Pastor John Granchie.

“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17, NKJV).

When a person accepts Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior that individual is joined to Jesus in His death and resurrection: “We become a whole new creation in Jesus Christ” (Galatians 6:15). Our old sinful way of life or “old self” is dead, and our new identity is found in Jesus Christ, we are now part of His family.

Through our new union with Jesus Christ our old life dominated by sin no longer controls us. Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was.

All things have become new, and it is the beginning of our transformation–our inward renewal and regeneration. The fullness of our salvation will be experienced in eternity with our Lord forever.

For believers, the newness in us can be seen in our relationships with other people. We now look at unbelievers with compassion, seeing them as Christ saw them. We develop a Biblical view of things instead of our old worldly view that was filled with hatred and self-centeredness.

Far too often when people come to Christ, they still hang on to their old way of life. They make the excuse “God made me this way,” so it must be okay to continue to live this way. Unfortunately, they never really come to the full understanding that they truly are a new creation filled with the Holy Spirit. There is a difference between continuing to sin and continuing to live in sin. No one ever reaches a sinless life, but the redeemed Christian is being sanctified (made holy) day after day, sinning less and hating it more each time he fails. Yes, we will still sin, but unwillingly and most importantly less frequently as we mature in our relationship with Christ.

This New Year if you truly have given your life to Jesus and He is your Lord and Savior YOU ARE A NEW CREATION. Let go of the past and live for the Lord.

In Christ’s Love.

John Granchie is the pastor of Peace United Church of Christ in Gladbrook.