“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

II Corinthians 5:17

Many today do not know or understand: “It is the LORD God Himself which Saves the man, and He is also the One who Changes the man. A person has absolutely nothing, with actions to do in getting saved or changed to be in Christ, except repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. (Read: Acts 20:21) (“Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart. And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;” II Cor. 3:3-5) (“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”) (“For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.” I Cor. 12:13) (“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.” John 6:47) Child like faith in His precious blood for the remission of our sins. (Rom. 3:25-26)

 (“…any man be in Christ,…”) Look to the Lamb of God! Repent (change your mind and heart)(obedience to His Word is proof of a repentant heart, which is faith in His Son Jesus Christ for the remission of thy sins); you are a lost hell bound sinner who has sinned against the most Holy God. (“And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.” Luke 18:13) Realize you are no good, cannot do anything to save thyself. Look in faith to the Lamb of God, our Lord Jesus Christ who has suffered, died for our sins, and is risen from the dead. (“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Is. 53:6) (“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:” I Cor. 15:3-4) (“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:” John 11:25) Hallelujah! Amen!Christ said: (“…it is finished…”) Christ Jesus has done all which was required for mine and thine salvation. Glory to His name! Repent, believe, ask Him to save you today. He will save you and He will change you. To be (“… in Christ…”) is salvation.

 (“…he is a new creature…”) No more the same old sinful desires, miserable when we do sin. No more an enemy of God, but a child of God with love and joy unspeakable and full of glory. No more the hateful and bitter old creature, but a new creature in Christ, whom we cannot see, yet love. (“Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:” I Peter 1:8)

 (“…old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”) The old man is given a new heart. The changed old into the new man with a new heart, with new desires, with a new character, a new and different behavior and conduct. Living with new guidelines, desiring the milk of the Word of God. New type of goals and those he has around him. A workman created in Christ Jesus unto good works. (“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Eph. 2:10) (“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.” II Cor. 5:15) This is why we cannot just go off and do as we please, without being miserable, and having the Lord chastise us to bring about in us the peaceable fruits of righteousness. (“For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:” Rom. 7:22) (“Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.” Heb. 12:11)

 We ought to stand out from the crowd. We ought to be noticed as different and weird to this world. Being falsely accused of evil, yet full of good works. (“Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” Titus 2:14)