2Cor.5:17(Amp) 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 away. Behold, the fresh and new has come." The only way we know how understand and develop this new creation being, is through God's Word. Our carnal minds can't accept or receive the Truth that we've been made new creations in Christ Jesus. Our carnal way of thinking keeps us skeptical about being totally forgiven. We're unsure of the standing we have with our Heavenly Father and live in the bondage of guilt and condemnation. The only way to stop our consciences from condemning us, is by knowing and putting faith and trust, in the Fullness of Jesus' Sacrifice.
We've not become righteous or children of God on our own. The only thing we've done is to receive Jesus as our Lord and by Grace and faith, receive our new identity in Him. We judge our righteousness, by our mistakes and failures. Our righteousness can and will fail, but God never fails. The above scripture tells us that we were "ingrafted in Christ," so we've become what He is. He is Righteous and in Him, we've become righteous with His Righteousness and not our own.
Jesus died on Calvary's cross for us, because we couldn't do it for ourselves. This changed everything for mankind. Jesus took all the wrath and punishment that we deserved and when He was judged, we were judged. When He was judged, we were judged. When Jesus was justified, by faith in Him, we were justified. When He died, we also died and when He was raised, we were raised. When Jesus became the Curse and was raised into the Blessing, we were redeemed from the Curse and the Blessing is now upon all who are in Christ Jesus.
We've been waiting for God to do something, when in reality, He has already done it all for us. When Jesus went to the cross in our place, it was as if we went to the cross. Everything Jesus did was for us. He didn't need to be forgiven, because He was without sin. He took our sins and iniquities. He was innocent and was justified by the Father. Those who put our faith in Jesus' Substitution work, are also justified.
God's Word tells us about Jesus, Who was yet to come, in Is.53:11(Amp), saying, "He, Jesus, shall see the fruit of the travail of His Soul and be satisfied; by His knowledge of Himself which He possesses and imparts to others, shall My uncompromisingly Righteous One, My Servant, justify many and make many righteous (upright and in right standing with God). For He shall bear their iniquities and their guilt with the consequences, says the Lord."
The world's view and The Bible's view of Christianity, are very different. Of course, we try living clean, moral lives, but that's not the extent of God's Life that now lives in us. The early Church placed their faith in the Finished Work of Jesus and changed the world. Those in the Upper Room prayed in Acts4:29(Amp), saying, "And now Lord, observe their threats and grant to Your bond servants full freedom to declare Your Message fearlessly. While You stretch our Your hand to cure and perform signs and wonders through the Authority and by the Power of the Name of Your Holy Child and Servant Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place in which they were assembled was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they continued to speak the Word of God with freedom and boldness and courage."
The Cancel Culture came for them, but didn't stop their pursuit of Truth. Jesus cannot be canceled. When was the last time you felt a building shake when you prayed? When was the last time, the Holy Spirit followed your prayers with signs and wonders? The world's view of who we are and God's view of who we are in Christ, are two separate things. Even if we don't acknowledge or walk in the Truth of God's Word, it is still Truth. Do we really expect God to show up when we pray or is it simply a formality? We need to have faith in our prayers, so the world can see that our "God is not dead, but is surely Alive."
Many believers think that trusting in God this far, is "over-the-top." The Father thinks that this is how all of His newly created children are to live. When someone has their prayers answered, we look upon them as being "special." All of God's children are special and prayer is as much a part of our lives with Him, as breathing. This is part of developing the new creation.
We must learn to trust in God's hearing our prayers and answering them, by His Ability. Many look upon prayer, like playing the lottery, with a one in two trillion chance of having our prayers answered. Prayer should be an assurance in our lives and not a chance. Jesus said in John15:7(Amp), "If you live in Me (abide vitally united to Me), and My Words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you."
The above scripture hasn't passed away and isn't for a few in the early Church, but is for "everyone who lives and abides vitally united to Jesus." His Words "continue to live in our hearts." This isn't "over-the-top" to Him, but is His invitation to enter into His Throne Room of Grace and have our prayers answered. This is God's view of the new creation children of God. When we settle for the world's view, instead of God's view, then we're disappointed by God's lack of response to our unbelief.
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