Post by foxjj on Sept 19, 2022 17:05:24 GMT
A New Creation
2 Corinthians 5:17-21: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (ESV.)
These words of Paul are so incredible that at first reading one may not catch their full meaning. When I first read them as a new believer, my response was "Wow!" This was a portion of Scripture that I would return too time and again. As I grew in my knowledge of God's Word, passages such as these become more understandable. Paul was not only teaching me who I was in Christ Jesus, but equally important, what my Heavenly Father had done on my behalf.
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation." (Verse 17) To understand, and believe that this verse is referring to who you are as a born again believer in Jesus, is an awesome thing. It is a very humbling experience when this spiritual truth sinks in; that is: to realize that God loves me - a sinner - to the extent that He would sacrifice His Holy, and Sinless Son in order that I would be reconciled onto Him as verse 21 states: "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." To then realize that this truth was not only for me, but for each one of us down through the ages who are in Christ Jesus, is astonishing. What an amazing God; all Praise to His Holy Name.
So how did I arrive at this experience of the new life in Christ? It was after many years of trying to please God by following the religion that I had been brought up in. The Lord sent new friends into my life who shared their faith - and their experiences - in Jesus. After their encouragement to check it out in the Bible for myself, the Holy Spirit brought me to the place where I knew that I was a sinner in need of a Savior. Accepting that Jesus had offered up His life for the remission of sins, I confessed my need of His salvation, and become born again, and a new creation in Christ Jesus.
Today, let us thank our Heavenly Father for His incredible gifts.
John Joseph Fox.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (ESV.)
These words of Paul are so incredible that at first reading one may not catch their full meaning. When I first read them as a new believer, my response was "Wow!" This was a portion of Scripture that I would return too time and again. As I grew in my knowledge of God's Word, passages such as these become more understandable. Paul was not only teaching me who I was in Christ Jesus, but equally important, what my Heavenly Father had done on my behalf.
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation." (Verse 17) To understand, and believe that this verse is referring to who you are as a born again believer in Jesus, is an awesome thing. It is a very humbling experience when this spiritual truth sinks in; that is: to realize that God loves me - a sinner - to the extent that He would sacrifice His Holy, and Sinless Son in order that I would be reconciled onto Him as verse 21 states: "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." To then realize that this truth was not only for me, but for each one of us down through the ages who are in Christ Jesus, is astonishing. What an amazing God; all Praise to His Holy Name.
So how did I arrive at this experience of the new life in Christ? It was after many years of trying to please God by following the religion that I had been brought up in. The Lord sent new friends into my life who shared their faith - and their experiences - in Jesus. After their encouragement to check it out in the Bible for myself, the Holy Spirit brought me to the place where I knew that I was a sinner in need of a Savior. Accepting that Jesus had offered up His life for the remission of sins, I confessed my need of His salvation, and become born again, and a new creation in Christ Jesus.
Today, let us thank our Heavenly Father for His incredible gifts.
John Joseph Fox.