grampa:
I love those e-mails that I get, as they are very timely!
I will be there!:) God is always good! This the devotional for tomorrow! I cannot believe that Dr. Stanley will be 70! :)Westi
If any man is in Christ, he is a new creature. 2 Corinthians 5:17
From Alienation to Reconciliation
2 Corinthians 5:14-21
Today’s passage contains an important word to all Christians: If any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come (2 Cor. 5:17).
We certainly do not feel new” all the time, do we? Even after we come to the Lord, we generally find ourselves facing the same temptations, the same desires, and the same weaknesses that we had before. But if we become “new creatures,” why do we still act like our “old” selves sometimes?
The truth is, our bodies are still the same. We have the same flesh and the same bodily desires that have always plagued us. The description, new creature refers to our new position in Christ.
However, though we are now in Christ (v. 17), we still have the capacity to sin against God.
Even Paul struggled with the conflict between his new nature and his sinful desires. In Romans 7:15, he exclaims, For that which I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate.
Salvation is a one-time event. We will never be more saved than we were the moment we first asked Jesus to enter our hearts. However, our sanctification—the process by which we become more like Christ—is ongoing. The difference between that which is old and that which is new is that we now have the power through the Holy Spirit to live godly lives. (Phil 2:12)
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