CONCLUSIONS CONCERNING CHRISTIANS (part 2)

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”  (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Introduction:  This is one of the most important verses in the Bible to show the changes that take place when a sinner becomes a Christian.  All Christians are in Christ – II Cor. 5:17a, All Christians are new Creatures – II Cor. 5:17b, All Christians have new Customs – II Cor. 5:17c.

The three principles which I mentioned above are what I have used to clarify Scriptural salvation.  Last week we looked at the first principle,  ALL CHRISTIANS ARE IN CHRIST – II Corinthians 5:17a, and at the meaning of the term “in Christ.”   This week we will talk about the second principle.

II.  ALL CHRISTIANS ARE NEW CREATURES – II Cor. 5:17b

“He is a new creature” (5;17b). 

All Christians are new creatures.  This statement is not based on any religious philosophy, but rather, God says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he  IS  a new creature” (5:17b).  At the moment the sinner  is saved,  he or she becomes a new creation of God.  The person is recreated in Christ.  The Christian is never more spiritual, never more pure, and never more holy than at the moment of his spiritual birth.  (cf. John 3:7)  Though he is spiritually pure at the point of pardon, the rest of his life he will mature in sanctification.  He will not be sinless, but he will desire not  to sin. 

Several years ago I was traveling with two well-known Christians who were good theologians.  I was sitting in the back seat of the car.  They were talking about the results of different evangelistic campaigns and the fact that so few “converts” became faithful members of a local church.  They said that these “converts” were new creatures in Christ.  Then about an hour later, they started talking about winning children to Christ.  One of the Christians was an autority on the evangelism of children, and he indicated that you couldn’t expect a young person to become a new creature.  That was shocking to me, so I asked, “Only adults become new creatures when they are saved?”  There was silence in the front seat as the car continued down the highway.  Finally, one said, “You know, that is a good question because every saved person is a new creature, whether young or old.”  A child will still be a child.  He will not immediately become a mature Christian any more than an adult will, but his life will show a new desire to do right and to please God.

The following Scriptures speak of the fact that Christians are new creatures (or new creations).

(Gal 6:15)  “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.”

(Eph 2:10)  “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus [made new creatures] unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” [!!!]

(Eph 4:24)  “And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”

(Col 3:10)  “And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him.” (cf.Rom.12:1-2)

(Eph 2:15)  “Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace.” (This probably refers to the universal church.  It is an example of what will be fulfilled during the millenium, but the church gets to experience some of the blessings NOW in a small way.)

On the day of Pentecost  in  Acts 2:14-20, Peter tells what the new covenant in the millennium will be, but the church gets a foretaste: “¹⁴But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: ¹⁵  For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. ¹⁶  But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; ¹⁷  And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: ¹⁸  And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: ¹⁹  And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: ²⁰  The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come”  (Note that he quotes Joel 2:28-32.)

(Ezek 11:19) “And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh.”

(Ezek 18:31) “Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?”

(Ezek 36:26) “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.”

The Lord commissioned the Apostle John to write the Gospel of John for the specific purpose of clarifying what it means to be saved.  John said in John 20:31: “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have [eternal] life through his name.”  The first example of personal evangelism that John uses is Jesus teaching the famous Pharisee Nicodemus.

In John 3:3–5,  ³Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. ⁴Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? ⁵Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

When a person is born of the water and of the Spirit, he becomes a new creature.  He is born again into the family of God: The Apostle Peter writes: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His [the Father’s] abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead”  (1 Pet1:3).  

James, the half brother of the Lord Jesus, shows that we are born again and become new creatures when he says: “Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures”  (James 1:18) . 

Many believe that when John speaks of being born of water in John 3:3-5 (quoted above), he is referring to the cleansing effect of the Word as it is used by the Holy Spirit to create the new birth.  Here are some reasons: 

(1 Pet 1:23) “ Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.”

(Jn 15:3) “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.”

(Eph 5:26)  “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.”

(Jn 17:17)  “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”

(1 Cor 6:11)  “And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” (cf. Titus 2:14; Ps 19:9; 119:9-11) 

When a person becomes a Christian, as we have discussed, he becomes a new creation; he is recreated.  The whole person--his intellect, emotions and will-- are transformed.  At this point, the Christian is a new person, BUT he is still living in the old body that is slowly decaying and dying.  So there will be a battle over the body until the body dies or is transformed at the rapture or the return of Christ. 

The teaching in Luke 9:23 helps me understand the process of becoming a new creature:  “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me”

1) To follow Christ there must be self dethronement– Lk 9:23a

“If any man will come after me” (9:23a).

2) To follow Christ there must be self denial– Lk 9:23b

“Let him deny himself” (9:23b).

3) To follow Christ there must be self discipline– Lk 9:23c

“And take up his cross daily, and follow me” (9:23c).

The battle for the body can only be won as the Christian follows the will of God  according to the Word of God.  Here are some Scriptures that may apply:

(2 Tim 1:7) “ For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind [self-control – RSV].”

(1 Cor 10:13)  “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

(2 Cor 10:5) “ Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”

(Pro 16:3)  “Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established. “

This is the second part of a message from 2 Corinthians 5:17, giving principles I have used In my years of ministry.  I plan to publish the third part next Tuesday.  I would appreciate any constructive criticism or comments.