Who Am I - I Am a New Creation

From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:16–19 ESV).

 

I am sure you have heard some of the profound “I am” statements of Jesus: “I am the bread of life”; “I am the light of the world”; “I am the good shepherd” (John 6:35; 8:12; 10:11, 14). Jesus lived an effective, purposeful life because he knew his identity. With unwavering clarity, he knew he was the Son of God sent to redeem the world. This is the anticipated goal of our study in the coming weeks. As we explore the meaning of our identity, we’ll find a number of ways to describe ourselves in light of the ways God has created us.

 

So often we cling to false notions about identity. We focus on things like athletic prowess, academic achievements, or career success. Or we highlight how funny, famous, or fit we are. Or even how good a parent we are. But what happens when the applause fades? Do we maintain a firm grasp of who we are?

 

The apostle Paul explains that when a person comes to faith in Jesus, they undergo a profound transformation. In some ways like a caterpillar emerging as a butterfly, believers transform to become a new creation in Christ. This ought to fundamentally alter the way we think and act. Our identity is no longer defined by fleeting ideas but, rather, by our relationship with Christ.

 

Two things come to mind for me. First, we do gain a new identity. We are not just a repaired version of our old self; we are fundamentally recreated by God. Second, we now possess the forgiveness of our past. "Old things have passed away" implies that our past sins, guilt, and old way of life are forgiven and gone. Even more incredible this same forgiveness extends to our future life of grace in Christ. We are truly NEW! Walk like it… think like it… be like it!