06/11/08

The Old and New Creature

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

Have you heard of the Old Creature and the New Creature? Both of these are there in you and me. The Old Creature is the one that lived the life according to the world, the life centered on fulfilling one's carnal desires. A life that was self centered, always thinking only about I, me and mine. Trying more and more to satisfy one-self with the luxuries and pleasures of the flesh.

Then came within us a new being - the New Creature when we met Christ, who's ways and priorities are totally opposite to the Old Creature, one who wants to be like Christ. Living one's life according to God's purpose, for His people and His glory.

Does the Old Creature immediately go away forever? No.

Now starts the battle within us. The battle between the Old Creature and the New Creature and the one seat that is with is - our heart. Who remains in us depends on who sits on the seat long enough to tire the other person to leave forever. To get the Old Creature to sit, we need to just entertain our carnal desires, our fleshy needs. But to make the New Creature be seated we need to be in Christ. Being in Christ means to imitate Christ, live a life like Christ. Keep Christ in you and you can tire the Old Creature so much that one day he will leave forever. When we do this we kind of nail the Old Creature to the cross to be dead and never to return.

Remember even after the Old Creature leaves, he keeps peeping to see if he can come back, so be on your guard - be in Christ.


[ Prayer Starter ]

Lord, I thank You for the New Creature in me. Holy Spirit, You are my Helper, help me to keep the New Creature in me always seated in my heart, living the way of Christ. Help me nail the Old Creature to the cross, to tire him so much that he leaves forever never to come back. I ask this in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference Scripture ]

2 Corithians 5:14-20
14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others. (All rights are with God)