We Are a New Creation
II Corinthians 5:17-18 says “therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new
creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And
all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and has
given to us the ministry of reconciliation”.
It is of the utmost importance that we have a clear understanding of what Jesus
meant when speaking with Nicodemus said “ye must be born again”. The new
birth is a spiritual birth, it is as much a birth as he natural birth; it is not just a
figure of speech. The first birth is of the “seed of man”. The second birth is of
the “seed of God”.
The new birth is compulsory if you are to become a child of God: “Ye must be
born again” (John 3:1-8) “there was a man of the Pharisees, named
Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. The same came to Jesus by night, and said
unto Him, Rabbi, we know that thou are a teacher come from God; for no man
can do these miracles that thou do, except God be with Him. Jesus answered
and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a man be born again, he
cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus said unto Him, how can a man be
born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb,
and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a man be
born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That
which is born of the flesh is flesh; ad that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Marvel not that I said unto you, you must be born again. The wild blows where
it listeth, and you hear the sound thereof, but cannot tell where it cometh, and
where it goes, so is every one that is born of the Spirit”.
In the above scriptures, we see Jesus and Nicodemus face to face; Jesus the
Son of God, and Nicodemus the son of natural man. Nicodemus was a very
religious man, but he was not a child of God. What a shock it must have been
to learn that his religion was not enough! It never is. He came to Jesus,
addressing Him as a teacher come from God. Jesus knew that he needed more
than a teacher; he needed a Savior. He needed more than religion; he needed
regeneration. He needed more than law, he needed life.
Jesus pointed out the dissimilarity in the two births “that which is born of flesh is
flesh” (the flesh is a mind set on things to benefit self); it produces an old
nature under the sentence of death. And “that which is born of the Spirit is
spirit” (the spirit is a mind set on the things of God) In Romans 8:5-6; 12-14) it
says “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they
that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is
death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Therefore, brethren, we
are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if you live after the
flesh, you shall die, but if you through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the
body, you shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the
sons of God”.
Therefore, you cannot become a child of God by joining the church, any more
that a person can become a car because he lives in a garage. The only way to
become a child of God is to be “born from above” by the incorruptible seed of
God (1 Peter 1:23) “being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of
incorruptible, by the word of God, which lives and abides for ever”.
The new birth is a new creation, a spiritual resurrection. The new birth is
regeneration (Titus 3:5) “not by works of righteousness which we have done,
but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and
renewing of the Holy Spirit”.
The new birth is partaking of the divine nature of God (II Peter 1:4) “whereby
are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises; that by these ye
might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in
the world through lust”.
The new birth is receiving Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, by faith (John 1:12)
“but as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of
God, even to them that believe on His name”. The new birth produces a sinless
nature, it produces a righteous nature.
Every born-again person has two natures; the old from the old birth, and the
new from the new birth. By the old birth, we are children of the flesh; by the
new birth, we are children of God. This is why we must be born again.
Paul says in Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet
not I, but Christ lives in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the
faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me”.
Paul tells us how to operate in this new creation (Romans 12:1-2) “I beseech
you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a
living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And
be not conformed to this world, but be you transformed by the renewing of your
mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable and perfect, will of
God”.
Also in Ephesians 4:22-5:2 shows us what we need do; it says “that you put off
concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to
the deceitful lusts. And be renewed in the spirit of your mind. And that you put
on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true
holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his
neighbor; for we are members one of another. Be you angry, and sin not, let
not the sun go down upon your wrath. Neither give place to the devil. Let him
that stole steal no more, but rather let him labor, working with his hands the
thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needs. Let no corrupt
communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of
edifying, that it may minister grace to the hearers. And grieve not the Holy
Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed to the day of redemption. Let all
bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking be put away
from you, with all malice. And be you kind one to another, tenderhearted,
forgiving one another; even as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you. Be you
therefore followers of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also
has loved us, and has given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God
for a sweet smelling savor”. Like Paul we have to deem our old man as dead.
You are not supposed to remain the same as you were before you came to
Christ. James says that as we look into the perfect law of liberty (the Bible) and
continue therein, we will see who we really are.
We have to know who we are in Christ! The Bible is like a mirror to us, it
reflects who God says that we are. Take some time to go through the
scriptures and list down, who we are in Christ, in Him, and in Whom. Then
meditate on the new creation that God has made you.
