majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him in Galatians 6:15,
"Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts
is a new creation."
Paul tells the Galatian churches that circumcision, representing the
law, is a useless pursuit. Law-keeping counts for nothing. What does
count is a "new creation". In 2 Corinthians 5:17-19a Paul says, "If
anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new
has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through
Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was
reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins
against them."
No one will participate in the resurrection of life without becoming a
new creation. We are not going to make it as the sinful, fallen and
depraved folks we were when we came into the world. Even if we try to
improve on our depravity by efforts at law-keeping. Jesus told
Nicodemus that "you must be born again".
When we hear the message of the gospel and if we receive it in faith,
God makes a new creation of us. The Holy Spirit takes up residence
within us and begins a transforming process, changing us from the
inside out. No amount of law-keeping can bring this about. It is a
matter of faith in the gospel message of Jesus Christ. This is why
Paul makes such a strong statement about the gospel in Romans 1:16-17,
"I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for
the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for
the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a
righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is
written: 'The righteous will live by faith.'"
God makes a new creation out of us!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd
love to hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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