What does it mean that a person in Christ is a new creation?
Being in Christ makes a person a new creation: old things pass away and all things become new. This transformation results from the salvation experience and from all God has done on the believer’s behalf. God reconciles the believer to Himself by Jesus Christ and gives the ministry of reconciliation.
Les explains that 2 Corinthians 5:17 describes what happens when a person is in Christ: he is a new creation, old things are passed away, and all things become new. This is the result of the salvation experience and of all God has done on our behalf. In verse 18, Les points out that all things are of God, nothing can touch you unless God permits it, and God reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ. He did not stop there, but gave us the ministry of reconciliation. This teaching is set in the context of our ambassadorship and our position as citizens of Heaven while living on earth.
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
More Questions
Why is 'new creation' better than 'new creature' in 2 Corinthians 5:17?
The word 'creation' in 'new creation' is a better translation than 'creature' because our salvation is a work of creation—a work of the power of God.