5    A New Creation

We are become new creatures, a new creation, a type of species that never existed before, when we are born again into Christ Jesus.  We passed from death into life, from darkness into light.  The Holy Spirit regenerated our spirit man into a new creation, baring witness to it as the Spirit of Adoption, crying Abba, Father in our hearts.


5.1    The Reconciled

Reconciliation is a legal term meaning to make peace between two parties which were at odds with each other.  Because of our sins and our old nature, we were at odds against God¹.  But God provided the means of reconciliation, the remitting price for sin, thru Jesus Christ, our Lord. 

The Greek term translated as peace in the new testament cares this meaning. That is, the Greek term is made up of two root words.  The first meaning "to have quietness or tranquillity".  The second meaning "to join".  So we have been joined to God, with quietness and tranquillity, thru the blood of Jesus Christ.

                Romans     5:1
                Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace
                with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

                Colos      1:20-22
                And, having made peace through the blood of his
                cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself;
                by him, I say, whether they be things in earth,
                or things in heaven.  And you, that were sometime
                alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works,
                yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh
                through death, to present you holy and unblameable
                and unreproveable in his sight:

                II Cor     5:17-18
                Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature:
                old things are passed away; behold, all things are
                become new.  And all things are of God, who hath
                reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath
                given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

                Gal        6:15
                For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing,
                nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.

                Eph        4:24
                And that ye put on the new man,
                which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

This is why the angels sang:

                Luke       2:14
                Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
             
Because it was God's glory, His honor, His plan of the ages, to reveal the mystery of redemption thru Jesus Christ, our Lord, bringing peace on the earth by reconciling men to Himself.  God's good will toward men.  Hallelujah!


5.2    Delivered from Darkness into Light

                Luke       1:74-75
                That he would grant unto us, that we being
                delivered out of the hand of our enemies might
                serve him without fear, In holiness and
                righteousness before him, all the days of our life.

                Gal        1:4
                Who gave himself for our sins, that he might
                deliver us from this present evil world,
                according to the will of God and our Father:

Which He granted and performed:

                II Tim     1:10
                But is now made manifest by the appearing of our
                Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death,
                and hath brought life and immortality to light
                through the gospel:

                Colos      1:13
                Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness,
                and hath translated us into the kingdom of his
                dear Son:

                Romans     6:18
                Being then made free from sin, ye became the
                servants of righteousness.

                Romans     8:2
                For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus
                hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

                I Peter    2:9
                But ye are a chosen generation, a royal
                priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people;
                that ye should shew forth the praises of him who
                hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

                Romans     6:13-14
                Neither yield ye your members as instruments of
                unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves
                unto God, as those that are alive from the dead,
                and your members as instruments of righteousness
                unto God.  For sin shall not have dominion over
                you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.


5.3    Circumcised Heart

God has given us a new heart or spirit, a circumcised heart, a heart tender towards Him and all His creatures, to love Him and His Word, Christ Jesus.

                Genesis    6:5
                ... God saw that the wickedness of man was great
                in the earth, and that every imagination of the
                thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

                Jeremiah   9:25-26
                Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I
                will punish all them which are circumcised with
                the uncircumcised... and all that are in the
                utmost corners... for all these nations are
                uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are
                uncircumcised in the heart.

                Acts       7:51
                Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and
                ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost:
                as your fathers did, so do ye.

                Deut      10:16
                Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart,
                and be no more stiffnecked.


                Ezekiel   36:25-27
                Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you,
                and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness,
                and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
                A new heart also will I give you, and a new
                spirit will I put within you: and I will take
                away the stony heart out of your flesh,
                and I will give you an heart of flesh.
                And I will put my spirit within you,
                and cause you to walk in my statutes,
                and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

                Romans     2:29
                But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly;
                and circumcision is that of the heart,
                in the spirit, and not in the letter;
                whose praise is not of men, but of God.

                Colos      2:11
                In whom also ye are circumcised with the
                circumcision made without hands, in putting off
                the body of the sins of the flesh
                by the circumcision of Christ:

Wherefore let us walk worthy of the calling and the hope that has been placed in us.  Let us walk in love toward all people, letting the love of God draw men unto Him.  Let Jesus rule and reign in you, that you may direct them onward, toward Christ Jesus, to a personal and saving relationship with the only true Lord and God.  Continue to grow in love and grace!  May your faith never fail you, but continue to renew your mind with the truth!

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Footnotes:
1. Jam 4:4

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