Yes, the power of God changes a person spiritually from death to new life, making them a new creation in Christ.
According to Les Feldick, because of Adam's sin, the human spirit is dead, and only God's power can regenerate it. When a person believes in Christ's death and resurrection, God imparts a new divine nature, making them a new creation. The Holy Spirit comes to dwell within, and the believer's life is totally transformed.
2 Corinthians 5:17 — This verse directly states that being in Christ results in a new creation, which is the core of spiritual change.
The Bible teaches that human beings are born with a dead spirit due to sin, and this condition cannot be fixed by human effort. However, God's power is manifested in the gospel, and through faith in Christ's death and resurrection, a person is made new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 declares, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." This new creation is a direct act of God, imparting a divine nature that cannot sin. The Bible also emphasizes that this transformation leads to a changed life, as old desires are replaced with new ones.
Les Feldick explains that the human spirit is dead because of Adam's sin, and no amount of human effort can revive it. He uses the analogy of a dead car battery that cannot be fixed by polishing it; it needs outside energy. Similarly, God must energize the dead spirit through the Holy Spirit. This regeneration is an act of God that makes the believer a new creation, not just an improved version of the old self. Les emphasizes that this change results in a completely different lifestyle, where old things pass away and all things become new. The believer is now in Christ, and the Holy Spirit dwells within, enabling a new nature that cannot sin, though the old flesh still remains and must be reckoned as dead.
Les Feldick teaches that being a new creation means that God imparts a new divine nature to the believer, which is incapable of sin. This happens through the work of the cross and resurrection. The old Adamic nature is crucified with Christ, and the believer is no longer under its control. However, the old flesh still exists and can trip up the believer, leading to a royal battle between the new nature and the old. The new creation is not just an improvement but a complete transformation.
According to Les, only the power of God can break the control of the old Adamic nature. Human effort, even with good parenting or godly home training, can only partially inhibit sinful tendencies. The old Adam must be crucified, which God did in a substitutionary manner on the cross. When a person believes this, God reckons the old nature as dead, and the Holy Spirit regenerates the spirit, giving power over sin.
Les teaches that a spiritual change is evident in a totally different lifestyle. The things a person once loved, they now hate, and vice versa. This transformation is not something the believer works for; it comes naturally as a result of the new nature. However, becoming a mature Christian takes time, just like physical growth from infancy to adulthood. The believer grows spiritually through nourishment and care.
In Christ and the Holy Spirit
Les explains that being in Christ is the secret, and because we are in Him, the Holy Spirit is in us, emphasizing the union that brings spiritual change.
New Nature and the Battle
Les teaches that God imparts a new divine nature upon regeneration, but the old flesh remains, causing a royal battle within the believer.
New Creation in Christ
Les directly connects 2 Corinthians 5:17 to the impartation of a new divine nature that cannot sin, while the old flesh still can trip us up.
Only God's Power Breaks Sin's Control
Les emphasizes that no human effort can break the control of the old Adamic nature; only the power of God through the crucifixion of the old man can do that.
The Power of God in the Gospel
Les explains that the preaching of the cross is the power of God to salvation, working on the dead spirit to convict and regenerate.
Regeneration and Restoration
Les describes how the Holy Spirit regenerates the dead spirit, restoring fellowship and dwelling in the believer, completing the spiritual change.
Total Change of Life
Les teaches that God's influence on the body totally changes a person's life, so that they now love what they once hated and vice versa.
New Life and Growth
Les explains that the power of God pulls a person out of the slave market of sin, giving them new life and making them a totally different person, but they grow spiritually over time.
2 Corinthians 5:17: Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
This verse is central to the answer, as it directly states that being in Christ results in a new creation.
Romans 8:9: But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
This verse supports the teaching that the Holy Spirit dwells in believers, which is part of the spiritual change.
According to Les Feldick, no. Human effort, even with good parenting or moral teaching, cannot break the control of the old Adamic nature. Only the power of God can do that, through the crucifixion of the old man and regeneration by the Holy Spirit.
When God's power works, the dead spirit is regenerated, the believer becomes a new creation in Christ, and the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within. This results in a totally changed life, with new desires and a new nature that cannot sin.
The transformation of becoming a new creation is immediate at the moment of salvation, but growing into a mature Christian is gradual, like a newborn baby growing into adulthood. It requires nourishment and care.
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