When a person believes regarding Christ to the extent he becomes born again or saved (Romans 10:9) he receives the gift of holy spirit. That spirit is a whole new life, and it is a new creation that is ours forever. Old things have passed away, and the believer is given new things now, as well as promised new things later.
II Corinthians 5:17 and 18: (Working translation by Walter J. Cummins)
Wherefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things passed away. Behold, new things have come.
and all [of the new things] are from God, Who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation
New things in Christ now:
The new creation in Christ that the born-again believer has is a whole new spirit nature. They are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus. They are washed, sanctified, justified, reconciled to God, delivered from the power of darkness, and translated into the kingdom of God. They have redemption and forgiveness of sins. They are children of God, His sons and joint heirs with Christ. They have access by the spirit to the Father. They are a habitation of God via the spirit. They have the nine manifestations of the spirit. They are blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly realm in Christ. They are chosen in Christ to be holy and without blame before God. They are accepted in the beloved one, Jesus Christ. They are made alive in Christ and seated in the heavenly realm in Christ Jesus. They are part of the Body of Christ.
New things in Christ later:
Many new things have come to those who are a new creation in Christ, but not all things have become new yet. The new spirit in man is also the earnest of new things to come. By the spirit we are able to know that we will receive an inheritance. We will be gathered together when Christ comes for his Church and we will receive new bodies fashioned like Christ's new body. We will also be in the new heaven and new earth.
“Many things have passed away, and many things have become new to those whom God has reconciled to Himself by Jesus Christ, and other things are guaranteed to be made new for them because of the earnest of the spirit.”
(This quote [page 43] and the information reflected above is from the Scripture Consulting Journal Issue 14 April/May/June 2000; section titled: New Things in Christ; by Walter J. Cummins)
We are certainly a blessed people. Our response to such dynamic truths should be one of doing what the above verse closes with by “giving us the ministry of reconciliation.” Let’s witness and hold forth the Words of Life so others can enjoy this new lifestyle in Christ.
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