A New Creation - Hope in Christ

Sep 22

2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us we *are* a new creation. Yet how do we “put off” our old self of doubt, worry, fear, anxiety, selfishness, and self-pity and “put on” our new self of hope, joy, peace, strength, holiness, and endurance (Ephesians 4:22-24)? By turning to God, confessing where we went wrong, praying for His help and work in our hearts, and renewing our minds in His Word.

As some of you may know, this past weekend I attended a conference from the Center for Biblical Counseling and Discipleship. As preparation for the second year of the conference, those of us from the church going through this process read books from the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors approved list and watched videos of reenacted counseling sessions. One of the books I read was In the Aftermath: Past the Pain of Childhood Sexual Abuse by Pamela Gannon and Beverly Moore3, and many of the Scripture references and thoughts of this post came from or were inspired by this book.

With all of this preparation, combined with facing fears of rejection and failure by releasing my first song, recent months have felt a bit like being wrung out. It has been, in many ways, a difficult time. But more than that, I see the fruit from the renewing of my mind and the ongoing sanctification through the working of the Holy Spirit and in studying God’s Word.

I wanted to write a Part II to my previous post, God’s Strength in Weakness, which deals with how to endure in suffering by finding strength in God and His Word, and knowing that He works all things to the good of those who love Him so that we may glorify Him and become more like Christ (Romans 8:28-29). Our stories do not end in suffering, but in the authoritative and finished work of Christ! We are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) and now walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4).

This is a reality that many of us know intellectually in our minds, but not always in our "lebab”, which is a Hebrew term for our “inner man, mind, will, heart, soul, understanding”2. How do we “put off” our old self of doubt, worry, fear, anxiety, selfishness, and self-pity and “put on” our new self of hope, joy, peace, strength, holiness, and endurance (Ephesians 4:22-24)? By turning to God, confessing where we went wrong, praying for His help and work in our hearts, and renewing our minds in His Word.

Scripture to Contemplate

Hebrews 12:7-11 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

John 8:32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Ephesians 4:22-24 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

Romans 6:4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Romans 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

2 Corinthians 1:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.

Applying the Scripture

As we begin to be conformed more and more into the image of Jesus through seeking God and turning to His Word in our experiences, our vision turns outward from ourselves. We are filled with God’s love (by loving Him with all our heart, soul, and mind, Matthew 22:37), and as a result, that love pours out of us into a desire to love and serve others. We see that our suffering, our trials, and even confrontation with our sin serve a purpose bigger than ourselves and our desires. We see ultimate fulfillment in God that surpasses anything we could ever want or hope for, and the peace and joy that come from this fulfillment inspires us to share that hope, peace, and joy with others.

No matter what we may be going through, no matter how horrid our past may be, no matter what good desires we want but aren’t receiving, we have fellowship with our loving, compassionate, and kind God who will always be there. We have the hope that we are being made holy, as He is holy, that one day our suffering will end, and we will experience the full joy of worshipping our great and good God as a new and complete creation.

Focus & Memory Verse

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Newness of Life

No longer am I bound to the past

nor the patterns of its constructs

Old thoughts, and feelings, and strongholds

I once held fast in believing

are rent

cast afar

burned away.

The old is made new

my garments whiter than snow

Only because of You

Jesus, only because of You.

Now may I sing a new song!

Now may I rejoice!

Now may I seek to know more

the love that saved me

from the dark.

Now the prisoner is set free!

Now the life restored!

So that eternal peace

in praise with the saints

in Your glorious presence,

Now awaits for me!

Now I am made new!

Only because of You

Jesus, only because of You.

Father, I thank You for this blessed truth

I pray You guide me,

as I walk with You

in this newness of life.

Help me seek You and love You

with all my might

so I may love

all that is precious in Your sight.

Thank you, Jesus

that You would not leave me to die

in the darkness

but have given me light.

References:

Radmacher, Earl D., et al. The Nelson Study Bible: New King James Version. T. Nelson Publishers, 1997.
“Lebab Meaning in Bible - Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon - New American Standard.” Biblestudytools.com, https://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/hebrew/nas/lebab.html.
Gannon, Pamela, and Beverly Moore. In the Aftermath: Past the Pain of Childhood Sexual Abuse. Focus Publishing, 2017.