New Life

For those of us who believe, let us see how wonderful this blessing is. And I think it would be wonderful if we could experience even more of the new life that has been given to us. Also, for those who do not yet believe in Christ as their Savior, I hope this will give you a chance to think deeply about what is promised to those who believe in Christ as their Savior and Lord. 

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come

1. Something newly created

Those who believe in the Lord Jesus are new creations.

       This is a Bible passage that is often quoted in worship. It says, "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation." To be in Christ is to believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior from our sins. It does not say "some" of those who do so. It does not say that those who believe and grow in faith and become mature are new creations. "Anyone." I am writing about what happens to all believers the moment they believe. Therefore, if anyone humbly acknowledges his sins and believes that the Lord Jesus died on the cross in his place for the forgiveness of his sins, then when he believes, he becomes a new creation. Believing in the Lord Jesus is not simply becoming a member of a church. Nor is he accepting a new religion. The essence of this is being reborn. It's not just a matter of slightly changing our outward behavior or attitude. It means that our inner person has been transformed.

The Lord Jesus expressed this as "born again" (John 3:3).

Also, this is different from trying to reinvent yourself. As you can see from the expression ``new creation'' (new creation), he is not talking about changing or being reborn through one's own efforts, but rather that God will create a new creation.

This God is the one who created heaven, earth, and everything in the world out of nothing. When God said, ``Let there be light,'' light was created. In the same way, God the Creator has made us "new beings."

That means we have been given a new spirit and a new heart.

Ezekiel 36:26

 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.As you can see from these words, God will give us a new heart and spirit. We don’t create it ourselves.

Therefore, everyone who believed became a new being, endowed with this new heart and spirit. It is important to always remember this spiritual fact and reality.

In your own eyes, you may stand out as the same, unchanged you as before. However, it is important to always believe that in God's eyes, we are already born again and have become completely new beings. A new desire will be given to your heart. It gives you a perspective you didn't have before.

This brings me to my next point.

2. New Life

A new creation has been given new life.

Last time, we learned that those who believed in the Lord Jesus had all their sins forgiven. We have learned that He has "blotted out" the spiritual debt of sin and no longer brings up past sins to condemn us. It is truly wonderful and we are grateful that Jesus paid the price for our sins that we could never pay on the cross, and that all of our sins were forgiven. However, it would be very sad if even if we were forgiven, nothing changed for us and we continued to live the same way we were before we believed. It's miserable.

But that's not the case. All new creations not only have their sins forgiven, but are given new life, so they can live a new life. Because we have been given a new heart and spirit, new desires will be given to our hearts. We begin to desire what is right and good in God's eyes. Also, he was given a heart that seeks not his own glory, but the glory of the God who saved him and created him.

Ezekiel 36:27

 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

This is the next verse where He said He would give you a new spirit and heart.

God's Spirit, the Holy Spirit, dwells within us and gives us power, wisdom, and guidance so that we can live in the Lord's righteous ways and do what is good in the Lord's sight. This means that He will help you in this way. That is why the Lord Jesus also referred to the Holy Spirit as another Helper.

The Greek word for "another" means another person of the same nature. In other words, the Holy Spirit, who has the same nature as the Lord Jesus, resides within us, is with us, and helps us live in a way that pleases God. is. He will transform us into people who love, forgive, and have mercy, just like the Lord Jesus. What a blessing! He will help you do things that you were unable to do before. People who were previously difficult to love will now be able to love them. He helps us to forgive those we have been unable to forgive. He will help you overcome bad habits that you were unable to overcome before. This week, I heard someone's experience and testimony. Before he believed in the Lord Jesus, he was an alcoholic and could not control his anger. Apparently, he gulped down vodka like water to disguise his own weakness. But he believed in the Lord Jesus and was changed. He is living a new life.

Titus 2:14

(our great God and Savior Jesus Christ), 14  who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

Sometimes we can't stop even if we think it's bad. There are also many good and right things that we know we should do but don't do. The Bible tells us that this is because we are born with a sinful nature. We are slaves to sin. Therefore, there are many sad incidents in this world. Many marriages and families have also been destroyed. 　　

And, ultimately, all sinners must stand before God, the judge. God knows everything in our hearts, and He also knows all the sinful things that no one else knows or sees. Therefore, there is no room for excuses in front of God, including myself. I'm a sinner too. They are the ones who should be subject to God's judgment.

However, because of His great love for us, the Lord Jesus died on the cross to rescue us. 

He rescued us from our weaknesses and sins and made us His own people, His children, zealous for good works.

And this new life, this new way of life, is given and promised to all who believe.

3. The Battle

Finally, even though we have been given this new life, we sometimes struggle with the gap between ourselves and reality. I also suffer a lot. I tell you that there will be a battle.

While we live in this world, we have bodies with this sinful nature. When the Lord Jesus returns, we will also be given new bodies. But until that time, the Bible teaches that there will be a fierce battle between the new self that was given to us by believing in the Lord Jesus and the old self that we had before we believed. We do not promise that if you believe, you will instantly love like the Lord Jesus, forgive, and stop bad habits. Of course, I have also heard of people miraculously being able to quit their tobacco addictions and alcoholism. Of course, that is also possible. But the battle continues between our old self and our new self.

Galatians 5:16-17

 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17  For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

The ``what the flesh desires'' in verse 17 is what our old nature desires. It is said that it goes against the Spirit. That is, it goes against what our new spirits and hearts desire. There is a battle. However, as it says in verse 16, if we walk by the Spirit, we will never fulfill the desires of the flesh. In other words, when we rely on the power of another helper, the Holy Spirit, we will be helped to do what we desire, and we will gradually grow. This Holy Spirit has the same nature as the Lord Jesus. He is the Almighty One who created everything out of nothing. He is the one who resurrected the Lord Jesus from the dead. His power is with those of us who believe, helping us to live according to His will.

And when there is conflict and battle within us, every time we choose what our new self desires, it is as if we are feeding the new self. Then, the characteristics of a new life will become apparent in the way we live. That quality will become stronger.

The battle continues, but it is so that we can continue to seek God, know Him, and experience Him. The battle continues, but the decisive difference between before and after believing is that after believing, God has given us a new spirit and heart. The chains that bound us have been released. So don't listen to the devil's voice that makes you feel like you're still in chains. Instead, listen to the truth that anyone in Christ is a new creation.

Now I have been given a new life to do what pleases God. Believe that the Holy Spirit lives within me to help me do this.

God works through our faith. Whoever we believe is a new creation. Therefore, anyone can live a new life.