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A NEW LIFE IN CHRIST

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.    Every human being has one life.  Eventually, it will end in death.

 

B.      Sadly, man does not always live his life in the best way.  According to Romans 3:9-12, none of us do.

 

What then?  Are we better than they?  No, in no wise:  for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; as it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:  there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.  They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

 

C.     Those words are a sad commentary on man. 

1.      He becomes a sinner.

2.      He is dead in sins and trespasses.

3.      He is without hope and without God in the world.

 

D.    Fortunately, God loved man enough to offer him a second chance.  We often refer to this second chance as “A New Life in Christ” (II Cor. 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.

 

E.      Note that last statement made by Paul.  “All things are become new.”  Let’s look at some of the “new things” that we have once we are in Christ.

 

I.                   WE HAVE A NEW MASTER

 

A.    Prior to our redemption, we were under the tyrannical rule of Satan.  We were slaves of sin.

1.      He commanded and we obeyed.

2.      He has the oversight of both our minds and bodies. 

3.      We were children of the darkness.

 

B.      When we put on Christ in baptism, we freed ourselves from the rule of Satan. We were brought under the rule of Jesus Christ.  We became servants of righteousness (Rom. 6:16-18).

 

Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servant to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?  But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.  Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

 

1.      Now, Jesus commands and we obey.

2.      He has the oversight of our minds and bodies.

3.      We are now children of the light.

 

 

 

II.                WE HAVE A NEW RESIDENCE

 

A.    Prior to becoming a child of God, we were in the world.

1.      The world refers to the evil realm over which Satan resides.

2.      It is fleshly, carnal, sinful, dark, violence, immoral, corrupt and vile.

 

B.      When we obey the gospel, our residence is different.  We have moved.  We moved out of the power of darkness into the kingdom of God’s dear Son (Col. 1:13).

 

Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear son.

 

1.      Translated:

a.      Strong (3179):  to transfer, that is, carry away

b.      Thayer:  to transpose, transfer, to remove from one place to another

c.       Vine:  to change remove

2.      This is not a move that is literally felt.  It is a spiritual move.  It is a move that is understood by faith. 

a.      This world is no longer our home.

b.      Our citizenship is in heaven (Phil. 3:20).

 

III.             WE HAVE NEW THOUGHTS

 

A.    Prior to our conversion, we had thoughts that were selfish, filled with lust, and extremely evil.

 

B.      God has redirected our thoughts. 

1.      First, He pointed us to Calvary and showed us the consequences of our evil thought processes.

2.      He now wants us to bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ (II Cor. 10:5).

3.      Now our thoughts are redirected to that which is good and wholesome (Phil 4:8).

 

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

 

C.     Our thought processes are now governed by the Word of God.

1.      This new thinking transforms us into a completely different person from what we used to be.

2.      Romans 12:2

 

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.

 

a.      This is where both Bible reading and Bible study are imperative to the child of God.

b.      The philosophies of man and our man-made ideas can no longer influence us.  God’s Word must now rule in our hearts and minds.

 

 

 

 

IV.             WE HAVE NEW BEHAVIORS

 

A.    Godless people live one way; Christians live a completely different way.

 

B.      Our new thoughts cause us to act and behave in ways that we did not in the past.

 

C.     Two texts come to mind when I think of the Christian’s change of behavior.

1.      Galatians 5:19-23

 

Now the works of the flesh are manifest which are these, Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, immulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like:  of the which I tell you before as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.  But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith meekness, temperance:  against such there is no law.

 

a.      The works of the flesh used to be the behaviors of the Galatians. 

b.      Now that they were Christians, they were to be involved in the producing the fruit of the Spirit.

2.      Colossians 3:8-14

 

But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.  Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:  where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond or free:  but Christ is all, and in all.  Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humblesness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any:  even as Christ forgave you, as also do ye.  And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

 

a.      Put off old negative, sinful behaviors.

b.      Put on new positive, godly behaviors.

 

V.                WE HAVE NEW AREAS OF WORK

 

A.    As non-Christians, we were involved in worldly pursuits. 

1.      Some of them could have been sinful in nature (Ex., hanging out with the guys at the bar).

2.      Some of them could have been non-essential (Ex., spending entire days watching ball games).

 

B.      As Christians, God has given us new pursuits in life.

1.      Worship is one of these (Act 20:7).

2.      We are also to care for the fatherless and widows (James 1:27).

3.      We are seek those who are lost (Mark 16:15).

4.      We are to restore the erring (Gal. 6:1).

5.      We are to grow and mature in Christ (II Pet. 3:18).

 

VI.             WE HAVE NEW RELATIONSHIPS

 

A.    We used to be friends with the world.  Those that we associated with pursued the lusts of the flesh.

B.      Because we are children of God, we now have new relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ (I Pet. 1:22).

 

Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeign love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.

 

C.     The example of the first century church (Acts 2:46)

 

And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart.

 

D.    Sadly, we do not pursue these relationships as we ought. 

1.      For the most part, we only see one another on Sundays and Wednesdays.

2.      Why?

a.      We love our worldly relationships.

b.      We do not get out of our comfort zone to make friends with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

c.       We have been hurt by our brethren and are reluctant to develop these relationships.

 

VII.          WE HAVE NEW HOPES

 

A.    When we were worldly people, we had some interesting hopes.

1.      I hope my ball team wins.

2.      I hope the weather is good for my outdoor activity.

3.      I hope that I feel good enough to do this or that.

4.      I hope I have enough money for retirement.

5.      I hope the boss will let me off work.

6.      I hope the kids will behave so I can get some rest.

 

B.      The hope of the Christian is much different that the hopes of the non-Christian.

1.      We have hope of the Second Coming of  Christ (Tit. 2:13)

2.      We have hope of a resurrection (Acts 23:6)

3.      We have hope of a glorified body (I John 3:2-3)

4.      We have hope of eternal life (Tit. 1:2)

5.      We have hope of heaven (Col. 1:5)

6.      We have hope of seeing all of those we have taught and influenced in heaven (I Thess. 2:19-20).

 

C.     Our hopes are not here.  Our hopes are laid up beyond the blue. 

1.      Our hopes comfort us.

2.      Our hopes motivate us.

3.      Our hopes save us.

4.      Our hopes cannot be taken from us.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.    We noted at the beginning of this lesson that we only have one life to live.

 

B.      This is true, but our lives can be radically changed for the better, if we will make them new in Christ Jesus. 

1.      Ephesians 4:23-24

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.

 

2.      It begins in conversion.

a.      We die to our old way of living in repentance.

b.      We bury the old man of sin in the waters of baptism and arise to walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:3-4).

 

Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death:  that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we should also walk in newness of life.