As you all know, the New Year is upon us. The entrance of the New Year is an exciting moment for most people, and I think this is because we look forward to and anticipate having new experiences. We look at the New Year as a fresh start on life, and we somehow feel that this coming year is going to be a whole lot better than the last one. We’re leaving the past behind and looking ahead to a brighter future.
We feel that maybe we failed at dieting last year, but this year we’ll succeed at losing those fifty pounds. We feel that maybe we didn’t get that raise that we wanted last year because we didn’t impress the boss, but this year we’ll do a whole lot better at our job. In our spiritual life we might feel as though we failed in setting aside time to read God’s Word and pray, but we’re certain that we’ll succeed this year.
New Years is a time of new beginnings, and we all get excited about new things! A great many of us see this New Year as a new start on life, and as a joyous thing; however, this morning I want to speak to you about another kind of new beginning and another kind of fresh start. I want to talk about something that’s a whole lot more exciting than a New Year. I want to speak to you about receiving a brand new life. More specifically, I want to talk about receiving a brand new spiritual life as a child of God!
We get really excited when we think about gaining a fresh start on life, but what if I told you that you could do something greater than just improve your physical life? What if I told you that you could be transformed into a new creation? That would be exciting news, amen? Well, the Bible tells us that we can indeed become a new creation, and I want to share that awesome news with you right now!
A Spiritual Metamorphosis (v. 17)
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
In verse 17, we see a wonderful promise made: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” So, we see here that if we’re “in” Christ we will receive newness of life. But what does it mean to be “in” Christ? If you are in Christ, then you’re a Christian. The word “Christian,” though, is not a title for a certain belief system that you possibly held since you were a child, and it’s not a word that means someone who goes to church once a week. It’s someone who tries to live his life as though he was actually an extension of Christ Himself.
The word Christian means, “little Christ,” and it denotes oneness with Christ Jesus. It is someone who lives his entire life for Jesus. Go back to verse 15, and you’ll see where it says, “He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.” Therefore, if you call yourself a Christian, then remember that you’re someone who’s supposed to be living your entire life for Jesus and not for yourself. So how is this done?
According to Romans 6:3-5, being “in” Christ is becoming as one with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. It’s doing as the apostle Paul said in Galatians 2:20 when he declared, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” A Christian is a person who has crucified his flesh or his sinful nature; or rather, he has “put it aside” in order that he be raised, or resurrected, into newness of life with Christ Jesus.
The way that we crucify the sinful nature is to admit to God that we’re living in sin, for Romans 3:23 says that “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” We must then ask forgiveness for our sins and admit that we believe that Jesus Christ paid the penalty for our sins when He died on the cross. We must also believe that Jesus rose from the grave in order to conquer the sin and death that has been reigning in our life. If we do these things, according to Romans 10:9, we will be saved.
When we’re saved, it means that we’ve been rescued from the death of sin. If we will confess our sin, then according to Job 33:25-26, our “flesh shall be young like a child’s” and we “shall return to the days of [our] youth.” If we’ll just allow Christ to forgive us of our sins, and then start living our life for Him, then we’ll be transformed into a new creation in a spiritual sense.
Jesus told Nicodemus that he must be “born again” in order to enter the kingdom of God (John 3:3), and then He said to him, “That which is born of flesh is flesh, and that which is born of spirit is spirit” (John 3:6). Jesus was revealing to Nicodemus that this new birth is to be found in the spiritual sense. When we identify ourselves with Jesus, and become “in” Christ, then we spiritually become a new creation. Therefore, those who are “in” Christ, or those who have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior, are spiritually made anew and reborn.
Now, we’ve been referring to the phrase “a new creation,” so what is a new creation? “The Greek word used here is ktisis. If anyone has dedicated him or herself to Christ, [then] that person is a new ktisis. The two major meanings of [this word] are: 1.) the act of creation, or 2.) the thing created or the creation itself . . . 2 Corinthians 5:17 thus means that when someone has decided to dedicate their life to Jesus, [then] Jesus begins a new ‘act of creation’ in their life. They are not merely reformed or rehabilitated. No, they are recreated – they become a brand new person from within, and they begin a brand new life.”(1) A new Christian is recreated in a similar manner as a caterpillar is recreated into a beautiful butterfly. They undergo a spiritual metamorphosis, so to speak.
