LITTLE HEAVEN

IN CHRIST YOU ARE A NEW CREATION

Philip Pereira

Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away and the new has come. (2 Cor 5:17)

 From the day Jesus Christ was raised up, everyone who has put his faith in Christ should no longer be regarded from human point of view. Once, before resurrection we considered Jesus in human point of view. But now, He is seated in heavenly places on the right hand of Father, the almighty God. We who have believed in Jesus Christ are also seated in Christ in the heavenly places (Eph 1:20-23, 2:6).

 Just as our Lord had two stages of life, we too have two stages of life. Where as the Lord came to earth to redeem us from the penalty of sin (death), we considered him as human. But once the penalty was paid on the cross, Jesus once for all entered into the most holy place by giving His own blood. Now He is Lord of Lords and King of Kings. He became the first among those to be resurrected.

Even so, we who were once regarded as sinners, born in sin, lived as slaves to sin were totally sold to the devil. Though we lived in the body (flesh) we were dead through trespass (sin). This was our former self. We were not people, separated from the common wealth of Israel. But once we accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, once we accepted the death of our Lord on the cross as our substitution, once we believe that God out of His love for us did this, putting to shame the wisdom of men, we become born again. We become alive in Spirit. This is our new life, new creation.  Please note Jesus as human being was perfect and without sin. This is why He could become the blameless lamb who takes away the sins.

 This new life in Christ makes us a new creation. The old passes away and the new comes up. It is no longer we who live, but Christ lives in us. (Gal 2:20) Yes, we still live in our flesh but that life is lived by faith in the Son of God. What this means is, even though we continue to live in the same body, something inside of us has changed. Everything of our past should actually be put to death. Unless a grain of seed falls to ground and dies, it cannot grow up to be a plant and give new fruit. Same manner unless, we die to self we cannot be really be new creation.  How many of us can boldly say that we have truly become new creation?

We need to take a simple test. As soon as we are born anew, Father puts a seal of acceptance on us (Eph 1:13,14). This is like a title deed document. A transaction has taken place at the cross. We, who were once in slavery to sin, were purchased by paying the highest price, the very blood of Jesus Christ. As a guarantee of our purchased possession the Holy Spirit is given to us. (This is not the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Receiving Holy Spirit as a guarantee is different from receiving the Holy Spirit baptism as such. This is just like there is a distinction between accepting Jesus Christ as our savior and then taking baptism in the church.) When the Holy Spirit is received as our guarantor, we are enabled to get into the new life with the help of Holy Spirit. Then as external proof of our new life, we need to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit as out lined in Gal 5:22,23. (Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, good ness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control). The test is if we can with confidence say that we have all the 9 manifestations of the fruit of Spirit, (please note not fruits but fruit) and then we are truly a New Creation. (When you are baptized with the Holy Spirit, you receive gifts of the Spirit. When you receive Holy Spirit as guarantee, you are brought onto new life where fruit of the spirit is developed.)

This is a life long process. We need to die daily to self. The death is even required on areas of positive traits. There are natural talents in people. Even these have to die and be born again. Anything that belonged to our former self was under slavery to devil. Everything in us should become new. That is the essence of New Life in Jesus Christ. Without Jesus, we can do nothing. By His spirit dwelling in us, He begins a good work in us to be brought into completion at the day of Lord. (Phil 1:6). So there is daily dieing to self and being born into Christ.

Flesh availed nothing. It is the Spirit, who gives life. The words of Jesus are Spirit and life. We may think by doing many activities, which appear to be very good, saintly, charitable, we please God. No, according to God all these so-called good works are filthy rags. Why? Anything that we do out of the Spirit only is pleasing in His sight. Any efforts that we put in our flesh are not acceptable to God as there is no life in flesh.

Let us truly live this New Life in Christ by putting to death all acts of the flesh, even though these acts may look very good to human eyes.

If any one is in Christ Jesus, he is truly a new creation.

God bless you all.

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