Jesus’s finished work on The Cross gave us new life in three ways: Firstly, we are no longer dead in our trespasses but new creatures – sinners covered by Jesus’s righteousness and have been given access to The Father and regenerative hearts through which the Holy Spirit will carry on a work of sanctification (life-long process of growing in holiness; purified). “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)
“And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 11:19)
Secondly, we have a new way of life because of the God’s work of transforming and sanctifying us for His glory.
“To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:22-24)
And finally, we have the hope of new life in eternal glorification in Christ.
“We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life… For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:4 & 23)
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” (John 5:24)
All of these things chiefly requires deep humility, granted and initiated by God, to realize. Humility is required to become broken over our sinfulness and the need for a Savior of our souls from Hell. It’s required for us to appropriately respond to God’s refinement and discipline. It is required to fix our eyes on eternity rather than the temporal.
Questions to ask yourself:
- What are some areas of your life where you can ask God specifically for deeper humility and softening of your heart?
- What does having a New Life mean?
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for this day and most of all for my salvation. Thank you that through your Son Jesus I have new life, I am a new creation. While my old self still remains in me, I thank you that you are sanctifying me, conforming me more into the image of your Son. Please grant me deeper places of humility so that I may be more maleable, more shapeable by you, O God. Keep this in my heart for the rest of this week and all my days. In Jesus’s name, amen.