Jesus Christ brought about a new order (Heb. 9:10) to God’s way of reconciling Himself to people. No longer are we bound by the law but rather live in grace. No longer must we make sacrifices for He is the final sacrifice, once for all. No longer do we need a high priest to mediate for us because, in Christ, we can each now go boldly before the throne of God.
As believers in Jesus Christ we live in that new order. Here is some of what we have new in Him, when it is accomplished, and the reaction it should stir in us based on the context of the Scripture listed:
PAST: accomplished at the cross
new covenant in Jesus’ blood (Lk. 22:20; 1 Cor. 11:25; 2 Cor. 3:6; Heb. 8:8, 13; 9:15; 12:24)
- Commemorate/remember it through the ordinance of communion as a proclamation of His death until He comes again.
- Serve in His power as a ministers of the new covenant.
new man out of the two – refers to bringing Jews and Gentiles together to form the church (Eph. 2:11-22)
- Live in peace with one another despite your differences.
new way of the Spirit (Rom. 7:6)
- No longer live in bondage to the law.
- Live/walk/serve in the Spirit.
new and living way to enter the Most Holy Place (Heb. 10:19-20)
- Confidently go before Him.
- Draw near to Him with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith.
*** Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Cor. 5:17)
new birth into a living hope (1 Pet. 1:3)
- Acknowledge His mercy in your life.
- Issue forth in praise to Him.
new command (Jn. 13:34; 1 Jn. 2:8)
- Follow Jesus’ example in loving one another.
- Love in keeping with the truth of the command.
new life (Acts. 5:20; Rom. 6:4)
- Tell others the full message of this new life.
- Live in accordance with that new life.
new creation (2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15)
- No longer live for yourself but for Him who made you new.
- Don’t boast in your own accomplishment but make it about what He made you.
new self/nature (Eph. 4:23-24; Col. 3:10)
- Live in accordance with you new nature, not the old.
- Reflect that new nature not just in what you do but also in the attitude of your mind.
*** He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” (Rev. 21:5)
new heaven and a new earth (2 Pet. 3:13-14; Rev. 21:1) and the new Jerusalem (Rev. 3:12)
- Look forward to your new home.
- In the meantime, “make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.”
Twitter
Facebook
Google+
friendfeed
iGive
Emphasis on NEW, not a makeover!
Excellent point, Chet. Thanks. We are talking about supernatural transformation, a work only God can do! Our own efforts amount to no more than a makeover but God makes all things NEW.
Yes we are saved by His blood and through His grace also we are reconciled to Him. We don’t have to ask a priest to go before Him to receive our salvation, through His love and blood we go to Him ourselves and confess. We are called to love one another through Jesus and to follow His example. Leonard
So true, Leonard. Because of that salvation, we are made new. And, out of that new nature, by His power, we love and follow Him. (Col. 3:1-14)