September 3, 2020 WALKING IN NEWNESS
1 Peter 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”
Romans 6:4 “Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.”
2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”
Ephesians 4:23-24 “and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness of the truth.”
Even though it is necessary for us to do repetitive task such as go to work, clean the house, mow the lawn, take the kids to various activities, participate in church, and etc., we can do all the things that life requires of us with a sense on newness. The natural man, the one who does not have a relationship with God, is not able to walk in newness of life because he or she does not have the Holy Spirit at work in them revealing the new life we have in Christ. As Believers, we may over-look one of the central truths of the gospel-that we have been made new creations who have been given new hearts, new minds, and new spirits, and that the ‘old has passed away and new things have come.’ Those who know Jesus as their Savior, have been transferred from darkness into His marvelous light and have been joined to Him and made a citizen of His kingdom. Many believers perceive that His kingdom is something we will experience once we get to heaven; however, His kingdom is here, and we can experience life in His kingdom on a daily basis. Living in the light, in His kingdom, gives us a total new viewpoint of the world and the things taking place all around us, including the necessary routines of life as discussed above. There are times when we may find ourselves not ‘walking in newness’; in such times, we must be renewed in the spirit of our mind. See Ephesians 4:23-24 above. At the core of our being and what must be our anchor, is the knowledge and the awareness that our sins have been forgiven, that we have been made new creations, that God is always faithful, that God will complete His work in us, that He keeps His promises, that we have been joined to Him, that He is our Father, and that we have been given the Holy Spirit who empowers us for life in His kingdom. The warning for us is that it is possible for us to choose to live according to the flesh rather than living according to the Spirit and that is the key point for believers; are we living according to the world’s standards or according to the ways of God. So, let us see life and the day-to-day routines from the perspective of His kingdom. We have every reason to be full of hope and joy because of who God is and who we are in Him-NEW THINGS HAVE COME. Live in newness today-even when difficulties come our way. Represent His kingdom in all we do. Put on your new self-the new you.
1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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