The Marks of a New Creation
Notes
Transcript
The Marks of a Representative
2 Corinthians 5:14-17
Take your Bibles and turn to 2 Corinthians chapter five, verses fourteen through seventeen.
As Christians, we have the privileged responsibility to represent Christ. That was God’s original plan for humanity from the very beginning. He created us in his image so that humanity would represent him and enjoy his blessings. Unfortunately, sin has tainted our image. As a result, we fall short of being the representatives that God has designed us to be.
Fortunately, not all is lost. God sent his Son to die for our sins to that we could be restored to our original design. Jesus came so that we could become new creations.
As God’s new creations in Christ, we have been given authority to speak and act on behalf of the Lord Jesus Christ; his witnesses in this sin-saturated world.
Does your life reflect that you are a new creation in Christ? Our text for today reveals the marks of a new creation in Christ. First, we see that a new creation in Christ has a new purpose for living.
1. A new purpose for living
1. A new purpose for living
We touched on verses fourteen and fifteen last Sunday, but they are so rich with theology and truth they deserve another visit.
For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
Paul was so overwhelmed by the love of Christ that he had no choice but to love Jesus and represent him. He was overwhelmed by the fact that Christ died for him and rose to life. And what is true of Paul is true of every believer. We have died with Christ, but we also have been raised to newness of life with Christ.
New Creatures in Christ have a new purpose for living. Paul states in clearly in verse fifteen, “He died for all, that those who live might not longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.”
We don’t live for ourselves; we live for Jesus. The purpose for the Christian is to live for Jesus. We no longer live self-centered lives, but Christ-centered lives.
If you are a Christian, write these words down: My purpose in life is to live for Jesus Christ.
Christians, rescued and saved by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, should always be willing to live for him. That is our purpose in life, and we fulfill our purpose out of love, love for the one who has overwhelmed us with his love. Yes, a new creation in Christist has a new purpose for living and lives it out.
Second, a new creation in Christ has a new attitude and regard for people.
2. A new attitude and regard for people
2. A new attitude and regard for people
From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer.
Verse sixteen is the result of verses fourteen and fifteen. Paul has a new attitude towards people because of his new purpose for living. When you are living for Christ your outlook towards people will change.
Paul says, “We regard no one according to the flesh.” By flesh, Paul means, “a human perspective,” or “a worldly perspective.” In the last part of the verse, he gives a personal example to show us how his perspective changed when he met Christ as Lord and Savior.
“Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer.”
Paul takes us back to his life before he met Christ. Paul viewed Jesus from a worldly perspective. He didn’t see Jesus as the Messiah. He didn’t see him as Lord and Savior. From Paul's perspective, Jesus was a fraud. He was a false teacher.
Fortunately, one day Paul received Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. At that very moment, Paul’s perspective about Jesus and people changed. For Paul, he no longer classified people as Jew and Gentile, but as redeemed and unredeemed.
In the same way, a believer’s perspective towards people changes.
No longer should we see people based upon their economic status, or educational status, or by the color of their skin. We should see people as redeemed and unredeemed.
And if we are redeemed, we should represent Christ in such a way so that we can move some from the unredeemed list and put them on the redeemed list.
When you have a new attitude towards people, you begin to see every man, woman, boy, and girl as someone that Jesus Christ died for.
We need to realize that there is no hopeless case for Jesus.
A new attitude toward people is the mark of a new creation in Christ.
Third, we see that the new creation in Christ has a new position in Christ.
3. A new position in Christ
3. A new position in Christ
One of the first verses that I memorized in verse seventeen, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” If you are in Christ, and that is important, because this verse is not true of you are not in Christ, you have a new position in life. You have a brand new identity. You are a new creation, but only if you are in Christ.
Now, how does one become in Christ? You have to repent of your sins by turning from your sins and self and turning to Christ. You must believe that Christ died according to the scriptures, was buried, and rose to life on the third day according to the scriptures. You must confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead. When you do this you become a new creation in Christ.
Understanding our position in Christ is paramount for our walk with Christ. And our walk with Christ is important to our representing Christ in our attitudes and actions. Your position in Christ will help you have a confident and consistent walk with Christ.
Listen to some of the benefits that are ours if we are in Christ.
The grace of God is given to us in Christ. We have redemption in Christ.
We have been justified in Christ.
We have forgiveness of sins in Christ.
We have no condemnation in Christ.
We have eternal life in Christ.
God will supply all of our needs because we are in Christ.
Every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm is ours in Christ.
We cannot be separated from the love of God in Christ.
Knowing our position and identity in Christ is so important.
You see, the devil loves to rob us of our identity. He is the thief that comes to kill, steal, and destroy. If you can keep you from understanding your position and what you have in Christ, he can keep you from being a good representative for Christ. You have a new position in Christ, live it out.
Finally, a new creation in Christ has a new power that transforms.
4. A new power that transforms
4. A new power that transforms
Notice verse seventeen again, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away, behold the new has come.” We need to understand our position in Christ in two ways.
When we speak about being in Christ we need to understand that we are in Christ, and Christ is in us. Being in Christ means that we are already holy and blameless before God. It means that we are forgiven before God. It means all those things we just spoke about that are the benefits from being in Christ.
Because we are in Christ we are new creations. Because Christ is in us we are becoming new creations. In other words, we are becoming who we already are in Christ. The fact that Christ is in us means that we have a power within us that is transforming us into the image of Christ. Because Christ is in us, we are lives are being changed, and this change is a life-long process.
The power of transformation characterizes every true believer in Jesus Christ.
A new creation in Christ is being transformed into the likeness of Jesus Christ. Being a representative for Christ is not about being perfect. God knows we are not perfect, but about being perfectible. It means that we allow the Spirit of Christ in us to change us from the inside out.
I love the words of this chorus, “Spirit of the living God Fall afresh on me. Break me, melt me, mold me, fill me.” I often sing this as a prayer to God, desiring for his Spirit to make me more like Jesus, so that the world can see Jesus in me. Oh, Jesus be Jesus in me, no longer I, but thee. Resurrection Power, fill me this hour, Jesus be Jesus in me. “
What does the world see when they see your life? Do they say, “I know Jesus, and I recognize Paul, but who are you?” Is the world getting to know Jesus because they see your life and they see Jesus in you? Does the world see a person who is living for Christ? Do they see a person whose perspective towards people resembles that of Jesus? Do they see a person who is walking consistently with the Lord because you know your position in Christ? Do they see a person whose experiencing life-change in Jesus Christ?
Life-change begins with a relationship with Jesus Christ. Being a representative begins with being in Christ. Are you in Christ? Are you a new Creation? Come to Jesus today.
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