“If any man be in Christ, he is a new creation: old things have passed away; Behold, all things are become new.”
—2 Corinthians 5:17
WHAT IS THE Biblical definition of a Christian? Is it someone who has been baptized? Is it someone who has taken the Lord’s Supper? Is it someone who has their name written in a church membership role? The answer to these questions is emphatically no. To be sure, a Christian participates in all these things, but these are not the definition of a Christian. Undoubtedly there will be numerous people in Hell who have done all these things (Matthew 25). A Christian is a person who has been brought into a spiritual, saving union with Jesus Christ, and because of this union there is a change not only in the sinner’s status before God, but there is also a change of the sinner’s nature. If any man be in Christ, then an inward change has occurred, which necessarily produces new outward actions.
THE PASSING FROM old to new is in the perfect tense in the Greek, which means a past action with continuing results, and the action is God working in us. Philippians 2:13, “For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” Moment by moment, the Lord is conforming His redeemed people into the image of His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:29). In other words, this radical change is not temporary, but permanent, unchangeable, and progressive. The Gospel that was once foolish is now seen as precious and beautiful. Our old focus and love was upon the ways of this world, but now those things have passed away and the Christian, as a new creature in Christ, has a new love for things that please the Lord. The new creature has a new mind (thinking), new will (desires), and new affections (emotions). He is now being transformed by the renewing of his mind by the Word and Spirit of God (Rom. 12:2).
2 CORINTHIANS 5:15 SAYS, “that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.” The old that is passed away is that life centered in our sinful pride, which seeks to please only self. The new has come; we now live unto God and look out for the interests of others (Eph. 4:28). And the old is continually passing away and the new is continually coming throughout the new life in Christ. That’s a Christian. He’s a new creature in Christ; he believes God’s promises in God’s Word. He trusts that Jesus is his forgiveness, righteousness, reconciliation, holiness, justification, sanctification, and glorification before the throne of God (1 Cor. 1:30).
ARE YOU A CHRISTIAN? Are you a new creation in Jesus? Do you trust Christ as your Priest? Do you trust that He has atoned for all your sins? Do you hear His Word as your Prophet? Is it manifested in the way you live? Do you obey Christ as your King? Do you think biblically? Do you love, serve, and forgive other believers? Is your life different from the ways of this fallen, rebellious, God-hating world? I am not talking about a practically perfect life. The Bible does not teach practical perfection in the Christian life. However, it does teach a new practical direction in life. All things that once were dead before regeneration have come alive in the believer’s soul. Love for God, Christ, the Word, the Church, holiness, righteousness, sanctification, etc. have come alive to the believer. “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” Is this a living and growing reality in your life? Are old ways of living, thinking, and speaking passing away and all things becoming new? If so, then you are eternally blessed in Christ! Give God the praise and glorify Him by faithfully living the new life in Christ.
BUT IF THIS is not a reality in your life –if you still think, speak, and live like the ungodly culture then RUN to JESUS! Call upon Him! Flee to Him! “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
Friday Devotional: June 20, 2025
In Christ,
Pastor S. Henry
