A NEW CREATURE

by Bob Craig

“If any man be in Christ Jesus, he is a new creature (creation)” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Man is a NEW creature inasmuch as he has been born again (anew). This does not mean that he has undergone some mysterious “better-felt-than-told” experience. It means simply that he has obeyed the gospel of Christ from a sincere heart, thus he has all his past sins forgiven and he can now have a new beginning even as he did from the first (physical) birth. At his first (physical) birth, he was a new creature without spot nor blemish. He was innocent in God’s sight. “Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3).

He reached a certain plateau of life in which he could distinguish between right and wrong. So Satan and sin entered his life and took away his contact with God. I prefer to call this a “STATE of responsibility” rather than the traditional “AGE of responsibility” because it will come at different ages in different people. Now he must be “born again” or “born anew” or “born from above.” Jesus says it MUST take place but gives no indication of the HOW in John 3:3: “Ye must be born again.” He gives a little more instruction in John 3:5: “Except a man be born of the water and of the Spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Now a person, having reached this “state of responsibility” must realize that he is guilty of sin and take on humility to the extent that the recognizes his condition and that he, himself, can do nothing to relieve himself of his guilt so he cries out “What must I do?” His teacher might say, with the apostle, “Believe on the Lord, Jesus, and thou shalt be saved.” But he is rather confused and asks, “Who art thou, Lord?” And He answers in the Book, “I am Jesus of Nazareth.” Now, he indicates that he needs even more information so he asks the question once again but this time inquires with a believing heart, “What [more] shall I do?” Then we have the Spirit’s final answer as it was revealed through the apostle Peter, “...Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ

for the remission of sins ...” (Acts 2:38).

So, with believing, penitent heart, this person comes forth from this watery grave. He is a born again

Christian, [the only kind of Christian there is] a new creature in Christ Jesus, with the attitude now that says, “Here am I, Lord, send me.”

Return to Index