New Creation!

The Bible everywhere calls upon us human beings to become new creations. Ezekiel quoted God as promising; “I will give you a new heart.” (36:26) Jesus Declared, “You must be born again.” The apostle Paul affirmed, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ – new creation!” This is also different from the tiresome, grinding, despairing attempts to please God and reassure our conscience by our own efforts. Religion as such only reinforces the futility of human striving for a satisfying righteousness. Religion can change the appearance or outwardness of things, but leave untouched the depths of the human heart. Saying prayers, receiving baptism, communion, and other religious acts or good works may look good and impress others, may temporarily relieve feelings of guilt or inadequacy, but apart from the experience of a “new heart” and being “born again”, it all ultimately proves empty and futile. But a religious, fabricated life can be replaced by a deep, rich life with God. When one comes to a realization that religious ritual is empty without this new life, places ones trust implicitly and explicitly in God for His forgiveness and grace in Jesus Christ, religious rituals take on a new meaning and reality. Baptism is an open declaration and depiction of an old life buried and a new one begun. Communion (the Lord’s Supper, etc.) pictures receiving Jesus’ blood as atoning for ones’ sins, acts of kindness no longer serves to point to the doers’ goodness or generosity, but to the goodness of God from whom all good things come. Only Jesus has the power and resources to give us life that really is life. Turn from sin and self-dependence to Jesus, and you will see!