2Corinthians 5:16-17 (Amplified) says, "Consequently, from now on we estimate and regard no one from a (purely) human point of view (in terms of natural standards of value). (No) even though we once did estimate Christ form a human viewpoint and as a Man, yet now (we have such knowledge of Him that) we know Him no longer (in terms of the flesh)." Verse 17 goes on, "Therefore if any person is (ingrafted) in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old (previous moral and spiritual condition) has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come."
As believers, we aren't going to become new creatures or a new creation, because we have already become this new creation. Our flesh and blood body (natural body) will be changed, but our new body (the new creation body) of our born again spirit, is already eternal and now is alive and in the very Image of Jesus Himself. This new birth didn't affect the way we look on the outside, but from within (the real you). Paul said in 2Corinthians 5:16 (Amplified) that, "We now have such knowledge of Jesus, that we no longer just know Him as a Man (from merely a human viewpoint) but now we (through the Spirit of God) as the glorified Christ, the One Who is the firstborn, Head of the Church and the firstborn of many brethren."
What has not happened in the family of God yet, is that we begin understanding this isn't for "someday, when we get to heaven," but we begin to understand that this has already come to pass when we were born again. 1Peter 2:2 (Amplified) says, "Like newborn babies you should crave (thirst for, earnestly desire) the pure (unadulterated) spiritual milk (the Word), that by it you may be nurtured and grow into (completed) salvation."
2Peter 1:3-10 (Amplified) says, "For His divine power has bestowed upon us all things that (are requisite and suited) to life and godliness, through the (full, personal) knowledge of Him Who called us by and to His Own glory and excellence (virtue). By means of these He has bestowed on us His precious and exceedingly great promises, so that through them you may escape (by flight) from the moral decay (rottenness and corruption) that is in the world because of covetousness (lust and greed) and become sharers (partakers) of the divine nature. For this very reason, adding your diligence (to the divine promises), employ every effort in exercising your faith to develop virtue (excellence, resolution, Christian energy) and in exercising virtue, (develop) self control and in (exercising) self-control (develop) steadfastness (patience, endurance) and in (exercising) steadfastness (develop) godliness (piety)." Verses 7-8 says, "And in (exercising) godliness (develop) brotherly affection, and in (exercising) brotherly affection (develop) Christian love. For as these qualities are yours and increasingly abound in you, they will keep (you) from being idle or unfruitful unto the (full personal) knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One)."
Notice how Peter said that these qualities are ours and increasingly abound in us. these are the character and nature of the new creation people and are already within our new spirit. Peter goes on in Verse 9-10 saying, "For whoever lacks these qualities is blind (spiritually) short sighted, seeing only what is new to him, and has become oblivious (to the fact) that he was cleansed from his old sins. Because of this, brethren, be all the more solicitous and eager to make sure (to ratify, to strengthen, to make steadfast) your calling and election, for if you do this, you will never stumble or fall."
I'm sure we would all like to be in such a place with our Heavenly Father, that we "will never stumble or fall." To make this happen though, we must first realize who we are and not who we once were. We must know that we are now a new creation and not are going to be new creations someday, when we get to heaven. Our house or the body we live in, will change its appearance, but the new creation we now are is eternal in Christ. We must now develop our new being into maturity by the Word and by what we received by the grace of salvation. Peter said that, "As babies, we need to feed on the Word, as a baby feed on milk, in order to grow. A baby doesn't need to be born again, but to grow and mature. It must be fed in order to bring to full grow or as 1Peter 2:2 says, "Grow into completed salvation."
There has never been anything wrong with the new creation, we were born "perfect" in the eyes of the Father. What holds back the heirs of God, is that we've never fed on anything but milk. We continued trying to control the flesh by man made tools, instead of teaching and raising our new man by the Word. A veal calf has the same muscles as a grass calf, but there is no strength in the muscles of a veal calf to make it stable. A baby Christian who only lives on the milk of the Word, and not the meat of the Word, is like that veal calf. He has all the same muscles, but has now power or strength.
In order to grow into the maturity of the new creation, we must dare to believe that we are what God has made us to be in Christ Jesus. 1John 3:2 (Amplified) says, "Beloved, we are (even here and) now God's children; it is not yet disclosed (made clear) what we shall be (hereafter), but we know that when He comes and is manifested, We shall (as God's children) resemble and be like Him, For we shall see Him just as He really is."
I don't know what my body (house) will look like at the resurrection, but my spirit (the new creation man) will not change, but grow. Your spirit man is already in God's Image and there is no need to change it, only the outer man or our earthly body will change into glory.
As we "Grow from faith to faith in the Word." we develop those attributes of our Heavenly Father, People spoke about in 2Peter 1:3-10 (Amplified) saying, "These things are the very character and virtue of a mature Christian, or a grown up child of God." This is what the world and the heavens are awaiting, for the manifestation of the sons of God. They're not waiting for the coming of the sons of God, because they are already here.
When Jesus was manifest, the creation changed. When His disciples were manifested, the world changed. Through the revealing of the new creation, the sons will now be manifested and once again, things will change. "The harvest is great, the laborers are few," but this is about the change throughout the earth.
All of our ability comes from the Seed from which we have been born again. We must begin to know that it's not our ability that God needs, but our availability that He is after. We must do what God says and the world will once again see there is a God of heaven and earth. The knowledge of who we are now in the spirit of the new birth, is the most powerful revelation the Holy Spirit can bring us into, in these last days.
Galatians 5:16 (Amplified) says, "But I say, walk and live (habitually) in the Holy Spirit (responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit); then you will certainly no gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh (of the human nature without God)." Instead of continuing to fight the flesh, we should be feeding the spirit and our personal warfare will end, allowing us to go deeper into things of God. Hebrews 6:3 (Amplified) says, "If indeed God permits, we will (now) proceed (to advanced teaching)."
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