Ch 2: A New Creation!

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. -2. Corinthians 5:17 NKJV

I work in a rehab-center where lives both small babies with their mums which is former drug or alcohol-addicted. Of course, we are not covering up the women’s past, or denying its existence. But we know that for God –there is no difference in the holiness of little baby-Daniel, three months, and his mum, even though she may have lived a crazy life in criminality, drugs, prostitution, and so on. In fact, when the Bible says that everything is new –everything is new! Gods work is always complete! The word of God tells even that he will remember your sins no more! (Heb 8:12) God is not so hard to understand right. When He says He has forgotten about your sins, He has for sure! It's not more complicated than that! To state this point, I love to lift up one of the smallest babies and tell everybody: Wow, what a beautiful baby! But so sad to think about its past.” Then people start asking curiously “What past?”

The baby has no past because it is new! Some Christians limits this state of being “new creations” to last for some months or few years after they've become Christians. But the Bible says that “those who are in Christ are New Creations! To be "in Christ" means simply to be a believer in Jesus Christ (1. John 3:23-24). So as long you are a believer, you are a New Creation everyday! -You are a new born baby constantly! Nothing from your old life of sin is connected to your life anymore. Your sinful past belongs to another person who is death!

How can I say that?

Simply because the bible says that it was your old life died, was crucified with Jesus Christ at the cross of Calvary 2000 years ago.

Gal 2:20a NKJV says:

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.

Your sins have died. Do you remember I told you that the wages of sin is death? Jesus had no sins himself to die for. So he took yours. God poured into Jesus Christ all the sins in the world. God is outside of time. (He created time for us humans in order for us to be able to cope with one thing at the time. But God is not like us. He is almighty, and he doesn't have any struggles with coping with more than 5000 things at the same time.) So he took all the sins. -From the very first person, Adam, to the last person which is still not born; and poured it into the body of Jesus Christ. God literally made Jesus into sin! (2. cor 5:21) Neither the Jews nor the Romans killed Jesus Christ. Our sins killed Jesus.

Don't you believe me? 

Have you seen the movie "The Passion of Christ"? If so, you may have noticed how Jesus actually also was suffering the consequences of our sins. I don't know, but maybe your past addiction has brought you some painful incurable diseases? I have good news for you; Jesus was beaten sick! When He was displayed naked, He felt guilt and shame. They tore his head -brain, mind, with thorns. Isaiah 52:14 in New Living Translation describes that

Many were amazed when they saw him -- beaten and bloodied, so disfigured one would scarcely know he was a person.

But the worst consequence he suffered from our sins, was that this terrible aroma of sins "smelled so bad", that Jesus' own, Heavenly Father had to leave him. That's why Jesus cried in Mark 15:34: 

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" 

This was not because of Jesus' own sins, it was yours and mine! Our sins literally suffered. Your sins literally tore a person to death -The person Jesus Christ. I remember first time I understood this. Our Pastor in the Bible school of Oslo Christian Center did a course about the letter to The Romans 5, 6, 7 and 8. And as he revealed the truth while reading and explaining verse by verse, I got so happy! And after verse 6 and 7 in chapter 6, my life has never been the same;

6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin-- 7 because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.

Wow, my sins have died! My old life died in the body of Jesus! I am actually free from sin! I remember how ran from the last seat in the back of the class room in the end of the lesson, the front (without any alter-call invitation) and embraced my pastor. I was so happy, that I didn’t know where to put all this rising joy I had inside me. All my life I had seen people saved from a sinful life receiving forgiveness from their past. They also got really happy. Since I considered myself as a lifetime-Christian (not a regretting sinner), I was all the time rejoicing on their behalf. But finally, I had the same joy, maybe a greater one, inside me! Oh, how I wish and pray that you will experience the same joy over forgiveness of your sins!  Look at Romans 8:12!

Therefore, brethren, we are debtors--not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.

You are another person now! You are free! Free to walk away from your sinful past. You can run away from it. And the coolest thing; You can also

Fly away!

I am a fan of butterflies. I'm not collecting them (because in order to do that, you'll have to kill them), but I love to carefully behold, gaze, and admire their beauty... Their colors... The way they're souring with the wind.

But did you know, just like you and me, the butterfly has a story. Somebody may say a past. However you may say it, the beautiful yellow orange butterfly hasn’t always been souring the sky in its bright spectacouless clothing.

