“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
Once you've accepted the gift of salvation, you become a "new creation in Christ." This specific phrase comes from 2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV), which says, "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." But let's take a look at that verse in context, and let's read it in NLT:
“Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.
So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”
What does it mean to be "in Christ"?
The key to understanding what it means to be a new creation is the phrase "if anyone is in Christ." That is, we're not "new" all on our own. We first need Jesus Christ to become new (John 12:46). When we've accepted Christ, we choose to stand with Him, align with Him, and walk with Him.
Our newness is nothing we've earned or that covers up our past. We're a totally new thing that God created (John 1:13). Our newness is reflected in our opened eyes that now have a godly perspective rather than a worldly or selfish one.
Our new heart loves people instead of hating them. Our new mind despises sin instead of indulging in it. Our new motivations are to walk in the holiness instead of being stuck in sin (Romans 6:4-7).
Are we perfect as new creations?
No, we're not expected to be 100% perfect. Even though we're new creations in Christ, we're still sinful creatures by nature (Romans 3:23). Sinful impulses and temptations are an unfortunate part of life. Even the Apostle Paul struggled with sinful temptations (Romans 7:14-25). What he says in Romans 7:15 might sound a bit familiar:
“I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate.”
Thankfully, we've been justified and redeemed by God's grace (Romans 3:24). We've been saved from eternal separation from God (1 Timothy 2:3-6). So we, as new creations, no longer need to live in fear of eternal punishment for our sins.
Though we can be assured that our "old self" and old ways will never ever be counted against us again (Romans 8:1), all Christians still struggle to control their sinful impulses. Anyone who says they never struggle with sin is lying (1 John 1:8).
We may want to do the right thing, but the lure of sin can be so strong that resistance seems impossible (James 1:14). But that's where we're wrong. We can fight it because we're new creations in Christ (James 4:7).
New Creations Have Better Choices
“My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
Without Christ, we're slaves to sinful temptations (Ephesians 2:1; Colossians 2:13). Without Christ, we have little reason to silence our self-righteous claims, our prideful self-promotion, our weak self-justification, or avoid our inevitable self-destruction (Romans 2:6-8).
If you're a follower of Jesus, you no longer have to sin. You're no longer condemned to always giving in. You have a choice!
With Christ, we can choose to either run to sin or turn away from it. With Christ, we are considered perfect (like Him) so that we may enter Heaven (John 10:9; John 14:6). With Christ, we are alive as new creations.
The Responsibility of Being New
“God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin.”
Yes, you will still sin, but the goal is to resist willful sin (Romans 6:1-7, 11-12). Yes, temptations will come, but God promises to provide an escape route (Matthew 26:41; 1 Corinthians 10:13). Your job is to look for that escape and RUN FOR IT. And you can always ask for God's help when you feel like you just don't have the will to run away (1 John 5:14).
Being a new creation comes with a responsibility to make efforts toward perfecting our faith in this life (Ephesians 2:10). This is a process called sanctification (1 Corinthians 1:30).
The Sanctification of New Creations
“To all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.”
Sanctification is choosing to follow God's will (John 17). It's allowing sinful ways to die rather than letting them hang around (Colossians 3:9-10). It's desiring a relationship with God rather than gratifying selfish desires (Ephesians 4:22-24). It's fighting against sin rather than giving in to it (1 John 3:3-4).
To be sanctified means you'll hate your sin more and more and, as you mature in your faith, resisting sin will get easier (2 Corinthians 7:1; 1 John 1:6). Another part of you being a new creation is realizing that you have a new identity in Christ. You have power in Christ and can overcome anything—as long as you choose to fight it (Philippians 4:13).
As a new creation in Christ, you're empowered by and for Christ's righteousness. You are a wonderful, beautiful child of God. Your Heavenly Father has created you with great care and love, and He values you more than you can possibly imagine (1 John 4:9-10).