Many people are walking in the Thomas kind of faith. After Jesus was
resurrection, He appeared to His disciples in the room, while the doors were
shut (John 20:24-29) “but Thomas as, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was
not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, we
have seen the Lord, but he said to them. Except I shall see in His hands the
print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust m hand
into His side, I will not believe. And after eight days again His disciples were
within, and Thomas with them, then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and
stood in the midst, and said, Peace be to you. Then said He to Thomas, reach
here your finger, and behold My hands, and reach here your hand, and thrust it
into My side, and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and
said to Him, My Lord and My God. Jesus said to him, Thomas, because you
have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are they that have not seen, and
yet have believed”. You see, many want to believe based upon what they see,
but we are told “the just shall walk by faith”.
A personal faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the only
means of the new birth.
The new birth has a threefold proof (I John 5:1) “whosoever believeth that
Jesus is the Christ is born of God; and every one that loveth Him that begat
loveth Him also that is begotten of Him”. Every “born again” child of God has a
threefold proof on the new birth, proof that he is a child of God. This threefold
poof is, first, inward proof; second, outgoing proof; and third, outward proof.
Above verse 1; my faith in Christ, that He is God, is personal evidence that I am
a child of God (I John 5:10,13) “he that believeth on the Son of God hath the
witness in himself; he that believeth not God hath made Him a liar; because he
believeth not the record that God gave of His Son. These things have I written
unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye
have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God”.
The outgoing proof of the new birth “every one that doeth righteousness is
born of Him” (I John 2:29) “if ye know that He is righteous, ye know that every
one that doeth righteousness is born of Him”. If you are born of God, you will
make a practice of doing right. Psalms 119:9-11 says “wherewithal shall a
young man cleanse his ways? By taking heed thereto according to Your word.
With my whole heart have I sought you; O let me not wander from Your
commandments. Your word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against
You. Again as you look into the mirror, you will see what God likes and what He
dislikes; and any one who is forming a relationship with another, tries to please
them.
The outward proof of the new birth is usually seen by other people before you
notice it yourself. This is how you testify of what God has done in your life.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: September 28, 2010
II Corinthians 5:17-18 says “therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new
creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And
all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and has
given to us the ministry of reconciliation”.
It is of the utmost importance that we have a clear understanding of what Jesus
meant when speaking with Nicodemus said “ye must be born again”. The new
birth is a spiritual birth, it is as much a birth as he natural birth; it is not just a
figure of speech. The first birth is of the “seed of man”. The second birth is of
the “seed of God”.
The new birth is compulsory if you are to become a child of God: “Ye must be
born again” (John 3:1-8) “there was a man of the Pharisees, named
Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. The same came to Jesus by night, and said
unto Him, Rabbi, we know that thou are a teacher come from God; for no man
can do these miracles that thou do, except God be with Him. Jesus answered
and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a man be born again, he
cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus said unto Him, how can a man be
born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb,
and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a man be
born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That
which is born of the flesh is flesh; ad that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Marvel not that I said unto you, you must be born again. The wild blows where
it listeth, and you hear the sound thereof, but cannot tell where it cometh, and
where it goes, so is every one that is born of the Spirit”.
In the above scriptures, we see Jesus and Nicodemus face to face; Jesus the
Son of God, and Nicodemus the son of natural man. Nicodemus was a very
religious man, but he was not a child of God. What a shock it must have been
to learn that his religion was not enough! It never is. He came to Jesus,
addressing Him as a teacher come from God. Jesus knew that he needed more
than a teacher; he needed a Savior. He needed more than religion; he needed
regeneration. He needed more than law, he needed life.
Jesus pointed out the dissimilarity in the two births “that which is born of flesh is
flesh” (the flesh is a mind set on things to benefit self); it produces an old
nature under the sentence of death. And “that which is born of the Spirit is
spirit” (the spirit is a mind set on the things of God) In Romans 8:5-6; 12-14) it
says “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they
that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is
death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Therefore, brethren, we
are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if you live after the
flesh, you shall die, but if you through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the
body, you shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the
sons of God”.
Therefore, you cannot become a child of God by joining the church, any more
that a person can become a car because he lives in a garage. The only way to
become a child of God is to be “born from above” by the incorruptible seed of
God (1 Peter 1:23) “being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of
incorruptible, by the word of God, which lives and abides for ever”.
