2 Cor. 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he
is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become
new.”
Over the years we have driven home the absolute
necessity of being baptized into Christ for the remission of sins (Mk. 16:16,
Acts 2:38, Acts 22:16, 1 Peter 3:21, Gal. 3:27). God alone can wash away our
sins granting forgiveness that cleanses completely. There is no doubting that
baptism is the act through which God exercises his saving power. However, I
sometimes find myself wondering if over the years we have as diligently driven
home that when someone repents and is baptized, they die to the old life they
have been living and are raised from that watery grave a new creature who walks
in newness of life (Rom 6:7). Just what is meant when we talk about “being a new
creature in Christ” or “walking in newness of life”?
Being “In Christ” denotes a very close union with
him. In fact, it is a union so close that we simply live, move and have our
being at his will (Acts 17:28). Christ becomes our source of strength (Isa.
12:2; Psalms 23, Phil. 4:6-7)). Because we love and trust him with all our
being, we are willing to change our life, our views, feelings and attachments in
whatever way or ways that may be necessary in order to comply with his will. As
a “new creature in Christ” we have given full possession of our life to him with
every member of our body being given over to him. It is no longer I that live
but Christ liveth in me (Gal. 2:20, Phil. 1:21). It is at this point that we
allow God to fill our heart, mold our thoughts and guide our life every step of
the way. He is in charge and whatever he says, we will do (John 2:5, John
14:15). This is what it means to be “in Christ” and to walk in newness of
life.
Now, walking in newness of life, we long for, seek
for, and work for a deep, abiding love for God and his word (Mark 12:30,1 Pet.
2:1-2, 2 Tim. 2:15, 2 Per. 3:18). As a “new creature” we walk each day carefully
lest we fall into sin. In Eph. 5:15, Paul calls this “walking circumspectly”
which means that we make a special effort to fortify ourselves against the
snares of the devil who lies in wait around every corner (1 Pet. 5:8, 2
Pet.4-11). We cannot walk as do foolish people of the world indulging ourselves
in sinful pleasures and desires (1 John 2:15-17, Gal. 5:19-21). With all my
heart, I believe the rule for walking in newness of life is found I the words of
Col. 3:1-2, “Seek those things above”, “Set your affections on things above not
on things on earth” (Matt. 6:19-21).
Charles
Hicks
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