A Brand New Creation

2 Cor 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

As we are approaching Good Friday and Easter, the whole world remembers the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. While that is very important, most Christians fail to see the complete picture that WE TOO were crucified with Him, buried and raised to a new life with Him. Let me remind you once again that when Christ was nailed to the cross 2000 years ago, you and I were crucified with him too. (Gal 2:20; Rom 6:6; Col 3:3; 2 Cor 5:14). But you say, “How can I believe that?” I say, “How do you know that Christ died for your sins? Were you physically there when He died? Did you see it with your eyes?” You accept it as truth by faith and receive the forgiveness of sins. In the same way, by faith, see yourselves hanging on the same cross, inside Jesus. He took you and me into Him when He died. 2 Cor 5:14 says, “If one died for all, therefore all died”.

The good news doesn’t end there. Not only did you die, but you were buried and raised with Him with a New life. You receive this New life when you are born again from your dead spiritual state. This New life is nothing other than the very life of Jesus. To explain this in simple terms, there are 3 things that happen at new birth. 1) You appropriate the forgiveness of sins provided 2000 years – you are washed clean. 2) You are given a ‘brand New spirit’. A divine surgery takes place inside you. God takes out your dead spirit and transplants a brand new spirit or a brand new “you” inside of you. Read 2 Cor 5:17 – It says you are a brand ‘new creation ‘– which means one that never existed before. The old you is gone forever, never to come back again. 3) The spirit of Jesus or the Holy Spirit comes inside of you and becomes one with your new spirit. I Cor 6:17 says, “he that is joined to the Lord is one spirit”. Your spirit and His spirit join to become one spirit. That is why Paul could say that even though he (Paul) is living, yet it is no longer Paul living, but Christ living in Him. Same is the case with all of us.

Dear friends, this is absolute good news! Christ Jesus came inside you to live in you, and to live through you, and guess what, to live AS you! You don’t have to struggle anymore, let Him do His work in you and through you. Christian (Christ-in) life is not about YOU anymore, it is about Christ in you. Christian life is not about ‘you doing’ something for God; rather it is Christ working through you. So what is your role then? – Just be available for Him. Christ needs a body to work in this earth, and He uses your body and personality to do that work. Not only that, His life is dispensed and manifested through your life, to the extent you let Him do so. This is one of the original purposes for which man was created, to be the image or representation of God on this earth. Adam, by not eating from the tree of life, could never accomplish that purpose. Today you and I have the life of Jesus (the tree of Life) which Adam chose not to have. Hallelujah!! There is a world around you waiting to be ministered to, by the Jesus inside you. Will you stop working out of your own flesh and let Him work through you? REST IN HIM! It’s better to do ONE thing which Jesus does through you, than 100 things you do on your own FOR Him.