It has been a caterpillar

in another dress. -A grey, brown one, similar to the colors of dust at the ground, where it used to have its dwelling place. It never soured higher than the growths of the earth, simply because it had no wings to fly with. No offence, but none can claim that the caterpillar was a photo shot for passersby.

Do you think life turned better for the grey-brown-green caterpillar? No way! Now, he is covered in his own spit, dust and dirt, tied to a straw in a brown cocoon. The passersby consider it as dead. His own smelly spit and dirt has finally got hold on it.

But a miracle is taking place! Finally, the dead cocoon is opening. And out from it come a new creation, with new colors; and a shape completely different from the old, clumsy, slimy and smelly one. –A butterfly! Nothing is the same anymore. Yes, it was in the cocoon. Yes, it’s made by the same materials. But it can fly! Fly high! Sour the sky…

But what about the cocoon?

Maybe you consider it as bad to leave the old life at the ground? Do you think the butterfly should stay in company with it? I mean, at least try to give the cocoon a new place to live? Or at least held a funeral for this dead body?

As new creations, the bible says we are dead from our old life and are not debtors to the flesh anymore. Why are you walking around feeling guilt for your past sins? I mean, there is a time for restoration; I’ll speak more about it in chapter 8. But why do you even consider yourself as an ex-alcoholic, or criminal? (or ex pride or ex stingy..)

The resurrection life of Jesus is what makes you fly away from your past sins. The bible says in Romans 8:11

But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. 

Didn’t I tell you that everything is new? Jesus has dealt with your cocoon. –Your old life of sin, slim and dust has died –in the body of Jesus Christ! This revelation –that your old life is death –is the power that gives you the right to receive His resurrection life inside of yours. This is grace! It’s free on our behalf. It’s unmerited, unconditional..

…but automatic?

Some people think that God saves all people regardless if they believe it or not. I want to warn you from this erroneous theology called “Universalism”. But then I ask: Did Jesus die automatically? Of course not! Jesus didn't die for our sins by a accidence or by chance. He died by purpose, willingly. You can read about it in Luke 22:42. Jesus was willing to become sin for us. If he wasn't willing God would never ever put all the sins of the world on his beloved son.

In the same way, God also require your willingness in order to give you the resurrection-life of Jesus. The bible says in john 1:12

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:

And further:

who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

So this new life with Christ, you get when you receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, (when you have prayed the prayer as shown in the previous chapter) and from here starts your new life! His resurrection life moves into you by the Holy Spirit.

What has this to do with my destiny?

Imagine your life as a stereo player. Maybe you say that I don’t need God. I have an okay life. I am good looking. I have a spouse that loves me. I don’t want to be bound to any God. The stereo player may also say: I don’t need the electrical outlet. I’ve an okay life; I'm beautiful metallic red. I have people that love me. I don’t want to be bound to a wall.

Ok stereo player. Feel free. But do you know what will happen when you let somebody plug you into an outlet? –you will start to play music! Beautiful music! Music that will make people dance, sing, cry, rejoice... Dear stereo player, you will start live your destiny!

My dear friend, when you get born again, you will find your destiny. Why? -Because the Holy Spirit moves into you. He is your connection with your Heavenly Father. He adopts you as his very own child, and starts to transform your noisy life into harmonic music. He knows who you are created to be.

Not so long time ago, I was in Gdansk, a very beautiful city in Poland. There, among the Dutch houses, ancient Cathedrals and fountains, sat a girl on a bench with black hair, piercings, and torn jeans playing on an electric guitar. Her singing was more like screaming; obviously she wanted to be a punk. But she had one lack -loudspeakers! I may sound a little harsh in my description, but I mean, for such an eminent musician as me (…), to hear an electric guitar without loudspeakers is hilarious! Electric guitars do not sound good (or sound at all) without loudspeakers! And it will defiantly not sound like punk; no matter how crazy heavy she twists her voice. I kind of got a heart for the girl and felt like supporting her... But I didn’t.

So my point: The new birth is the loudspeaker that puts all into its right order in your life. Your life is not created for stealing or lying. -Not for sex outside marriage. The Holy Spirit knows this and will tell it to you with the loving voice of your Heavenly Father. He knows how to put your life into harmony. Your purpose in life is to know your heavenly Father. God has given you his living word –The Bible. Through his word you cand spend time with him. He tells you how much he loves you, puts your life into the right harmony it was purposed to. He tells you what he has on his heart, and by this; He also gives you another destiny for life:

People!