All Things New
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
How does one get “in Christ”? And what happens when it happens?
Let’s take the second question first.
What happens when one becomes “in Christ”?
1. He is then a new creation.
2. Old things have then passed away.
3. All things have then become new.
My problem with the teaching of mainstream Christianity is its failure to understand that even they, as now constituted, are sinners. And by sinners I am referring to the biblical definition of sin which is “coming short of the glory of God”.
“For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God…the wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 3:23;6:23)
We have the promise of newness of life which we may appropriate in faith to give us peace and joy in the hope of our salvation. The bible clearly teaches that mankind will become "a new creation", "old things will pass away", and "all things will become new". And that will occur, not at some ceremonial baptism or bar mitzvah, but when Christ Jesus literally returns to raise the dead.
So now back to the first question above. How does one get “in Christ”?
When we are raised from the dead and “made alive” at the resurrection!
I urge you to read and study 1 Corinthians 15 until you understand completely what it says about our future hope. And remember…
“…if we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied. But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive…sown a perishable body, raised an imperishable body; sown in dishonor, raised in glory; sown in weakness, raised in power; sown a natural body, raised a spiritual body….Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away… And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. Then He who sat on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.And He said to me, Write, for these words are true and faithful.” (1 Corinthians 15:19-22; Revelation 21:1-5)
How does one get “in Christ”? And what happens when it happens?
Let’s take the second question first.
What happens when one becomes “in Christ”?
1. He is then a new creation.
2. Old things have then passed away.
3. All things have then become new.
My problem with the teaching of mainstream Christianity is its failure to understand that even they, as now constituted, are sinners. And by sinners I am referring to the biblical definition of sin which is “coming short of the glory of God”.
None of us, no matter how many times we repent, walk the aisle, pray the sinner’s prayer, are baptized, or how much we tithe and bless others, are right now a “new creation”. “Old things” have NOT "passed away". “All things” have NOT "become new".
We have them now only by FAITH – believing that God will do in the future what He has said in the past.
Yet Christianity seems to teach that when one joins the particular church of their choice they are saved and are then a new creation, that old things have passed away and that all things have become new. No they haven’t…if we are honest.
And when people are told they are a "new creation" and then reality sets in and they "fall short", it leads to depression, not peace, sadness, not joy, hopelessness, not hope. And too often they are told they never were really saved in the first place...
"Sorry comforters are you all. Is there no limit to windy words?" (Job 16:2-3)
No amount of pious rhetoric, comforting words or good deeds will prevent mankind , including those of us who call ourselves Christians, from receiving the “wages for sin”, which is death because we have ALL “fallen short of the glory of God”.
Yet Christianity seems to teach that when one joins the particular church of their choice they are saved and are then a new creation, that old things have passed away and that all things have become new. No they haven’t…if we are honest.
And when people are told they are a "new creation" and then reality sets in and they "fall short", it leads to depression, not peace, sadness, not joy, hopelessness, not hope. And too often they are told they never were really saved in the first place...
"Sorry comforters are you all. Is there no limit to windy words?" (Job 16:2-3)
No amount of pious rhetoric, comforting words or good deeds will prevent mankind , including those of us who call ourselves Christians, from receiving the “wages for sin”, which is death because we have ALL “fallen short of the glory of God”.
“For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God…the wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 3:23;6:23)
We have the promise of newness of life which we may appropriate in faith to give us peace and joy in the hope of our salvation. The bible clearly teaches that mankind will become "a new creation", "old things will pass away", and "all things will become new". And that will occur, not at some ceremonial baptism or bar mitzvah, but when Christ Jesus literally returns to raise the dead.
So now back to the first question above. How does one get “in Christ”?
When we are raised from the dead and “made alive” at the resurrection!
I urge you to read and study 1 Corinthians 15 until you understand completely what it says about our future hope. And remember…
“…if we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied. But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive…sown a perishable body, raised an imperishable body; sown in dishonor, raised in glory; sown in weakness, raised in power; sown a natural body, raised a spiritual body….Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away… And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. Then He who sat on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.And He said to me, Write, for these words are true and faithful.” (1 Corinthians 15:19-22; Revelation 21:1-5)