SCRIPTURE:
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
2 Corinthians 5:17
OBSERVATION:
Among the childhood rules that have stuck with me and I seem to have applied to my children is the bathing rule. Once you take a bath (cause that’s what we say in Hawaii), that’s it. You’re done. No go outside, no playing around, ua pau, it is finished. And if by chance my cousins and I tried to sneak out into the yard to throw football, Grandma would not be far behind with her back-scratcher to give us a swift whack on the ‘elemu. Her reasoning was, “you clean so no go get dirty cause then you’re not going to sleep good”. And now, my poor girls now have the same expectation put upon them.
APPLICATION:
The Apostle Paul is kinda saying the same thing here, but much more eloquently. You’re a new creation and the old you is gone forever. Just like Grandma felt that once we cleaned off all the dirt of the day by taking a bath we’d be stupid to want to get dirty again, Paul reminds me that once I’m new in Christ, the old is far behind so why would I want to go back.
I remember Pastor Paul Brown’s story about his traffic ticket and the judge’s verdict when he went to court, “Dismissed with Prejudice.” In other words, done and no bringing it back up.
If I am in Christ I am new. All the crap from before is washed away by His blood and I become a new creation. It’s like that showering at the end of the day. All the sweat and grime from the day is gone, so why would I want to go back outside and “dirty” up again?
Likewise, with Christ. I accept Him and pledge my allegiance to Him, so why would I want to “dirty” myself up again by going against Him and His will. So much more joy in being a new creation with a promised future and hope.
PRAYER:
Thank you Jesus! Thank you for passing the old me away never to be brought up again. For dismissing my sin with prejudice and giving me a clean slate. I pray for the obedience and conviction to remain in You and the new creation that has come.
Amen
