The New Creature
A friend and I were discussing the sad condition of many a church today. It is in sad times we live when we cannot even recommend anywhere for the new convert, which happened to be the main topic of our conversation. It is worse still when leaders are content with the way things are. But then our focus was shifted on the new creature and what this life looks like! I believe Horatious Bonar sums up the differences wonderfully. He paints a beautifully balanced description of both. I cannot do it justice so will quote it here for you. Enjoy!
“Take yon member of the church. He wears the garb and bears the name of Christ. He is a fair average specimen of a large class. He has the profession of being a Christian yet he is fond of the world! He grasps at its gold. He loves its fashionable gaiety. He reads his novels. He frequents its haunts of amusements. He enjoys its company. He relishes its foolish talking and jesting. Is he a new creature in Christ Jesus? Is it possible that with so much worldliness, so much selfishness, so much self-indulgence, so much pleasing of the flesh, he can have been born again whatever his profession may be?Sin has become hateful. Holiness has become supremely attractive.
A new creature then, old feelings, old habits, old tastes, old hopes, old joys, old sorrows, old haunts, old companionships are all gone. Old things have passed away. All things have become new. Formally I sought the things of this world, so now by the necessity of my new nature I seek the things above. Sin has become hateful. Holiness has become supremely attractive. My vision has been purged so that now I see everything as with a new eye. The evil with an eye which loathes it. The holy with an eye which loves it. I approach everything with new feelings, new tastes, new sympathies, new antipathies. I behold everything in a new light and from a new point of view. My self, this world, the world to come, God, Christ and the everlasting joys. All these are to me now what they have never been before. My whole inner man has changed, respecting them. There has been a new creation. What then have I to do with sin? With the flesh? With the vanities of so vain a life as the men of this world are leading? Oh, the unimaginable blessedness of those on whom this new creation has taken place. Oh the unutterable, the endless misery on whom no change has passed in whom old things still remain.”
How amazing is this creative miracle! How amazing is Gods sovereign grace!
A new creature then, old feelings, old habits, old tastes, old hopes, old joys, old sorrows, old haunts, old companionships are all gone. Old things have passed away. All things have become new. Formally I sought the things of this world, so now by the necessity of my new nature I seek the things above. Sin has become hateful. Holiness has become supremely attractive. My vision has been purged so that now I see everything as with a new eye. The evil with an eye which loathes it. The holy with an eye which loves it. I approach everything with new feelings, new tastes, new sympathies, new antipathies. I behold everything in a new light and from a new point of view. My self, this world, the world to come, God, Christ and the everlasting joys. All these are to me now what they have never been before. My whole inner man has changed, respecting them. There has been a new creation. What then have I to do with sin? With the flesh? With the vanities of so vain a life as the men of this world are leading? Oh, the unimaginable blessedness of those on whom this new creation has taken place. Oh the unutterable, the endless misery on whom no change has passed in whom old things still remain.”
How amazing is this creative miracle! How amazing is Gods sovereign grace!
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
2 Corinthians 5:17
Comments
This post reminds me of the declared state of the regenerate. They are those who are indwelt by the Spirit of Christ and therefore, it should be expected that, they will love righteousness and hate iniquity. If we have been "made partakers of the divine nature", it only follows that there should be a family resemblance.