Please explain 2 Cor. 5:17.
Listen: 106.3
Let’s read that important verse. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” To be in Christ is the position of everyone that has accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their savior. A major theme found in the book of Ephesians is that believers are in Christ as we read in Ephesians 2:13, “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” A major theme found in the book of Colossians is that Christ is in you, if you are trusting in Him as your savior. Colossians 1:27 says, “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” So, together we have these two wonderful truths for believers: we are in Christ and Christ is in us.
So, we learn from 2 Corinthians 5:17 that if we are in Christ, we are a new creature, or more correctly, we are a new creation. We become brand new when we put our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as our savior. As the verse tells us, old things pass away and all things become new. Our standing before the Lord changes drastically. Instead of being condemned sinners, we become blood bought children of God. John 1:12 tells us, “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.” Let that soak into your consciousness. If you have Jesus Christ as your savior, you are a child of God. Romans 8:15-17 says, “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”
As believers on the Lord Jesus, we stand before the Lord as being completely clean and righteous. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” Christ was made sin, or sin bearer, for us that we might be made righteousness. What a blessed work of our Lord!
Let me ask…are you brand new? Do you stand before the Lord as righteousness; or do you stand before him still in your sins? Hebrews 10:31 tells us that, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” To face God and still be in your sins is something to be greatly feared. God is righteous and will judge you according to your sins. No sin will be excused; and no sin will be overlooked. Please, if today you have never accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your savior, I encourage you to do that right now. The Lord is the one who can make all things new. No matter what you have done, the Lord will save you if you come to Him by faith. Christ said in John 6:37, “…him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” Come to Christ now, putting your faith in Him and confessing Him as your Lord and savior. He will save you and make you brand new! (106.3)