“The New Creation” Day 2: We still live in a fallen world with which we interact in a fallen vehicle.

Last time, we began our discussion on the new creation by noting the fact that the change afforded us through Jesus Christ, is truly a transformation from one state of being into another state of being. The new creation through Jesus Christ, is indwelt by the Holy Spirit, making it possible for us to be joined with Christ Jesus. The emphasis on change is no longer one of merely outward appearance, but an inner transformation.

Today, we look at the fact that, although the Spirit of God now dwells in us, and we have gone from one state of being to another (in terms of our spirit: from darkness into light), we still live in a fallen world; and we interact in the fallen world, in a fallen vehicle.

Now, we are not so much referring to the weakness of our physical body—although that is an aspect we still must deal with until we receive our glorified bodies—but the weakness of the flesh mind: the way of being and doing that was formed and informed by the world system. So, we struggle. Indeed, this struggle is a product of the fact that there is tension between the new creation and the flesh (unchanged) mind that tries to re-assert itself.

In the Garden of Gethsemane, when Jesus was praying, He urged the disciples to pray. He knew what they would soon face; and He knew they weren’t going to be able to endure it without help from the Father, help found only through prayer.

“Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." Matthew 26:41 NKJV

The Apostle Paul addressed the fact that although we have the Holy Spirit living in us, and we are a new creation, we still long for that time when we have become fully His, and are given our glorified bodies.

“And even we Christians, although we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, also groan to be released from pain and suffering. We, too, wait anxiously for that day when God will give us our full rights as his children, including the new bodies he has promised us.Now that we are saved, we eagerly look forward to this freedom. For if you already have something, you don't need to hope for it. But if we look forward to something we don't have yet, we must wait patiently and confidently. And the Holy Spirit helps us in our distress. For we don't even know what we should pray for, nor how we should pray. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.” Romans 8:23-27 NLT

Notice, the Holy Spirit even guides our prayers so that we are praying for what we truly need.

Paul also encouraged the church at Corinth, that it doesn’t all end here, but we have a glorious future state awaiting us.

“For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down — when we die and leave these bodies — we will have a home in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long for the day when we will put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. For we will not be spirits without bodies, but we will put on new heavenly bodies. Our dying bodies make us groan and sigh, but it's not that we want to die and have no bodies at all. We want to slip into our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by everlasting life. God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit. So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. That is why we live by believing and not by seeing.”

2 Corinthians 5:1-7 NLT

Next time we’ll look into our current status as a new creation in this present world.

Peace to you.

Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!