◄ What Does Colossians 3:11 Mean? ►

By faith in Christ, we have been renewed. We have been made a new creation. Indeed, the differences between the old creation in Adam and the new creation in Christ is astounding. The former creation is dead in trespasses and sin. The latter creation is born again of the Spirit of God.

The first creation lies in the evil one, is at enmity with God, and is enslaved by the law of sin and death... while the second creation is positioned in Christ. The new creation has been reconciled to the Father and enjoys the freedom of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, our Saviour.

The old creation are sons of disobedience who walk in carnality and indulge in the lusts of the flesh, while the new creation have put on the new man and are being daily renewed in knowledge and understanding by means of the indwelling Spirit of Christ - and we are daily being conformed into the image and likeness of Him Who created us.

The 'old man' refers to the unregenerate, sin nature, while the 'new man in Christ' refers to our new, born-again position as children of God in this Church dispensation. Every member of humanity is born into the old creation, but only those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, are part of the new creation and become a member of the 'one new man in Christ'.

Before the Cross, Israel were God's chosen people who were to bring the Gentile nations to God. They were chosen to be God's witnesses to the world, and through them was to be born the Saviour of the world. However, salvation was not automatically credited to Israelites simply because of their earthly parentage, but by their faith in God. They were not redeemed by being born an Israelite, but by faith in God. Like Abraham, those who believed God's Word were created with righteousness.

Before the Cross however, for a Gentile to be saved required them become a Jewish proselyte and participate in all the Jewish customs and laws. Any pagans who believed in the God of Israel, were to renounce their nationality, become proselytes, and follow the Levitical legal system of Israel - their rights, rituals, practices, procedures, feasts days and fast days.

Both before and after the Cross, salvation is by grace through faith and righteousness is credited to ALL who believe God's Word... but before the Cross, there was a distinct difference between Jew and Gentile, the circumcised and the uncircumcised. Gentiles were to become Jewish proselytes. The uncircumcised were to be circumcised.

Today in this Church age, there is no Levitical system - no rituals to follow, no religious practices to perform, no compulsory feast day or other legal requirements in which to engage... all who believe God's Word and trust in His only begotten Son for the forgiveness of sins, are not only saved by God's grace and declared righteous before Him, but ALSO have become part of a new creation, where the OLD nature was crucified with Christ and we have received a NEW nature - Christ's own perfect nature - His own resurrected life. ALL things have become NEW.

Not only have we been declared righteous by faith but also we have been given the indwelling Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, which has set us free from enslavement to the old sin nature and freed us from the power of sin in our daily lives. We have been made NEW.

We have been renewed by faith and not by adopting a religious system. We are clothed with a new spiritual life by faith and not by works, and begin a process whereby we are being transformed into the image and likeness of Jesus Christ, Himself. We have been clothed with a new self, simply by faith which is being remoulded and remade into an increasingly fuller knowledge of Christ so that we become like Him Who created us.

Because of this astonishing and astounding truth, no matter who we are, whether Jew or Gentile, we are all the same in God's eyes. Every believer in Christ has undergone a spiritual renewal in which there is no distinction whatsoever between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, for Christ is all - and His Spirit is within us all. We are ONE New Body - a new creation in Christ.

Although we retain many earthy distinctions regarding our race, nationality, position, colour etc, as members of His Body we are ONE new man - and Christ is all in all.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the truth of Your Word. Thank You that old things have passed away and all things have become new in Christ. Thank You that I have been transferred from the kingdom of Satan into the kingdom of Your dear Son, by faith in Him. Thank You that the old, cursed creation has been replaced by a new, perfect creation in Christ and that by faith in Him, I have been transferred from the old creation to the new and am being renewed daily, spirit, soul, and body, until I stand face to face with Jesus, my Rock and my Redeemer. May I live my new life in spirit and truth to Your praise and glory. In Jesus' name, AMEN.