A New Creature In Christ

I Corinthians 5:17-21

Alzheimer’s is a shocking disease. As it develops, people begin to forget things they have been in the habit of doing, and who others are. Every case is different, and the changes are erratic. Sometimes sweet loving mothers become mean and hateful, a danger to everyone around them. People who were impossible to get along with may become very docile and cooperative. The changes in their brains make them into someone totally different than they were before. Initially the changes may be intermittent, with erratic changes from one personality to the other.

When we become a Christian, The Holy Spirit moves into our life, and begins to change things in an equally dramatic fashion. A whole new attitude and out look develop.

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.” (II Corinthians 5:17-19)

Just as in Alzheimer’s, there may be a period of switching back and forth between the spiritual and the natural mind. This leads to the internal conflict Paul describes in Romans 7:15-25.

“For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.”

Unlike the Alzheimer patient, who has no control of when he may switch, we as Christians can exercise control, but only by allowing the Holy spirit to take control. The natural body tries constantly to take us back to what we once were. By letting the Holy Spirit control our mind, the flesh will not gain the victory and as Galatians 5:16 tells us, “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”

As long as we are in this body, the flesh will struggle to take control. The following passages help us understand exactly what we can do to get that victory. It starts with an attitude of humility and obedience, yielding ourselves to him.

"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” (Philippians 2:5-8)

“That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” (Ephesians 4:22-24)

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Romans 12:1-2)

Walking in the Spirit, with the attitude or mind of Christ, we will truly represent him to those we come in contact with. They will see what he is like, and be drawn to him. We are to give the world the best representation of him possible.

“Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (II Corinthians 2:20-21)

The life we live before the world pictures our attitude about Christ. What picture do we portray?