Christian Author and Pastor Ron Craig
Before we get to the meat of today’s lesson, I need to ask a very important question. Why do human beings (even many Christians) automatically question the plain truths of many Bible passages? It is as though they are programmed to automatically take sides against God’s indisputable Word even before they give it an honest hearing. How many church members believe that 2 Corinthians 5:17 describes them? That they are new creatures in Christ? Colossians 2:20 addresses that very mindset: “Since you died with Christ [Romans 6:6] from the basic principles of this world [system], why are you subjecting yourselves to the regulations [of the old system of which you used to be a part, but are now no longer a part]?” In other words, you are still acting like you did when you were part of that broken system, even though God’s Word says that you are new creatures in Christ.
I have said it before, but I need to say it again: Salvation is not a blessing God adds to our old life, but instead an exchange of our old life for new life in Christ. Obviously, that life-changing Bible Truth has not come to the attention of most believers. Not only was and is the world system broken (the religious system too), but we being part of that system were broken. The only way to fix the broken system is to fix the broken people who make up the broken system. The same is true concerning the religious system, because broken people make up both broken systems. Does that not make good Bible sense? So, if we see ourselves as still broken, what do we believe we received when we received Christ? Christ’s physical body was broken on that cross (1 Corinthians 11:24), but He never intended for His body now on earth (the church—Colossians 1:24) to be broken in spirit or body—By Whose wound you were healed (1 Peter 2:24).
His brokenness healed our brokenness. In whatever way we were broken, He was broken that our brokenness might be healed—restored to wholeness in every way. The word rendered NEW in 2 Corinthians 5:17-18 is the Greek “kainos,” meaning “a new species,” “unheard of,” “fresh.” Look it up in Strong’s Concordance. Do you see yourself as a fresh new species? A creature that did not exist before? That is what the Bible calls each of us who are in Christ. That does not mean that no Christian existed before we did, but that every one of us Christians is one of those brand new creatures through our identification with Christ in His crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection. On the cross, Jesus Christ identified with us in every nook and cranny of our troubled life, for the God–planned purpose of our identifying with Jesus Christ in every nook and cranny of His victory over all of the troubles in our lives. Christ clothed Himself with our every flaw (sin and its resulting curses) so that we could, and would, clothe ourselves with His victory over all those flaws. Such is what redemption is all about—victory in all areas of our lives where we had defeat before. If all this seems strange to your ears, that proves the point I made at the front of the article. Let us unstrange the Bible!
(If you are not a committed member of some other Christian fellowship, you are invited to visit Living Way Fellowship at 2041 County Road 73, in Killen area. From Killen, going north on US 43, turn right on County Road 73 and go 2 and 1/2 miles. We are on the right. You can’t miss the sign out front—Living Way Fellowship. Sunday 10:00 A.M., Wednesday 7:00 P.M. Ron Craig is the pastor, teacher and Christian book author. Contact us at ronwritercraig@gmail.com, or log onto our church website at www.livingwayfellowshiponline.org. While logged on our website, check out my books and audio podcasts. Wouldn’t hurt!)
