I got several “new” things for Christmas. Duck Commander pajama pants. A bag of flavored coffee. A Tupperware container. These nice gifts replaced things that were worn out or used up, but they weren’t really different than anything I’ve had before. These “new” items were merely unused, unworn, recently made.
But “new” can have a deeper meaning. Consider 2 Corinthians 5:17. Here it is in the New King James:
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
The Greek word translated as “new” in this verse doesn’t simply refer to something recently made. It also means a new kind, a change in substance, form, or quality. When we become “new” in Christ, we aren’t simply a new person. We are a different kind of person, with a different kind of nature.
It’s Not Just You that’s New!
I love what else pops out in the NKJV and the KJV. When we come to Christ, this “newness” doesn’t stop with us. It changes everything in our lives. “All things become new.”
Yes, because of my saving relationship with Jesus, I am new. I am spiritually reborn. I am a new creature with a new spiritual nature. Praise God! But because I am new in Christ that newness also transforms everything in my life.
Because I am a new creation, my relationships are “new.” Because I am new in Christ, my work is “new.” Because I am a new kind of person, my motivations, desires, and goals are different. I approach life with a “new” attitude. I interact with people in a “new” way. I meet life’s circumstances with a “new” outlook.
Therefore, nothing is the same. Everything is changed. Christ has made all things new.
Discard the Old, Embrace the New
Do you ever feel like you’re lost in a sea of sameness? That your life is common, boring, or dull? Do you ever wish you could do something different, be someone different?
If you have fallen into a tired slump of bland routine, remind yourself of this truth: God has made you into something radical. Believer, you are different, unusual, and unique.
Look at yourself and your life through Jesus’ “new” lenses. See the world with His eyes and embrace the “new” life in Him. Allow His newness to transform everything around you.
Have you forgotten that Jesus makes all things new? In what areas of your life do you need to be reminded of this truth?
This is such an important truth to remember when we’re feeling “less-than” or stuck: “God has made you into something radical.” Thanks for the inspiration today, Kathy.
Love this theme Caroline! All things are new!
Thank you, Kathy, for making this verse of Scripture come to life for me! The reminder that He has made ALL things new when we become a child of His is really special.
Dianna, when Jesus is in it, nothing is the same!