New Creatures
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see the new has come!
2 Corinthians 5:17 (CSB)
At the moment of regeneration, believers become new creatures. The significance of this transformation lies in the fact that the old self passes away and no longer exists, while the new self is alive, enveloped in the righteousness of Christ and striving to become more like Him. When an individual experiences the new birth, they become a new creation.
Out of Nothing. In Genesis 1, we find that humanity was created out of nothing. The original creation did not occur from pre-existent materials or substances, but creation occurred ex nihilo, meaning out of nothing. When we consider the new creation, we must recognize that we become a new creation not through anything we do or earn. We become new solely in our relationship with Christ. The Creator who created out of nothing is the one who recreates us solely by what He can do and offer, not by anything we could ever accomplish.
The Old Is Gone. The old creation existed in selfishness. The old self allows pride to drive the desire for and pursuit of self-righteousness, self-justification, and self-salvation. The old self seeks to define the world through selfish desires and terms, attempting to create a metric to justify its life before the Lord and to itself, living in a false sense of security. In regeneration, the old self passes away. This means that the old self is put to death. The selfish nature is put to death, and the pursuit of righteousness, justice, and salvation no longer rests in our pursuits but in our faith in Christ.
The New Has Come. The new life of the believer that occurs at regeneration brings a new identity to the individual. No longer does this identity rest in the accolades of this world; instead, it rests in the Lord. In this new life, we are driven by the desire to live for the Lord. This does not mean we have achieved perfection, but it does mean that we strive to grow in living according to the ways of the Lord and to reflect more of His character. The new creation is an authentically alive creation. The old creation was dead because of sin, but the new creation is totally and eternally alive because of Christ.
QUESTIONS
How would you describe the differences between the old creation and the new creation?
How does the transformation to the new creation produce a greater sense of hope and a grander understanding of God’s goodness?
