By: Emily Lehner
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What does it mean to be made new? As Christians, we use this phrase often, and often, we don’t dig deep enough into the meaning of it to fully understand it. I know that I struggle to realize what what it means for me to be renewed in Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21 talks about being made new in Christ. It says:
“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
As humans, we are either quick to forget or quick to overuse the never-ceasing grace that encompasses being renewed in Christ. Whichever category you fall into, it is important to remember one thing: Renewal is only made possible by one act.
Jesus’ work on the cross was accomplished by Jesus. It wasn’t accomplished by us. We must remember that new Creation is possible, but not because of anything we do on our own. Renewal is also a life-saving task, and I truly mean life-saving. Without it, your punishment is eternity in hell. I think it is necessary that renewal brings an attitude of gratefulness and reverence towards Christ. We must acknowledge Him in His power and glory.
Written by Emily Lehner, a writer for the Alumni Center and a sophomore Writing major at IWU. She is active on the cross country and track teams. She is passionate about using her writing skills to share the good news of Christ with others and writes often on her personal blog at www.emilylehner.wordpress.com.
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