Would you turn with me to 2nd
Corinthians chapter 5. I would like to read the 17th
verse of 2nd Corinthians chapter 5. Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, or a new
creation. Old things are passed away. All things are become new. I've entitled this message, In
Christ, A New Creation. Now, the significance of this
is seen in that verse of scripture I read in Christ Jesus, neither
circumcision avails anything nor uncircumcision, but a new
creation, a new creature. And as many as walk according
to this rule, this is the rule of the believers life. This thing
of being a new creature, a new creation. As many as walk according
to this rule, peace be upon them. If any man be in Christ. The word if presupposes that
not everybody is in Christ. That's very important. If any
man be in Christ means that not every man is in Christ. And I don't have any understanding
of what it means to be in Christ if I believe that every man is
in Christ. No, not everybody is in Christ
Jesus. Only God's elect. Ephesians 1.4 says, according
as he hath chosen us in him. before the foundation of the
world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him. So those who are in Christ are
those whom God hath chosen and placed them in His Son. It's
important for us to understand that or we're not going to understand
anything about being in Christ. There are a lot of ways to describe
God's salvation. But I believe the most descriptive
word or phrase that describes God's salvation is, in Christ. In Christ. If any man be in Christ. Now what does it mean to be in
Christ? I need to know. Look back at 1 Corinthians 15. Verse 22. For as in Adam all die, even so in the precise same manner
in Christ shall all be made Now, what does it mean to be
in Adam? Well, Adam was the first man. Adam was the man God created. Adam was the representative man,
and you and I were in him. We were in him. When he died,
we died because we were in him. Whatever Adam did, we did. When Adam sinned against God,
we sinned against God. When Adam became spiritually
dead, we became spiritually dead. In Adam, all die. Now, that's the Word of God.
Even so, in the same manner, in Christ shall all be made alive. Turn to Hebrews 7. Here's what it means to be in
Christ. First night. And as I may so say, Levi, the
great grandson of Abraham. Also, who received with ties.
Remember, the priests were the Levites, and the children of
Israel were to give them the tithe. They weren't to tithe.
They were to receive the tithes as the priest. And as I may so
say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, paid tithes in Abraham,
for he was yet in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met
him. Now, do you remember Melchizedek
in Genesis chapter 14? We read where Abraham gave him
the tithe. Now, when Abraham gave him the
tithe, this passage of scripture says, Levi paid that tithe. What that means is, if I'm in
Christ, when he obeyed God's holy law, I did too. Isn't that wonderful? When he
died, I did too. When he was raised from the dead,
I was raised from the dead. As he is even now seated at the
right hand of the Father, I am there. Well, you don't look like
you're there, somebody's thinking. Doesn't matter. Looks are deceiving. I am there. If I'm in Christ,
I'm right there. in Christ Jesus. Do you remember
when God passed through the land of Egypt in judgment where he
was going to kill the firstborn? Where was their safety? In the house with the blood over
the door. Not outside that house. If you
were outside that house, you were killed. There's only one
place of safety. in the house with the blood over
the door. No matter how bad you were, if
you were in that house, you were safe. God said, when I see the
blood, I will pass over. It didn't matter how bad you
were. You were safe if you were in the house. In the ark, There
was safety in the ark. When the floods of God's judgment
came, when the rain came down, there's one place of safety inside
of the ark. What happened if you were outside
of the ark? You were drowned by the judgment of God. There's
one place of safety in the ark. If you had murdered someone and
the avenger of blood was after you, There's one place of safety
in the city of refuge. If you were outside of the city
of refuge, you were fair game. Anybody could kill you. But if
you were in the city of refuge, inside the walls of that city,
you were protected in the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, that's where
I want to be. How about you? I understand exactly what Paul
meant when he said, oh, that I may win Christ and be found
in Him. When God comes looking for me,
there's only one place I want to be found in the Lord Jesus
Christ. That's it. In Christ. Isn't that a beautiful description
of God's salvation? Now, we're in Him as members
of His body through the indwelling of His Spirit. We are in Him
consciously by faith. For in Christ Jesus, listen to
this scripture, Galatians 5, 6, for in Christ Jesus neither
circumcision avails anything nor uncircumcision, but faith
which worketh by love. And let me tell you what faith
is. Faith is only wanting to be found in Him. That's what
faith is. Faith makes you want to only
be found in the Lord Jesus Christ. You trust that the only place
of safety, of salvation, is in Him. That's what faith believes. Oh, that I may win Christ and
be found in Him. When He shall come with trumpet
sound, oh, may I then in Him be found, dressed in His righteousness
alone, faultless to stand before God's holy throne." In Christ. Someone says, how do you get
in Him? Well, the only way you're in
Christ is if God puts you there. Look in 1 Corinthians 1. I'll tell you this, anybody who
wants to be in Him is in Him. Do you hear that? Anybody who
wants to only be found in Him, they're in Him. 1 Corinthians
1.30, but of Him, of God, Are you in Christ Jesus? The only
way you can be in Christ is if God places you in Him. Of Him are you in Christ Jesus,
who of God is made unto us. Wisdom and righteousness and
sanctification and redemption full delivers. Now, if I'm in
Christ, that means I have His wisdom. God embraces me and has
fellowship with me as one worthy of communion with him, having
the very wisdom of God. Christ has made to me wisdom.
