The New Creature In Christ

by

Ellis P. Forsman

The New Creature In Christ 1

 The New Creature In Christ

by

Ellis P. Forsman

October 15, 2011

The New Creature In Christ 2

 The New Creature In Christ
2 Cor. 5:17

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.”
The student of human nature needs only to look about him to see the
defilement and corruption of humanity. He has only to survey the evil
purposes of the heart to cause him to say with Isaiah (Isa. 53:6), “All we
like sheep have gone astray ...”, and with Paul (Rom. 3:23), “For all have
sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”
Thus we see that man must undergo some radical and vital change
before he can properly be called a Christian. His relationship to God,
Christ, and the Holy Spirit must be changed before he can scripturally
wear the honorable name of Christian.
This change is a translation from Satan’s kingdom into Christ’s
kingdom.
Col. 1:13-14, “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and
hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have
redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:”
Jesus calls it a conversion and a new birth.
• Matt. 18:3, “And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted,
and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of
heaven.”
• John 3:3-5, “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say
unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of
God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is
old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be
born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man
be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of
God.”
In the text it is represented as becoming a new creature.
What constitutes this change?

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 The old man is put off.
Eph. 4:22-24, “That ye put off concerning the former conversation the
old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed
in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God
is created in righteousness and true holiness.”

What is the old man?

That “which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts.”
The old man is crucified.
Gal. 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but
Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith
of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
The old man is buried.
• Rom. 6:3-4, “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into
Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried
with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up
from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should
walk in newness of life.”
• Col. 2:12, “Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen
with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised
him from the dead.”
Is the dead man or the live man buried in the physical death?
Which should be buried in the spiritual sense?
Paul makes the burial significant of one thing and the resurrection
significant of another. The burial symbolizes the death — the death to
sin. The resurrection symbolizes a life — a life to righteousness. The
dead man (dead to sin) is not raised; neither is the live man (alive to
righteousness) buried.

The new creature is raised.

Rom. 6:3-4, “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into
Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with
him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead
by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”
No part of the old man should be raised. The children of God are holy,
and the children of the devil are unholy. An unholy child of God would be
as absurd as a holy child of the devil.

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 Rom. 6:12, “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye
should obey it in the lusts thereof.”
Many try to become a new creature and hold on to the old man, but
such is not only unreasonable, but it is contrary to the scriptures.
• Isa. 35:8, “And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be
called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it
shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err
therein.”
• Rom. 12:9, “Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is
evil; cleave to that which is good.”
• 1 Cor. 3:16-17, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that
the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of
God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which
temple ye are.”
• Rev. 21:27, “And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that
defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie:
but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”

The new man must be put on.

Gal. 3:27, “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have
put on Christ.”
Paul said in Gal. 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live;
yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: ...”
The mystery of the new creation is that Christ now lives in Paul.
Through this mystical union with Christ, Paul was entirely a new man
with new ideals and purposes.
Christ now lives in him as Saviour, Example, Guide, and Master.
Hence, conversion to Christ does not paralyze men’s powers and stifle
their efforts.
Paul was as active after conversion as he was before, but previously
he was engaged in persecuting Christians; later he devoted his talents
and energies with a zeal to the cause of Christianity.

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 Since baptism is necessary
to become a new creature, what is it?
Let us get the picture presented in the Bible:
Water is involved.
Acts 8:36, “And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain
water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be
baptized?”
Much water was necessary.
John 3:23, “And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim,
because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.”
Going down into the water.
Acts 8:26-39, “And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying,
Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from
Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. And he arose and went: and,
behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace
queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had
come to Jerusalem for to worship, Was returning, and sitting in his chariot
read Esaias the prophet. Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join
thyself to this chariot. And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the
prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? And he
said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip
that he would come up and sit with him. The place of the scripture which he
read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb
dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: In his humiliation
his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for
his life is taken from the earth. And the eunuch answered Philip, and said,
I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other
man? Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and
preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on their way, they came unto a
certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder
me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart,
thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the
Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went
down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught
away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way
rejoicing.”

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 A burial and resurrection.
• Rom. 6:4, “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death:
that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the
Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”
• Col. 2:12, “Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen
with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised
him from the dead.”
Coming up out of the water.
Mark 1:9-10, “And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from
Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. And straightway
coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like
a dove descending upon him:”
What is the picture you see in reading these passages? There is water
(much water), going down into the water (a burial and resurrection), and
coming up out of the water.
The thing you saw is God’s picture of baptism.

The new creature in Christ has:

A new life.
Rom. 6:3-4, “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into
Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with
him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead
by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”
We arise from the watery grave of baptism to a new life.

A new standard.
Christ is the Christian’s standard.
• 1 Pet. 2:21, “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also
suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his
steps:”
• Phil. 2:5, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:”
As Christians we should remember that He is our standard. We are to
strive to be, and strive to lead others to be Christians.
We should determine our actions by “What would Christ do?”

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A new motive.
The new creature has had a change of heart; hence he now loves
righteousness, and hates evil.
• Rom. 12:9, “Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is
evil; cleave to that which is good.”
• Heb. 1:9, “Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity;
therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of
gladness above thy fellows.”

A new purpose.
Whatever one’s purpose in life may have been before, a Christian has
a new purpose.
Phil. 3:13, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this
one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth
unto those things which are before,”
Former purposes may have looked to selfish ends, but the new
purpose is to serve.
It now becomes more blessed to give than to receive.

A new home.
• John 14:1-3, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God,
believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it
were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive
you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”
• 2 Pet. 3:13, “Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new
heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.”
As the soldier beside his lonely campfire, thinking of home, falls
asleep and dreams of loved ones back at home; so the soldier of the cross
in the thick of the fight is encouraged to press on in the fight by the
beautiful vision of “the home over there.”

Conclusion.
You cannot claim these wonderful promises if you are not a Christian.
If you have not yet become a new creature in Christ, won’t you do it
today by your simple obedience to Christ?

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 Upon your sincere faith in Jesus Christ, repent earnestly of all your
sins, and upon a confession of your faith in Him, be buried with Him in
baptism.
Then you will be raised a new creature in Christ, to “walk in newness
of life.”

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