Think about a caterpillar for a moment. A caterpillar is a prickly, lazy bug, working hard to go no where. Little boys try to squash them with their tennis shoes, and little girls will sometimes run away screaming when they see one. However, something very amazing happens that becomes a picture of God’s grace. In what is known as the chrysalis period a thick film covers the caterpillar and a chemical reaction changes the very make-up of the creature. And very soon a butterfly can be seen within which eventually emerges and spreads its wings and begins to kick off its old life and begin its new one.
This life cycle is known as metamorphosis, and Christians undergo a similar change. Once we were useless caterpillars, but in an instant the Holy Spirit comes into the cocoon of our hearts and begins a spiritual metamorphosis, and the end result is a beautiful work of God that can fly to new heights and have limitless potential in changing its surroundings.(2)
When we’re made into a new creation we receive a new destiny. Remember, back in verse 15, Paul said that we should no longer live for ourselves. Did you ever stop to realize that a caterpillar is of no help to those around it? It doesn’t eat other pests. It only drinks sap from trees and plants, and it lives a self-centered life. God can take our flawed life and make it into something useful and meaningful. He can give us a purpose in living for Him.
We are also able to overcome the obstacles of life much easier when we become a new creation in Christ. When a caterpillar encounters a large boulder in the road it will either have to turn around, or walk around it. But in his new life as a butterfly he looks at the boulder or the rock as a nice landing pad to get a better view of where he wants to go next in life, and he can now fly over and beyond his old obstacles. God wants you to fly from yesterday’s failures and tomorrows fears.
We also receive a new identity when we are transformed into a new creation in Christ. The birds that once ate the caterpillar don’t even recognize the butterfly that shares the skies with them. The caterpillar takes on a new identity, a new beginning, and a fresh start.(3)
If you get excited when you hear about new things, then becoming a new creation in Christ ought to get your feet to dancing and your hands to clapping this morning! At the beginning of each New Year we often become excited when we think of starting over and getting another chance to make things right from the previous year. When we accept Jesus into our heart, not only is the previous year made right; but also, our entire life is rewritten. Our slate is wiped clean and we can begin anew. We’re often excited to start a new dieting program, but wouldn’t you agree that Jesus is a whole lot more exciting than dieting?
And when we make a New Year’s resolution, even though we’re somewhat excited about it, we also secretly dread it because we’re afraid of failing. We are afraid that we can’t accomplish what we set out to do. But when we set out to give our life to Christ, it’s not up to us to remove the sin and transform ourselves, but Jesus did all the work of transforming our life. He’s the one who did the hard part when He took away our sin by dying on the cross for each of us.
Becoming a new creation in Jesus is something to hope in and look forward to; and if you’ve not accepted Christ as your personal Lord and Savior this morning, then at the end of this message I want to encourage you to walk the aisle and pray to receive Him into your heart and life. Put away your former life of sin and become a new creation in Christ Jesus this very day.
The Ministry of Reconciliation (vv. 18-19)
18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
Verse 18 tells us that we’ve been “reconciled” to God through Jesus Christ. Isaiah 59:2 tells us that our sin results in separation from God. However, through Christ we are put in right standing with God. In Ephesians 2:1, Paul said that we were formerly dead in our trespasses, meaning that before we received Christ we were dead in our sins. Remember, Romans 6:23 tells us that “the wages [or penalty] of sin is death.”
We were dead in our trespasses or sins, but verse 19 tells us that our Lord did not “impute” our trespasses to us. That word “impute” means “to charge” or “to attribute.”(4) God won’t charge us with the penalty of our sins if we’ll accept Jesus into our heart. This is because Jesus took the penalty of our sins (which is death) upon Himself when He died on the cross for you and me. This is something about which we should shout for joy! News like this is much more exciting than the entrance of a New Year! Amen?
