2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

The only way you can really see change in your life is by the power of God.  Don’t be deceived into believing today’s “self-help gurus” that teach you are the source of change in your life.  A broken car doesn’t fix it self, nor can sinful souls heal themselves.  True change doesn’t come by simply “remodeling your life” or looking “inside of your self,” it comes from “total self-denial” and “full surrender to God!”

Jesus didn’t teach His disciples to “believe in themselves,” rather He taught them to “deny themselves, pick up their cross, and follow Him!”  Jesus also taught, “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it,” Matthew 16:24-25.

Likewise, Paul in the above passage gives the one and only way to truly change your life- come to Jesus Christ and be made a new creation.  Then for the rest of your life live in total dependence upon the Holy Spirit and obey God’s commands.

Once you accept Jesus you’re not in a life long process of “inner-remodeling,” but rather maintaining the “complete spiritual-renovation” that you received when you were born again and made completely new.  In other words, after a person is made a new creation they don’t have to keep trying to change themselves anymore- but rather they are to simply allow the new life they’ve been given to grow and flourish.

Think of being made a new creation like going from being a weed to a grape vine.  The vine is not the weed anymore because by its very nature it is totally different.  Then think of sin and bad habits as weeds that try to grow along side of the vine and steal its life.  However, a good gardener will come and remove the weeds whenever he sees them.  And if the weeds affect any of the vines and they become unfruitful, he prunes them so the vine can always be healthy and able to produce good fruit.

The same is true in the Christian’s life.  Once you are born again you are a new creature- you are no longer a sinner (weed) but are a righteous child of God (grape vine).  When you are tempted to sin and go back to your old ways (like weeds trying to grow in the vineyard) God will remove them from your life- if you allow Him to.  And if you do sin and evil takes root in your heart- He will cut it out and make you whole again when you repent.

Therefore, ask God to change every part of you by making you new and let Him keep you holy- without blemish!  You were created to be a beautiful branch in the grape vine of God, John 15:1-10.

Reflection

Do you really believe when God makes a person new, they are actually made 100% new?

Action

  1. Be born again and made a new creation if you haven’t already.
  2. Repent of any sins or disobedience in your life and ask God to daily “lead you not into temptation, but deliver you from evil.”
  3. By the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, live according to the new life God has given you.