When does a person become a new creation in Christ?
A person becomes a new creation in Christ when they believe, because of all that has happened at that moment. It is not when they go through a bunch of rituals or outward steps, which do not save anybody. The righteousness of God is upon all who believe, making them new creations in Christ.
Les explains that believers are new creations in Christ because of all that has happened when they believe, not because they go through a bunch of rituals or similar outward practices. He notes that such things never save anybody. Using Isaiah 61:10, Les shows that God clothes the believer with garments of salvation and covers them with a robe of righteousness, which fits with Romans where the righteousness of God is upon all who believe. Externally, God sees the believer adorned and covered with righteousness; inwardly, the old self may still remain for the most part. The new creation is therefore grounded in believing, not in ceremonies.