The new birth is a new creation, a spiritual resurrection. The new birth is
regeneration (Titus 3:5) “not by works of righteousness which we have done,
but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and
renewing of the Holy Spirit”.
The new birth is partaking of the divine nature of God (II Peter 1:4) “whereby
are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises; that by these ye
might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in
the world through lust”.
The new birth is receiving Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, by faith (John 1:12)
“but as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of
God, even to them that believe on His name”. The new birth produces a sinless
nature, it produces a righteous nature.
Every born-again person has two natures; the old from the old birth, and the
new from the new birth. By the old birth, we are children of the flesh; by the
new birth, we are children of God. This is why we must be born again.
Paul says in Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet
not I, but Christ lives in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the
faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me”.
Paul tells us how to operate in this new creation (Romans 12:1-2) “I beseech
you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a
living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And
be not conformed to this world, but be you transformed by the renewing of your
mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable and perfect, will of
God”.
Also in Ephesians 4:22-5:2 shows us what we need do; it says “that you put off
concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to
the deceitful lusts. And be renewed in the spirit of your mind. And that you put
on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true
holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his
neighbor; for we are members one of another. Be you angry, and sin not, let
not the sun go down upon your wrath. Neither give place to the devil. Let him
that stole steal no more, but rather let him labor, working with his hands the
thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needs. Let no corrupt
communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of
edifying, that it may minister grace to the hearers. And grieve not the Holy
Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed to the day of redemption. Let all
bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking be put away
from you, with all malice. And be you kind one to another, tenderhearted,
forgiving one another; even as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you. Be you
therefore followers of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also
has loved us, and has given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God
for a sweet smelling savor”. Like Paul we have to deem our old man as dead.
You are not supposed to remain the same as you were before you came to
Christ. James says that as we look into the perfect law of liberty (the Bible) and
continue therein, we will see who we really are.
We have to know who we are in Christ! The Bible is like a mirror to us, it
reflects who God says that we are. Take some time to go through the
scriptures and list down, who we are in Christ, in Him, and in Whom. Then
meditate on the new creation that God has made you.
Many people are walking in the Thomas kind of faith. After Jesus was
resurrection, He appeared to His disciples in the room, while the doors were
shut (John 20:24-29) “but Thomas as, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was
not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, we
have seen the Lord, but he said to them. Except I shall see in His hands the
print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust m hand
into His side, I will not believe. And after eight days again His disciples were
within, and Thomas with them, then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and
stood in the midst, and said, Peace be to you. Then said He to Thomas, reach
here your finger, and behold My hands, and reach here your hand, and thrust it
into My side, and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and
said to Him, My Lord and My God. Jesus said to him, Thomas, because you
have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are they that have not seen, and
yet have believed”. You see, many want to believe based upon what they see,
but we are told “the just shall walk by faith”.
A personal faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the only
means of the new birth.
The new birth has a threefold proof (I John 5:1) “whosoever believeth that
Jesus is the Christ is born of God; and every one that loveth Him that begat
loveth Him also that is begotten of Him”. Every “born again” child of God has a
threefold proof on the new birth, proof that he is a child of God. This threefold
poof is, first, inward proof; second, outgoing proof; and third, outward proof.
Above verse 1; my faith in Christ, that He is God, is personal evidence that I am
a child of God (I John 5:10,13) “he that believeth on the Son of God hath the
witness in himself; he that believeth not God hath made Him a liar; because he
believeth not the record that God gave of His Son. These things have I written
unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye
have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God”.
The outgoing proof of the new birth “every one that doeth righteousness is
born of Him” (I John 2:29) “if ye know that He is righteous, ye know that every
one that doeth righteousness is born of Him”. If you are born of God, you will
make a practice of doing right. Psalms 119:9-11 says “wherewithal shall a
young man cleanse his ways? By taking heed thereto according to Your word.
With my whole heart have I sought you; O let me not wander from Your
commandments. Your word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against
You. Again as you look into the mirror, you will see what God likes and what He
dislikes; and any one who is forming a relationship with another, tries to please
them.
The outward proof of the new birth is usually seen by other people before you
notice it yourself. This is how you testify of what God has done in your life.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: September 28, 2010
