2Corinthians 5:17 (Amplified) tells us, "Therefore if any person is (ingrafted) in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether)." We, as Christians, have rarely seen ourselves the way God sees us. We've walked under the same things as before we knew Jesus. For many, it was simply because we followed tradition that was passed down from other generations, more than believing what the Word says for us.
Mankind, since Adam's fall in the Garden, has had a problem with those who are not like themselves. We've fought over traditions, cultures, races, social status and nearly everything else, because we believed our way was best. When it came to the Word of God, we didn't vary from that same thing. Each denomination though their way was the only "true" way. We mostly settled for what they told us as truth.
God intended for all of us to be Family, through the new birth, and that His family would be one the world knew nothing about. We were to be a new creation son or daughter, who never existed before on this planet. We've allowed the world to conform us into the same religious people, through religion and tradition, we were before being born again. We came into the Family of God as sons and daughters, but continued walking like we didn't belong in His family. We considered ourselves as almost "orphan" children in this world, but we would finally become God's children "someday when we get to heaven." We put off all of the spiritual inheritance and communion until another time.
We've therefore, never walked in the true fellowship with our Heavenly Father, because we always felt like He was unattainable here in this life. We sadly didn't realize how our Father had chosen to leave His place of habitation and live with and in us. We didn't realize that He had brought forth, by His Word, a new creation (a people the world had no hold on any longer). God had made us a new creation people, not like the old covenant people, but a brand new creation.
The old covenant people of God sacrificed bulls and goats for their sins and trespasses. They weren't even considered as righteous before God, because they were still only flesh and blood people. We, though, if we believe the Word of God as truth, have died with Jesus, been justified by Jesus, raised up with Him and made righteous by Jesus. His Blood and Sacrifice wasn't one that needed to be made again and again, but once and for all time, it would be enough. As new creation people, we didn't have to prove by Law and sacrifice continually, to prove our righteousness.
It didn't matter whether or not they were under the blood sacrifice of bulls and goats, that blood could only "cover" the sins for a finite about of time and not remove it forever. 2Corinthians 5:19,21 (Amplified) says, "It was God (personally present) in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself, not counting up and holding against (men) their trespasses (but canceling them) and committing to us the message of reconciliation (of the restoration to favor)." Verse 21 says, "For our sake He made Christ (virtually) to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might become (endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of) the righteousness of God (what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by His goodness)."
If we read the above verse in the natural, then we struggle and debate about what it really is saying. But, if we read it through the Holy Spirit, then we read life and peace. This scripture tells us that, "We are the righteousness of God." He made us righteous with His righteousness and we became a new creation in His sight and became His family.
Listen carefully to what the Spirit is saying about and through Romans 8:6-8 (Amplified), "Now the mind of the flesh (which is sense and reason without the Holy Spirit) is death (death that comprises all the miseries arising from sin, both here and hereafter). But the mind of the Holy Spirit is Life and (soul) peace (both now and forever)."
Paul was telling those who read the above scripture in their natural or carnal sense, they will remain walking under the same guilt, condemnation and misery they walked in before being made a new creation. Even though God removed all of this guilt and sin (by crucifying the flesh with Jesus), our carnal mind will not let or dare believe what the Word says. Consequently, they continue walking under the same weakness of the dead man, instead of the strength of the new creation in Christ.
Paul didn't say they weren't saved or they were something less than a new creation, but he simply said that if one doesn't allow the Spirit of God reveal Who He has made you to be, then you will continues allowing the devil to torment you as a natural man. In Romans 8:7-8 (Amplified), Paul, through the Holy Spirit, reveals revelation, in greater depth, about the new creation. Commenting on the previous verse and expounding on Truth, Paul said, "(That is) because the mind of the flesh (with its carnal thoughts and purposes) is hostile to God, for it does not submit itself to God's Law; indeed it cannot. So then those who are living the life of the flesh (catering to the appetites and impulses of their carnal nature) cannot please of satisfy God, or be acceptable to Him."
We've always believed the above verse was speaking about living in sin. This isn't what the scripture said! It simply said that even after being born again, if we won't allow the Holy Spirit to bring life to the Word, then we will live in the flesh. In John 6:63 (Amplified) Jesus said, "It is the Spirit Who gives life (He is the Life-Giver) the flesh conveys no benefit whatever (there is NO PROFIT in it the words (truths) I have been speaking to you are Spirit and Life."
The carnal mind would again tell you, "Yes Brother Jim, but you know we're still in this flesh, don't you?" Read the next verse in Romans 8:9 (Amplified) which says, "But you are not living the life of the flesh, you are living the life of the Spirit, if the Holy Spirit of God (really) dwells within you (directs and controls you) But if anyone does not possess the Holy Spirit of Christ, he is none of His (he does not belong to Christ, is not truly a child of God)."
Reading these scriptures with the natural, carnal mind, does major injustice to the Truth of the Spirit of God. Verse 9 said, "But you are not living the life of the flesh, you are living the Life of the Spirit." We've never truly allowed this truth to be made true revelation to us yet. Paul said that We are dead. Now, it's only the Spirit Who is living through you. The "wages of sin is death" and the only way to be free from sin is to die. When Jesus died, those of us who believe His Word and received Jesus as our Savior, died. Because you are dead, you are now free from sin. Now, we are living as a new creation that was created from the Spirit in God's Own Likeness and Image. We're not just "forgiven sinners," but are brand new creatures.
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