If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself (2 Cor. 5:17).

The Apostle Paul says, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” That doesn’t mean all believers suddenly have the body of a pro athlete or the mind of a prophet. The changes are in our spiritual nature.

Before we were united to Christ, we had no ability to live a righteous life for God. Even nice things we did that seemed good to others and to us were not done to please God. We were living for ourselves – for our pleasure, or others’ approval, or to compensate for something in us. That self-focus was the core of our old nature!

But through Christ, our nature was changed. Our sins were forgiven, and we were also made able to live for Christ and those he loves. In fact, that became our heart’s deepest desire. We don’t always express that desire well – our sin nature still influences us. But, for the first time in our lives, we have the desire and ability to live for God – that’s our new nature.

Because of Christ’s mercy and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we have Christ’s pardon from past sin and spiritual power to resist more sin! We are not perfect yet, but we are no longer controlled by sin.

Now that we are new creations, we realize that God’s grace is not our license to sin but Christ’s release from its guilt and power!

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, today help my words and actions to demonstrate that I am a new creation. Cleanse me from the guilt of my sin and then, may gratitude for your mercy compel me to act on the power you have granted me to resist sin.