2 Corinthians 5:14-19
14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died;
15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.
16 Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,
19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
Are we living this life as a new creation?
Christ died for all of us.
Likewise, we all died through baptism into Christ.
We no longer live for ourselves; we live for Jesus.
We are His, His followers, His disciples in this life.
He is our Master and King and Lord.
Because of this, we do not look at others to judge them superficially.
Instead we look at people according to their relationship with Jesus.
Strengthen those in Christ, bring Christ to those outide of the family of God.
Also because of this (therefore again in verse 17), if we have been baptized into Christ, we are a reborn, new person.
Our sins have all been washed away.
Our old habits and nature should also be passing away.
All things should become new as we grow in Christ.
Understand this is a life changing process.
How do we know if someone is in Christ?
By their fruit.
A newly planted tree may take some seasons to produce fruit.
But if we enrich ourselves with God's word, we will mature.
We will produce fruit, the fruit of repentance and of the love of God.
Notice the last two verses.
God reconciled us to Him.
We did not reconcile ourselves.
Through Jesus, God opened the door and has invited us in.
The Father has called us to reconciliation.
He is offering it to us, continually, through the blood of Christ.
Jesus has already made the trade.
He has given us His salvation, His righteousness and has taken on our sin and our death in our place.
With all this in mind, are we living as a new creation in Christ?
Have the old things passed away?
Are we living for Jesus?
Pursuing Him down the narrow path?
"those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again"
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