Welcome back to our 40 day journey through the season of Lent.
Day 14
Our Bible passage today is 2 Corinthians 5: 17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come.
Have you ever messed up really badly, and wished that you could have a complete do-over? Maybe you have things in your past that are so awful, you wish you could wake up tomorrow with a whole new life?
How amazing would it be if that were actually possible?
Our Bible verse today tells us that it is!
When Jesus died and rose again, He promised to send His Spirit to dwell within those who accepted and confessed Him as their Lord and Savior. And 2 Corinthians 5: 17 tells us that when the Holy Spirit comes to live inside Believers, they are made into “new creations”. That means that we are made clean spiritually from our sin and shame!
Jesus describes this process in John 3: 3 - 8:
Jesus replied, “I assure you: Unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
4 “But how can anyone be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked Him. “Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born?”
5 Jesus answered, “I assure you: Unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be amazed that I told you that you must be born again. 8 The wind blows where it pleases, and you hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
With our faith in Christ comes a new birth. Through Christ, God doesn’t only clean us up – He creates our lives brand new. Our old sins are gone forever, forgotten by the God who alone can destroy evil.
This new birth means that we also need to live new lives. In this new life, the things of the world that used to fill our lives – pride, sin, lusts, gossip, habits, and passions – are all gone, and instead they are replaced with the new person in Christ Jesus. As new creatures, we live our lives for God rather than ourselves. The old things have died, and are now nailed to the cross along with our sin nature.
In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul wanted to remind these young Believers (and us) of their status as a new creation. While the world around them seemed dark, and though the enemy might remind us of our former sins, they could take hope and courage knowing that before God they stood clean and pure.
As a new creation, how will you live your life differently? This Lent, let us purpose to leave old habits and addictions behind. Let's pray that the Lord will do His resurrection work in us, to transform our hearts and lives into lives that gives Him glory and praise.
"When you understand your status as a new creation, tomorrow is full of promise and hope!" (Natalie Regoli)