OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL-TUESDAY-10/05/2016-NEW LIFE IN CHRIST-BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE
Memorise
Therefore
if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all
things are become new. 2nd Corinthians 5:17
Read
1st Corinthians 6:9-11,
9 Know
ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not
deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate,
nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
10 Nor
thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall
inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And
such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are
justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
KJV
MESSAGE
Speaking about a ‘new
life’ is an indication that there has been an old one. In Christianity, when we
speak of the ‘old life’, we mean a combination of the philosophy of life and
worldview that controls the lifestyle and behaviour of a person that is not
born again. The new life in Christ however, is the new way of thinking and
doing things in accordance with the Bible that we have come to be acquainted
with since we became born again. Several passages of the Bible focus on issues
concerning the old and new life in order to help Christians identify the
sources of their thoughts and actions, whether they are remnants of the old
evil ways or from the new life in Christ. Galatians 2:20 says:
“I have been
crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I
live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave
himself for me.”
The book of Galatians devoted much effort to
explanations on the old and new life, but what the above passage says about the
old life and the new is golden. It simply says that when a person accepts Jesus
as Lord and Saviour, he automatically becomes dead to the old life, and
communication with the old life becomes cut off. Everything about the thought
process, interest, tastes, sensibilities, and the will becomes inaccessible to
the former system of control. The old password simply refuses to work because
the access code has been changed.
This event effectively marks the end on an
era called ‘the old life’, and the beginning of the new life in Jesus. 2nd
Corinthians 5:17 says;
“Therefore if any man
be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all
things are become new.”
At this
point, everything about the life we lived before we met Jesus ceases. The
control of our lives now shifts back to the original source, to the One who
gave us this free gift of new life. We naturally begin to hunger for
righteousness by pursuing purity, honesty, justice, unselfishness, love,
humility, and service to humanity. The Bible makes it clear that becoming a Christian
is much more than adopting a new philosophy of life. When a person becomes a
Christian through the right process, all phases of life are renewed. It starts
from a new mind; you instantly begin to think differently from the old ways, to
the extent that you actually become surprised at your new self. You suddenly
develop a new standard and you begin to measure everything you do in line with
the Bible. The new life in Christ also comes with a new hope of abundant life
here on earth and eternal life in heaven. People may equate hope with wishful
thinking, but real hope is based on the authority of the one offering it. God
is faithful and dependable. You can count on Him for a new life in
Christ.
Prayer Point
Father, please let the new life you gave me be refreshed every day of my
life in the Name of Jesus.
Bible in one year
2nd Kings 8:25-10:17, Proverbs 22:13-28
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