New Creation

11/12/2020

2 Corinthians 5:17 “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

Whenever a person yields to Jesus, they become a new creation because of His saving grace, for it is only through Christ that we are redeemed. Now whether there is a recognizable outward change depends on how completely abandoned to Jesus a person becomes. It is true that some people have miraculous outcomes, such as being immediately freed from substance abuse or some other vice that holds them captive. As for me, when I yielded to Jesus, I was certainly saved by grace, but alas the true inner and outward change has been a slower process.

Chambers writes, “The experience of salvation means that in your actual life things are really altered, you no longer look at things as you used to; your desires are new, old things have lost their power.” My soul definitely felt this change as the Holy Spirit worked within me. However, I let “self” keep getting in the way of being fully surrendered to God. The Holy Spirit had a lot of work to do in me, and that work continues.

This next statement by Chambers fully reflects the change that occurred in me during the most difficult time in my life. “If you are born again, the Spirit of God makes the alteration manifest in your actual life and reasoning, and when the crisis comes you are the most amazed person on earth at the wonderful difference there is in you.” This was not true for me, but God’s refining fire made it so. I had yielded to Jesus many years before my crisis came, but I was not really on fire for Him. I would feel a Spirit tap, but excuse away any action that was often required. I still harbored resentment for past injuries. I judged others (that is the most painful part to admit), I complained a lot, and I compared my lack to the seeming plenty of others. I did not cherish every precious moment that God blessed me with. The list goes on and on. It was fine, though, because most people would have considered me a “good Christian”; after all, my behavior checked many boxes. How lucky for me that no one could see the truth inside my heart and mind…no one, that is, besides God. How did I ever convince myself that was okay I wonder? During these years, I was very far from my being totally reliant on, and connected to, my God. He was a part of my life for sure, but He was not the biggest part of my life.

Then the crisis came, and all those things that I thought I was so skillful at hiding came pouring out into the open. The truth of my lukewarm relationship with God was brought into the light. He had not been first in my life, although He kept calling and calling me to have Him there. He knew what was coming, and He knew I would need Him beyond all others. It was my time, but would I fully surrender to my Savior in all things, or would I fall headfirst off the cliff I was precariously perched on? I cried out in my distress, but I still wanted Him on my terms. How grateful I am that He never gave up (nor will he ever give up) on me. I was walking through the fire, but I found God there with outstretched arms, ready to take me by the hand and lead me safety. The only thing I had to do was finally fully surrender to Him, and I did. He took the preeminent place in my life, where He always should have been. I no longer would look to anyone else for my safety, peace, healing, and joy. God had shown me that He is the only true source for any of those things. He may bring them through other people or circumstances, but I know it is always Him, the Creator of all, who holds my life in His hands.

I finally understand what this verse is speaking about. It’s not about me, but Jesus and the Holy Spirit power within me.