2Corinthians 5:17-18 (Amplified) says, "Therefore, if any person is (ingrafted) in Christ Jesus (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old (previous moral and spiritual condition) has passed. Behold, the fresh and new has come. But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ has reconciled us to Himself (received us into harmony, received us into favor with Himself) and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation (that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him)."
2Corinthians 5:2 (Amplified) says, "Here indeed, in this (present abode, body) we sigh and groan inwardly, because we yearn to be clothed over (we yearn to put in our celestial body like a garment, to be fitted out) with our Heavenly dwelling."
The new creation people are still living in the old house (dwelling) that we did before being born-again. Like many before us, we seem to have an affinity for the "old homestead" or the place we grew up in. I recently returned to Illinois and visited the residence I lived in before being saved. Many memories flooded over me, as I saw where my wife and I raised our children, even though the barn and house had been torn town and replaced with a housing addition. All the old memories were just that, memories. The old homestead no longer existed.
I realized how the body I'm currently living in, is similar to my old homestead in Illinois. I was a new resident living in someone else' house and only memories existed from the old one. The first things I needed to do now, was clear out the old furnishings and replace them with new furnishings. Then, I would make new memories that come with living in this home.
This might sound sentimental and foolish to some, but this is exactly what has happened to us when we were born-again. Your body (home), where the new creation man now lives, is the same body (home) that had a former resident. Our body wasn't made "new," when we received Jesus and the memories that were made there, are still present. We look back to the place where our memories were and try holding onto some of them. When we do this, it's difficult to move on in the things of God.
Christians are faced with renovating our old house, while we're still away from our new home (Heaven). The old house needs to be completely renovated, because the man who once lived there, had different likes and dislikes than the new creation man (who now lives there) has. The renovation process comes in varying degrees in an old house. Sometimes, we put on new siding or paint, in order to bring curb appeal. These things are what other people see when they look at it.
The inside of the house is what really needs to be changed, but no one sees that and it's usually the last thing that gets changed. When people see that the outside looks good, they assume that the inside has also been renovated and is different. This works as long as no one goes inside the house. Jesus referred to this kind of living as "white washed sepulchers." Jesus said that the "outside was clean and painted, but the inside was full of dead men's bones."
The greatest work needed in this old house, is restoring and cleaning out the remnants of the old man, who used to live there. The memories aren't ours, but his. The furnishings aren't ours, but his. The vision he had for the decor, aren't ours, but were his. Sometimes, we clean out some of the furnishing, but leave some of the ideas that used to live there and that are from the former occupant. Ephesians 4:23-24 (Amplified) tells us, "Be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind (having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude And put on the new nature (the regenerated self) created in God's Image (God like) in true righteousness and holiness."
We find a truth (that gets ignored much of the time) about the new man, in Proverbs 29:18 (Amplified) which says, "Where there is no vision (n redemptive revelation of God) the people perish; but he who keeps the Law (of God-which includes that of man) blessed, happy, fortunate and enviable is he."
I think that many Christians don't see that the new residence needs repaired or they stop renovating too quickly. Our "vision" of the redemptive work of Jesus, stops at being born-again. It's true we are saved and belong to the Father, but we contain our vision of redemption to only those things. We're not just redeemed when we leave this earth and go to Heaven, but we're redeemed now, here on earth (read the lesson on The Law of the Kinsman Redeemer). The outside of the former occupant's house has been cleaned up, but we only replaced the carpets inside.
Some of the old furnishings, might be a quick temper or unforgiveness that he harbored. The old furnishings might be a lack of knowledge about who we are now in Christ Jesus and this might lead to lack of vision for the redemption of Christ. Restoration work is tiring and we might wish to simply sit down and rest. It seems like the change is never complete. Every time I move a picture from the wall, I see a hole behind it that was never repaired. This reminds me about Ephesians 4:23 (Amplified) which says "Be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind."
This renovation will never be completely done, until we move into our new house (Heaven). Just like any other house, there's always maintenance that must be done, in order to keep the house livable. We can't simply be content to simply kick-back and let things go. Our senses might still be comfortable, with the things of the old tenant, but they still must be removed and replaced. Remember, it's not really the house, but the tenant, who messed up that house. The senses (the soulish part of you) has been in charge of the house of flesh. It only knows what the former tenant trained it to do and these things have become habit.
It's not your actual flesh, but your senses that must be trained differently. In Hebrews 5:14 (Amplified) Paul says, "But solid food is for full grown men, for those whose senses and mental faculties are trained by practice to discriminate and distinguish between what is morally good and noble and what is evil and contrary either to divine or human law." Your body can only do what you allow it to do and you can "train it," by your renewed mind or senses. As you learn to think by the Word of God, your body will begin to move by the Word," according to Romans 8:14 (Amplified) which says, "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God."
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