection he offers us the hope of a new life. Not just a hope that we can dream of. But a hope that we can count on! Scripture says to put on the new man, which is found in Christ Jesus that all old things are passed away behold, all things become new!
Romans 8:11 tells us that if the same spirit which raised Christ from the dead dwells in us then he shall give life to our mortal bodies! What a powerful promise to know that God's Spirit lives in those of us who invite him in to our hearts and lives giving us power to conquer all works of sin and death. So have no more worries about God being unfair and requiring us to change if were going to enter his kingdom, and know that God wants to give us power to re-create our very existence through his resurrection! We cannot do this on our own strength. We must be born of the Spirit of God. So now instead of looking at what does God require us to change before we can know Him. Let's start looking at the God who has given us power to change once we do come to know Him!
For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever would believe in him would not perish but have everlasting life! The works that cause us to perish can easily be conquered once we have faith in what Christ did on the cross. The works that God wants to work in us can be accomplished, once we have faith in the power of the Holy Spirit, who now lives in us. So now the choice is yours to either live as the old man or woman. (Continuing in the way of hopelessness) Or, receive God's salvation and live, (in hope and power) as a newly created human being a child of the creator of all things.
RSS Feed