The Old Is Gone, The New Has Come

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17

D.L. MOODY
I saw an advertisement which read like this: “If you want people to respect you, wear good clothes.” This is the world’s idea of getting the world’s respect. Why! A leper may put on  good clothes, but he is a leper still. Mere profession of faith  doesn’t transform a man. It is the new nature spoken of in Corinthians, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

ERWIN LUTZER
The Pharisees had many outer rules, which they couldn’t live up to themselves, and yet they imposed those rules on others. Rules are parameters to keep us from doing wrong, but they cannot give us life. We must come to Christ for life and for strength to live for Him, to say no to sin and yes to walking in the Spirit. When you do come to Him, He’ll not leave you the way you came because He is the One who, despite our guilt, our confusion, and our wondering, gives us rest. This change goes beyond outer appearances. 
Compare the religions of the world. Only Jesus Christ promises a transformation of your heart and desires. That’s why we do not simply promote rules; there is an inner transformation of the heart, a miracle of God called “being born again.” To be clear, there is something within you that wasn’t there before you were born again. There is a new nature with new desires. It certainly doesn’t make us perfect, but it does give us hope on our journey so we can stay on the path. That’s the offer Jesus makes. The old is gone, the new has come.

PRAYER
Father, thank you for not leaving me as I was by transforming me into a new creation in and through your Son.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS
What does it mean that believers are “new creations” in Christ?

What are the effects of being a new creation?