Have you ever taken a moment and watched an old family video? Recently I had the opportunity to watch my wedding video with two of my children. The videographer was amazing and did a beautiful job capturing the ‘behind the scenes’ of my big day. It was a very odd experience. As I watched myself in the recording; moving, talking, joking and my overall behavior it felt like I was watching a person I barely remembered. At this time in my life I did not have a personal relationship with Jesus. It would be six years and three children after this video was taken that I would be ‘born again/saved,’ so I was watching on tape my ‘old self’…pre-Jesus, and based on God’s Word I knew ‘that person’ I was watching on tape is dead.
2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV ran through my mind: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new..” (bold added)
The Bible verse above is explained in Rick Renner’s book “Sparkling Gems from the Greek” in this way “The word ‘new’ (in 2 Cor. 5:17) is from the Greek word kainos, and it describes something that is brand new or recently made. It also carries the idea of something that is superior. This means that when Jesus Christ came into your life, you were made brand, spanking new! The new you is superior to the old you! In fact, you are so new that this verse calls you a new ‘creature’! The word ‘creature’ is the Greek word ktisis. It is the same word used to describe the creation of the world. When God created the universe, he used no existing materials or old elements to make it. Everything in creation was newly made. Now that same word is used to describe what happened to you the day you got saved. Everything about you is new! You’re not an amended, corrected, improved version of what you used to be. You are an absolutely brand-new creation! You are completely detached from the person you once were before Christ…That old person no longer exists. She is dead. You are brand new.”
While we were watching the video my daughter said she couldn’t figure out why I looked so different. I agreed with her and explained that since I didn’t know Jesus when my wedding pictures and video were taken everything about me was different, including my countenance. I sat in awe, so thankful that I have been made ‘brand new,’ my spirit is new, my salvation is secure and I am fully alive through my belief in Jesus.
Praise God today that you have been made a completely new creation and as Rick Renner says in “Sparkling Gems from the Greek” stop “laying claim to your family’s genetic problems, inheritable sicknesses, dysfunctional behavior, disorders, hang-ups, curses, or any other negative thing that was a part of your life before Christ. That old person no longer exists. He is dead. You are completely and totally brand new!…Don’t you think it’s time to stop moaning about how dumb, stupid, ugly, (fearful, timid) or untalented you ‘feel’ compared to others? Those ‘feelings’ are all lies. Some of that may have been true before you were born again, but none of it is true of you now that you are a new creature in Christ.”
In what ways do you most enjoy being ‘a new creature in Christ?’
(To learn more about how to have and grow in relationship with Jesus click here.)
Written by Jamie Shaver