I'm A New Creation

By Arthur J Licursi

“Therefore If Any Man Be In Christ, He Is A NEW CREATURE (CREATION): Old Things Are Passed Away; Behold, All Things Are Become New.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

In the case of my own salvation, in November of 1968 I visited a church in New Jersey . My intention was to protect my wife and keep her from becoming involved with what my family used to refer to as "religious holy rollers.”

To my surprise, having never seen a Bible, it was there that day that I first heard the words of the above verse. Unknown to me at that time, I in my heat was seeking a new beginning already, at the age 23. The words of the gospel that I heard that day brought me to sorrow in my heart, as I shed some tears. Yet, simultaneously the words I heard rang powerfully in my heart with the hope of a "new life." You see, somehow, though I already had a wife who loved me, two children, a new company car, and a house, I knew something was missing and that in myself I was not a good person. I inwardly knew I was a failure at righteousness, and as a sinner I needed cleansing.

Clearly, God had prepared my heart for that day when I would receive His love and forgiveness.

Unknowingly I also received His indwelling “Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” to be the new and hopeful life within me.

My burden since that day has been to share the truth of His love and grace with others - that they too may have and enjoy new life in union with Christ's life, regardless of how old they may be. Thankfully today, having had nearly 45 years of learning at His feet, I by His grace have understanding that permits me to explain what occurred in me on that eternally fateful day.

The truth is, as the Bible tells us, we as human are all born related to the "first man, Adam," and bear the imprint of his failure in the form of the sinful nature that indwells every person born of his lineage.

“Wherefore, as by one man (Adam) sin (a “noun,” Sin as a NATURE) entered into the world, and death (came) by sin… so death passed upon all men…” (Romans 5:12)

“Wherein in time past ye (the believers) walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: ³Among whom also we all had our conversation (manner of living) in times past in the lusts (desires) of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by NATURE the children of wrath, even as others.” (Ephesians 2:2-3)

These verses above clearly indicate that every child born into the world since Adam is a partaker of Adam’s sinful nature that dictates our corrupted desires – which are almost totally of self-interest. We may cover this ugliness with external niceness and religiosity, but this self-interested nature is always there as one who is a self-lover. Of course this is the very opposite of God, whose nature is other-interested as a lover of others.

Parents sometimes wonder why their wonderful children disappoint them and surprisingly act out as they may do in their childhood, youth, or adulthood. The answer is simple. Every born child is related to rebellious Adam by physical birth that bears the "sin seed." All of us tend to rebel against the external constraints of culture, law, and religion, just as Adam disobeyed his Creator's one instruction.

Yet, in view of man’s pathetic, sinful, and helpless condition, Scripture tells us of God’s good news, in that He “commendeth His love toward us, in that, While We Were Yet Sinners, Christ Died For Us” (Romans 5:8).

When we receiving this good news by faith, it wins our heart and allegiance. After all, when you’re in trouble and someone comes to your aid, aren’t you automatically drawn to that person? Shouldn’t we be attracted to the One who cared so much for us so much that “He (Jesus) made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, He (Jesus) humbled Himself, and became Obedient Unto Death, even the death of the cross” (Phil. 2:7-8)? Jesus bore our shame and paid the price of sin to redeem us from Sin's dominion. Jesus died our death for us, in our stead, setting us free from our past and from the power of Sin (Romans 6:6-7).

Through natural birth we partook of the sinful nature of our parents, which can be traced back to Adam, just as we may also have the same physical features as our parents. How wonderful to know that the Lord Jesus Christ took on Himself “the likeness of men” and, as the God-man, He Died For Our Sins Upon The Cross, where sinful men (people like us) nailed Him!

As we recognize this and “receive Him,” by placing our faith in Him, a spiritual birth takes place and we become literal “the children of God” (John 1:12), born of His "Spirit of life" (Rom 8:2). We thereby become members of the invisible "church, which is His Body,” as God’s new creation.

“if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17). “created in Christ Jesus…” (Eph. 2:10a).

Every regenerated, reborn, child of God has had an exchange of life - the old is gone and the new has come. “Therefore If Any Man Be In Christ, He Is A NEW CREATURE (CREATION): Old Things Are Passed Away; Behold, All Things Are Become New.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Now, though I may still occasionally sin, I know that's is not who I am. I know I am accepted and loved just as I am, in Christ. Now, in my new creation I now enjoy my daily life with all its ups and downs, knowing He is living life through me, taking me wherever He wants to go.

"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I LIVE; YET NOT I, BUT CHRIST LIVETH IN ME: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20)