A New Creature
2 Corinthians 5:11–21
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. 2 Corinthians 5:17
God has planted a new spiritual life within the heart of every Christian, making each of us a new creation in Christ. And this spiritual life is the same life that we will be living a thousand years from now in heaven. No child of God will ever enter into the fullness of his relationship with God until he becomes certain that he possesses this new life and that he possesses it forever. As a new creation the Christian has also received a new Spirit. The Holy Spirit enables us to live righteously in this world.
And the Christian has a new master. The thought is expressed significantly in our passage: “that those who live [who have been made alive spiritually] might no longer live [physically] for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised” (v. 15). Do you see the importance of this point? Buddhism has a founder who is an example to his followers. But Gautama died. Islam has a teacher for its founder. But Mohammad died. Christianity has both an example and a teacher in its founder, but Christianity has something more. Christ died but he also rose again. And as a result of his resurrection, every Christian is confronted with a living master, as well as a teacher and example, to whom he owes obedience and whose glory he must exhibit to the world.
The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. And when the sun goes down, the moon comes up. During the night we see the moon and not the sun, and the moon seems to glow in the heavens. But the moon does not glow with its own light. It is seen only by the light of the sun. Here we have an illustration of the Christian’s relationship to his Lord. There was a time when our master, the true light, was himself on earth; but ever since his ascension into heaven, we see his light only as it is reflected in the lives of those who acknowledge him as Savior and Lord. But Christians do not always reflect this light with maximum brilliance. Whenever they keep their faces turned toward Jesus, they are “full moon” Christians, and Christ is seen in them. Whenever they turn their faces away, they are “new moon” Christians, and they become indistinguishable from the dark world in which they dwell. There are times when Christians are at the quarter, and it is difficult to tell whether it is a waxing or a waning quarter. But whether they are at the full, at the quarter, or at eclipse, they still are servants of a Master who is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and whose glory it is their responsibility to reflect to those about them.
Taken from Come to the Waters by James Boice ISBN 9798887790954 used with permission from P&R Publishing, Phillipsburg NJ 08865
Scripture quotations are from the ESV (the Holy Bible English Standard Version) copyright 2001 by Crossway a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.