The Condition Is To Be In Christ

                         

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (2 Corinthians 5:17). Continue...

The above scripture is God’s announcement and unveiling of the new man through the Apostle Paul. Let's analyse the verse carefully. First, it says “if any man be in Christ…,” which means “anybody,” irrespective of who he is, once in Christ, is a new creation. The environment of the new man is Christ. Notice it doesn’t say, “He will be a new creation,” or “He shall be a new creation”; rather, it says, “…he is a new creation….” This isn’t a promise; it's a statement of fact.

The word “is” is a “now” verb, showing a present-hour occurrence or reality. If you’re in Christ, you're a new creation NOW. You’re not a reworked, renewed, or refurbished creation; you were born anew, without a past! You’ve been baptized into the body of Christ, by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13). It makes no difference whether or not you feel so. This is God’s picture of you; this is His declaration about you: you’re a new creation in Christ.

Your human spirit, through faith in Christ Jesus, has been recreated, and you're now the righteousness of God in Him. As a result, you can now stand boldly in God’s presence without guilt, inferiority or condemnation, because you have the same life and nature with Him; you’re born of His Spirit (John 3:6). 1 John 4:17 says, “…as he is, so are we in this world”; you’re not going to be like Him, you're already like Him, and you’re in Him, and He’s in you. Together, you’re one divine creation. Blessed be God!

Confession

I’m a new creation; old things are passed away, and all things are new in me! I’m an heir of God, and joint-heir with Christ. I’ve been freely and gratuitously justified to have right standing with God, by His grace, which was bestowed on me in Christ Jesus. Glory to God forever more!

Further Study:

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

Galatians 3:27-29 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Extract From: Rhapsody of Realities, 24/11/2014.