Lesson 80 The New Creation

     2Corinthians 5:16-17 (Amplified) says, "Know no man after the flesh, but after the spirit; If any man is (ingrafted) in Christ he is a new creation (a new creature altogether)."
     We've read the above scripture many times, but have never fully grasped what the Holy Spirit has said to the Church.  Many believe this scripture is for after we die and leave this earth, then we will die and become a new creature.  Some will believe this scripture to mean that we are forgiven and saved, but in reality, the Father is saying He created this new family in the spirit, by the Spirit and we are made in His Likeness and Image again.
     We continue to identify more with our flesh, more than by the spirit.  The Holy Spirit gave Paul a prayer for the Church in Colosse and the Church at large.  Since this prayer was inspired by the Holy Spirit, we know it's the Father's will for His family.  The prayer is found in Colossians 1:9-14 (Amplified) and says, "For this reason we also, from the day we heard of it, have not ceased to pray and make request for you (asking) that you may be filled with the full (deep and clear) knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom (in comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God) and in understanding and discernment of spiritual things."  The reason we need this "understanding and discernment of spiritual things" is found in Verse 10 which says, "That you may walk (live and conduct yourselves) in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him and desiring to please Him in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing and increasing in and by the knowledge of God (with fuller, deeper, and clear insight, acquaintance and recognition."
     We're on a journey of learning and are being brought into His reflection, even here on this earth.  When we were born-again, are salvation didn't stop there, but started there.  Like any baby grows into maturity, we're called to do the same thing.  We're not supposed to remain as babies, through our Christian walk, but we're to grow into His Likeness and Image, until we could say like Jesus did, "When you see Me, you have seen the Father."  We're to be just like Jesus.
     Some might throw their hands up saying, "That's too hard and cannot be true."  Well, perhaps so, but is gives us something to work on.  We're to emulate Him in action and character and conform to His Image.  You might say, "We can never achieve this in our lifetime," but I say that we can sure grow from what we have been and strive to grow up into more mature children than we now are.
     There's no point where you can stop and decide that this is as far as we can ever go.  When our Heavenly Father gave life to us by His Word, He gave instruction on how to grow and mature in our spirits.  In Colossians 1:13 (Amplified), Paul goes on with the prayer and giving his reason for praying it on our behalf, saying, "Giving thanks to the Father, Who has qualified and made us fit to share the portion which is the inheritance of the saints (God's holy people) in the Light, (The Father) has delivered and drawn us to Himself out of the control and the dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the Kingdom of the Son of His Love."
     We've already been delivered from and transferred into God's Kingdom, in the heart and mine of God.  This isn't a metaphor, but a truth of the new creation.  We've never yet considered ourselves as truly delivered from the dominion of darkness.  We continue seeing ourselves being drawn into all kinds of things that we've already been delivered from.  This is mostly because, we still do not understand who we are in this new creation family.
     We've imagined our Father is responsible for the heartache and hardship we endure, in order to teach us.  No Father would ever subject his children to these things, in order to teach the children.  Good Fathers lead by example.  Jesus said, "I only do what I see My Father do," in John 5:19 (Amplified), "So Jesus answered them by saying, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, the Son is able to do nothing of Himself (of His Own accord) but He is able to do only what He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does is what the Son does in the same way (in His turn)."
     In Colossians 1:28 (Amplified), Paul writes by the Holy Spirit, saying, "Him we preach and proclaim, warning and admonishing everyone and instructing everyone is all wisdom (comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God) that we may present every person mature (full grown, fully initiated, complete and perfect) in Christ (the Anointed One)."
     The adjectives, "mature, full grown, complete and filled with the knowledge of His will" is repeated many times, in many ways in the Epistles.  This is a growing process that will continue, even after we're fully in His Presence.  The Church (God's family) has been willing to settle for much less than our Father intended us, in this world.  There have been several men and women, throughout the years, who have reached into a greater knowledge of our salvation and new birth.  We've most often, viewed them as "Special people," but our Heavenly Father says this is available to anyone who will dare believe in the new creation.
     Not everyone will take the time and dedication required to understand what the Spirit is saying to the Church today.  Some will simply walk upright, attend church and do the charitable things we all try to do.  Some will put in the extra effort to obtain the Super-natural things of God.