Some of the Most Popular Verses in the Bible Day 5: A New Creation (2 Corinthians 5:11 – 21)
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
A few years ago, my family purchased a butterfly kit. We actually did this for a few years, but the kits we would purchase would include a habitat for the caterpillars, some food, and about 4 or 5 caterpillars. When we first got them, the caterpillars were very small, but they didn’t stay small for long. They started to grow and they continued to grow until one day they would disappear inside a chrysalis so they could go through metamorphosis. After a few more days, beautiful butterflies would appear. Our children would be wide-eyed with wonder! I also have to admit that I too was filled with amazement at how something that started out so ugly could turn into something so stunning. After a few more days, the butterflies would fly away, never again to return home. The butterflies would never be able to return as caterpillars. Even if they could, would they want to? Why be a caterpillar crawling on the ground when you could be a butterfly soaring through the air?
I mention this because, before salvation, people are like caterpillars. We are ugly on the inside with sin, with no way of removing it on our own. Some people try to cover their sin by doing good deeds or reciting vain prayers, but they can never be good enough. It’s only when we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior that we are truly changed, never to go back to our unsaved condition. Does that mean that we will never sin again? Absolutely not! So, what does it mean when God’s Word says, “The old is passed away; behold, the new has come”? It means that we are different, and because of that, we have a new job to do.
When you read the entire passage, the answer becomes even more clear. When we put our faith in Christ, He no longer counts our sins against us. We are completely clean! We are no longer His enemies destined for destruction, but instead we are His children destined to live with Him for all of eternity. We are also entrusted with the great responsibility of sharing His truth and love with others. Before salvation, we care only about ourselves and our well-being. After salvation, our desire is to serve God by sharing our faith and loving those around us. The selfish becoming selfless — a true transformation!
So, what does that mean for us all? Are you a new creation? Are you a butterfly trying to live like a caterpillar? Are you known by God, the creator of the entire universe? If so, then your life is not your own. God sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins, in our place, so that we could have a life that is greater than any one of us could ever imagine. What are you going to do with your new life in Christ?
Pastor David Guenin