Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
(II Corinthians 5:17)
What a glorious change takes place when we place our faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. We were on our way to hell and are now on our way to heaven. We were the servants of sin and Satan and have become a child of God and are at liberty to serve Him.
I. IT IS CALLED A TRANSLATION FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT.
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: (Colossians 1:13)
- What a wonderful change.
- What could be more attractive than this deliverance from the gloom of darkness into the glory of that light?
For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (Ephesians 5:8)
II. IT IS DESCRIBED AS AN EMANCIPATION FROM SLAVERY TO LIBERTY.
Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. (Romans 8:21)
- The Scriptures reveal that all of humanity is in bondage to sin and helpless to deliver itself from the chains which bind.
- Christ came to be the great Deliverer.
III. IT IS PICTURED AS A TRANSITION FROM ABJECT POVERTY TO IMMENSE WEALTH.
For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. (II Corinthians 8:9)
From total bankruptcy, into which sin had brought humanity, the believer is brought, through the grace and poverty of his Savior, into possession of incalculable spiritual wealth that far exceeds all he could possible ask or think.
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, (Ephesians 3:20)
IV. IT IS LIKENED TO THE BRINGING OF A PERSON FROM A PLACE OF DISTANCE TO A PLACE OF NEARNESS.
But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. (Ephesians 2:13)
Sin has separated man from God, but in Christ we are brought near.
V. IT IS SPOKEN OF AS A DELIVERANCE FROM A STATE OF CONDEMNATION TO THAT OF JUSTIFICATION.
Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. (Romans 4:23-25)
Christ, who is “the Judge of all the earth,” bore the sin, took the place and died in the stead of the criminal and thus satisfied all the claims of Divine justice.
VI. IT IS PRESENTED AS A PASSING FROM A STATE OF SPIRITUAL DEATH INTO A STATE OF SPIRITUAL LIFE.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
(John 5:24)
VII. IT IS DESIGNATED AS A CHANGE OF DESTINATION – FROM THE DOOM OF HELL, TO THE DELIGHTS OF HEAVEN.
And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 8:11-12)
For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. (Luke 19:10)
And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. (Matthew 25:46)
He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:18, 36)
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