A New Creation

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!
(2 Corinthians 5:17)

Meditation

A person who gets amnesia from a head injury does not remember all or part of their past. In one moment, they go from remembering everything to not remembering most if not everything about their past. That’s the way it is with God concerning our sins. Once we’ve repented and turned to Christ, he doesn’t remember our sins. What an awesome thought. Once we lay our sins at the foot of the cross, every rotten sinful thing we’ve ever done is gone and forgotten, at least as far as God’s concerned. Forgetting our past is not so easy for us.
I used to continually ask for forgiveness for the same terrible things from my past. It’s almost as if I didn’t believe God had really forgiven me the first time I asked. Then I realized I was actually calling God a liar when I repeatedly asked for forgiveness. He promised to forget what I’ve done. I must learn to let the past go and forgive myself because God has already forgotten.
Just as the homely caterpillar in a cocoon comes out a beautiful butterfly, we become a brand-new beautiful person, and start from a clean slate as far as God is concerned. We put on the righteousness of Christ from that point on. That’s the best news for us. We are no longer tainted by the past. We start new from the moment we rise from the waters of baptism. There’s no looking over our shoulders to see if we’re about to be exposed for the terrible people we were. When God looks at us now, he sees us clothed in Christ Jesus.
Our baptism was the symbolic burial of our old selves. That dirty, wicked, hateful, nasty, old sinner if forever dead and buried in the grave. When we rise from those waters, we are symbolically resurrected as a new creation, a brand-new child of God. Our Father in heaven went to a lot of trouble to offer redemption to us. I for one, don’t want to do anything to tarnish his Church or bring dishonor to his holy name.
He is always faithful to forgive and forget our sins. As soon as we have asked for forgiveness, we don’t have to spend another moment dwelling on our past sins or feel guilty because of them. Yesterday is over, today is a new day, so let’s put on Christ and be that new creature! God loves us so much he gave his Son to pay the price for our sins. Now we are made new! Praise the Lord!




Prayer Time

Most gracious heavenly Father, you make all things new. With the gift of each new day, we breath fresh air into our lungs. Each time we open our Bibles we can find some new revelation that will build us up or help us to encourage others. Father, we thank you for Christ who makes us new with his cleansing blood. Take from us all the old desires, all the prejudices and hate that filled our hearts, and transform us into the likeness of Jesus. Lord, guard our hearts from the slings and arrows of the devil. Some, we may obviously recognize as being evil but, others may be disguised as though they come from you. Please, give us discernment to distinguish the difference. On this first day of a new year, help us to resolve to give more. More of ourselves in service to your Church. More of our resources, be it money or talents that further the work of your Kingdom. More of our hearts towards the unsaved people in our lives. In the name above all other names, we pray. Amen!

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