Post by lovelace on Mar 9, 2007 19:00:14 GMT -5
"Who am I in Christ?"
Answer: According to 2 Corinthians 5:17, “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” There are two Greek words which are translated new in the Bible. The first, neos, refers to something that has just been made, but there are already many others in existence just like it. The word translated new in this verse is the word kainos, which means something just made which is unlike anything else in existence. In Christ, we are made an entirely new creation, just as God created the heavens and the earth originally – He made them out of nothing, and so He does to us. He does not merely clean up our old selves; He makes an entirely new self and this new self is actually part of Christ Himself. When we are in Christ, we are “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:14). God Himself, in the person of His Holy Spirit, takes up residence in our hearts. We are in Christ and He is in us.
When we are in Christ and He in us, we are regenerated, renewed, and born again, and this new creation is spiritually minded, whereas the old nature is carnally minded. The new nature is in fellowship with God, obedient to His will and devoted to His service. These are things the old nature is incapable of doing or even desiring to do. The old nature is dead to the things of the spirit and cannot revive itself. It is “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1), and can only be made alive by a supernatural quickening which happens when we come to Christ and are indwelt by Him. He gives us a completely new and holy nature and an incorruptible life. Our old life, previously dead to God because of sin, is buried, and we are raised “to walk in newness of life” with Him (Romans 6:4).
In Christ, we are united to Him and no longer slaves to sin (Romans 6:5-6); made alive with Christ (Ephesians 2:5); conformed to His image (Romans 8:29); free from condemnation and walking not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit (Romans 8:1), and part of the body of Christ with other believers (Romans 12:5). The believer now possesses a new heart (Ezekiel 11:19), and has been blessed “with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 1:3).
We might wonder why we so often don’t live in the manner described, even though we have given our lives to Christ and are sure of our salvation. This is because our new natures are residing in our old fleshly bodies and these two are at war with one another. The old nature is dead, but the new nature still has to battle the old “tent” in which it dwells. Evil and sin are still present, but the believer now sees them in a new perspective and they no longer control him. In Christ, we can now choose to resist sin, whereas the old nature could not. Now we have the choice whether to feed the new nature through the Word, prayer and obedience, or to feed the flesh by neglecting those things and engaging in sin.
When we are in Christ, “we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us” (Romans 8:37) and can rejoice in our Savior, who makes all things possible! In Christ we are loved, forgiven, and promised salvation. In Christ we are adopted, justified, redeemed, reconciled, and chosen. In Christ we are victorious, filled with joy and peace, granted true meaning in life. What a wonderful Savior is Christ!
Answer: According to 2 Corinthians 5:17, “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” There are two Greek words which are translated new in the Bible. The first, neos, refers to something that has just been made, but there are already many others in existence just like it. The word translated new in this verse is the word kainos, which means something just made which is unlike anything else in existence. In Christ, we are made an entirely new creation, just as God created the heavens and the earth originally – He made them out of nothing, and so He does to us. He does not merely clean up our old selves; He makes an entirely new self and this new self is actually part of Christ Himself. When we are in Christ, we are “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:14). God Himself, in the person of His Holy Spirit, takes up residence in our hearts. We are in Christ and He is in us.
When we are in Christ and He in us, we are regenerated, renewed, and born again, and this new creation is spiritually minded, whereas the old nature is carnally minded. The new nature is in fellowship with God, obedient to His will and devoted to His service. These are things the old nature is incapable of doing or even desiring to do. The old nature is dead to the things of the spirit and cannot revive itself. It is “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1), and can only be made alive by a supernatural quickening which happens when we come to Christ and are indwelt by Him. He gives us a completely new and holy nature and an incorruptible life. Our old life, previously dead to God because of sin, is buried, and we are raised “to walk in newness of life” with Him (Romans 6:4).
In Christ, we are united to Him and no longer slaves to sin (Romans 6:5-6); made alive with Christ (Ephesians 2:5); conformed to His image (Romans 8:29); free from condemnation and walking not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit (Romans 8:1), and part of the body of Christ with other believers (Romans 12:5). The believer now possesses a new heart (Ezekiel 11:19), and has been blessed “with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 1:3).
We might wonder why we so often don’t live in the manner described, even though we have given our lives to Christ and are sure of our salvation. This is because our new natures are residing in our old fleshly bodies and these two are at war with one another. The old nature is dead, but the new nature still has to battle the old “tent” in which it dwells. Evil and sin are still present, but the believer now sees them in a new perspective and they no longer control him. In Christ, we can now choose to resist sin, whereas the old nature could not. Now we have the choice whether to feed the new nature through the Word, prayer and obedience, or to feed the flesh by neglecting those things and engaging in sin.
When we are in Christ, “we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us” (Romans 8:37) and can rejoice in our Savior, who makes all things possible! In Christ we are loved, forgiven, and promised salvation. In Christ we are adopted, justified, redeemed, reconciled, and chosen. In Christ we are victorious, filled with joy and peace, granted true meaning in life. What a wonderful Savior is Christ!