Verses 18-19 reemphasize verse 15, which says that “that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.” We’re reconciled to God when we receive Christ into our heart, and because we’ve been given this wondrous gift we’re obligated to “pay it forward.” This is where living for Jesus actually comes into play. We live for Jesus by sharing with others the reconciliation with God that they too can find in Christ. We’re to share with others how they too can be transformed into a new creation.
This is our spiritual duty and responsibility as believers, or new creations in Christ, for Jesus said in Matthew 28:19-20, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.” This is the Great Commission, and we’re commanded hereby to share the love of Christ with the entire world. The wondrous joy that we’ve found in becoming a new creation in Christ is something that we should be excited to share with others! So, go tell someone how they too can become a new creation.
From Insignificance to Ambassador (v. 20)
20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.
One of the things that some people might hope for in the New Year is a new job. We might want to feel the excitement that comes from a more significant occupation, the feeling of prestige and importance. We would love to leave our mundane job and do something that has an eternal impact.
For those of us who receive Jesus into our heart, we’re not only transformed into a new creation, but we’re given a new job. We’re given responsibility and significance, as we become ambassadors for Christ. As one of Christ’s new creations, we move from insignificance to significance. We’re transformed and we become valuable in the eyes of God. How would you like to receive a new job this New Year’s, a job with eternal weight? If you’ll accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, then you’ll become His ambassador.
“What is an ambassador? He is an authorized representative of a sovereign. He speaks not in his own name but on behalf of the ruler whose deputy he is, and his whole duty and responsibility is to interpret that ruler’s mind faithfully to those to whom he is sent.”(5) If you’ll recall, each passage that we’ve seen this morning has been emphasizing how we’re to live no longer for ourselves but for Jesus. We now live for King Jesus as His royal ambassador.
When we’re changed into a new creation and begin sharing with others how they too can receive this same transformation, then we become an ambassador for Christ. And part of our job responsibility is to implore people to be reconciled unto God. When we implore people we “urge” them, “plead” with them, or “beg” them even, for that is what the word means. And this should be no problem for us, because the news that we have to share is the most exciting news ever given to mankind; the news that individuals can be made right with God, become a new creation, and be given a purpose with eternal significance!
Jesus Made It All Possible (v. 21)
21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
All the wonderful benefits we receive could not be possible if it weren’t for the great sacrifice made by the Son of God. The Lord made His only Son Jesus to become sin for us. Jesus bore the penalty for our sins when He died on the cross. He took on the sins of the entire world and became sin. He temporarily became as unrighteous before God because of the sin that He bore, and He received the punishment of sin, which is death, in order that we might be the ones to be seen as righteous in the eyes of God.
Jesus was deformed that we might be transformed. He became despised and rejected that we might be made anew. Remember though, the benefits that people receive from His sacrificial death, are obtained only by believing that Jesus Christ truly died for us, and by believing that He arose from the grave in order to conquer sin and death on our behalf (Romans 10:9-10). If we accept His sacrifice, then we’ll become the righteousness of God in Christ.
Time of Reflection
As I stated at the beginning of this message, New Year’s is seen as a time of change and a time of renewal. If you’re hoping that things will change in your life, and you get easily excited by new things, then give your heart to God and you won’t be able to contain your joy! Give your life to Jesus Christ and you’ll be forgiven of your sins, be made into a new creation, be moved from insignificance to significance, and you’ll be given a brand new and exciting job as an ambassador for Christ. A New Year can’t ever compare to the newness of life that we find in Jesus!
NOTES
(1) Rocco Naudé, “A New Beginning,” taken from the Internet December 2003 at http://www.sermoncentral.com.
(2) Ryan Johnson, “A New Way To A New You,” taken from the Internet December 2003 at http://www.sermoncentral.com.
(3) Ibid.
(4) Noah Webster, “Impute,” 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language (San Francisco: Foundation for American Christian Education, 2002).
(5) James Packer, Your Father Loves You (Harold Shaw Publishers, 1986).