Christ has made to me righteousness, where the righteous God looks
me over and says he's righteous as my son. Sanctification, the
holy God says he's holy in my son. Redemption, full and complete
deliverance. That's what I have in Christ
Jesus. Now, if any man be in Christ,
the scripture says in our text, he is a new creature. A new creation. He's not so much changed. He's
not so much healed. He's a new creation. He's something
that he was not before, a new creation. Now, creation is something
that only God can do. Now, we appreciate what we call
creative people, and I am always amazed by the creative genius
of men. You know when I think of the
inventions, I think of the technology, I think of the architecture,
all the things that men do, I'm always, I appreciate it. But
I know this, it's not really creation, because all they're
working with is what God gave them. Now that doesn't say I
don't appreciate them. Of course I appreciate that,
but still when we talk about creative genius, there's only
one creative genius, that's God himself. And he created something
from nothing. Now that's what creation is.
There was a time when all there was was God. There wasn't any
matter, there wasn't any universe, there wasn't any stars, there
wasn't any sun, moon. All there was was God in the
infinity of His person, and He said, Light be, and light was. He created the universe. He brought something from nothing. Genesis 1.1 says in the beginning
God created the heaven and the earth. You can't believe the
Bible and believe evolution. You can't just write that down. Somebody says, but I believe
in God and I believe in the world. You can believe in some kind
of, I suppose, but you don't believe the Bible and believe
evolution. In the beginning God created the heaven Now how much
help did God have when he created? With whom did he take counsel?
Who did he consult with about this thing of creation? He spake
the universe into existence, he willed it, and there it is. Turn with me for a moment to
Genesis 1. Now, the old creation mirrors
the new creation. If you want to understand something
about the new creation, being a new creature in Christ Jesus,
where his workmanship, Paul said, created in Christ Jesus unto
good works, which God had before ordained that we should walk
in them, a new creation. If you want to understand something
about this new creation, you can understand something about
it from the first creation. I look in verse one of Genesis,
chapter one, in the beginning, God created the heaven and the
earth. Look at verse 2. And the earth
was without form and void, and darkness
was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon
the face of the waters And God said, let there be light. And
there was light. And God saw the light, that it
was good. And God divided the light from
the darkness. And God called the light day. The darkness he called night.
And the evening and the morning were the first day. The earth was without form and
void and darkness was upon the face of the deep. Is that the
way God created the earth? Did he create it without form
and void and darkness was upon the face of the deep? I believe that Something took
place between Genesis 1, 1 and Genesis 1, 2. That's what I believe.
Something took place. I think perhaps it was the fall
of Lucifer. We read of that in Isaiah chapter 14, where Lucifer
fell. And I believe something took
place. I don't know. But all of a sudden,
the earth was without form and void. There was already water.
It says the spirit of God brooded on the waters. There was already
water, there was already something there. Now, God created the universe,
and I think perhaps the fall of Satan took place because Satan
was in the garden before the fall, wasn't he? Remember, he
was there tempting our first parents. Now, Darkness is upon
the face of the deep. Adam fell and darkness covered
him. This is speaking of the total
depravity that we have because of the fall of our first father,
Adam. Utter darkness, blindness, evil
and sin. That's us. Darkness was upon
the face of the deep. And the Spirit, in verse 2, of
God moved upon the face of the waters. The Spirit of God moves
on a dead sinner. Verse 3, And God said, Let there
be light. And there was light. Now, this is what happens when
God saves somebody. God the Holy Spirit moves upon
them just as He moved upon the face of those dark waters and
said, Light be. Now here's where salvation begins. Light. I'm not just talking about
accurate information. That's not what I'm talking about.
If all I get out of this is where you get your theology straightened
out, I've missed it. No. Light concerning who God
is. Light concerning who I am. Life
concerning how God saves sinners and all that life is comprehended
in the cross. Do you want to know who God is?
Look at the cross and you'll find out who he is. Every attribute
of God is displayed in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ, his
holiness, his justice, his sovereignty, his grace, how he saves us, who
he is. You want to find out the truth
about yourself? Don't look within. Look at the cross. That's the
truth about you. If God took the restraint off,
if God removed His hand from you, you and I would be murderers
of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now that's the truth regarding
me and you. Believe that. That's the light
with regard to just how bad you and I are. Don't think there's
no sin that you wouldn't commit apart from His restraint. Know that about yourself. The
cross is proof about what you and I really are. But the cross
tells us how God saves sinners. What beautiful light. God said,
let there be light. And as soon as there was light,
there was a division. Night and day. A division, a new nature, a new
creation and an old creation. Now, if you have faith, I know
this, I don't have to talk you into this. If you have faith,
you know, it's the product of God doing this in you. You know,
you wouldn't have it. You know, you wouldn't have any
love for God. You know, you wouldn't believe the gospel unless he
had done something for you. When God makes a new creation,
there's a separation, the day and the night, the old nature
and the new nature. And I know that the new nature
knows that it comes from God. And the old nature is nothing
but sin, night and darkness, new nature and old nature. Let
me say this about the old nature. My old nature hadn't gotten any
better. As a matter of fact, it hadn't gotten any worse. I
just see it more for what it is. I see it more for what it is.
There's a division that takes place in this new creation. You see the difference when you
have this new creation between the New Testament and the Old
Testament. This is what happens when someone has these two natures, the new nature, the
new creation, the creative act of God and the old nature. What
happens is you see the difference between the New Testament and
the Old Testament. The Old Testament can be summarized
by this statement. Do and live. Do and live. Salvation is dependent
upon what you do. That's the Old Testament. Do and live. Here's the New Testament. Live and do. Live. God says, live, you live,
you have life and you do. Now, the word creation, if any
man be in Christ, he's a new creation, emphasizes that this
is entirely God's work. It's utterly unlike the works
message where men must cooperate by using his will in order to
accept what God has done. God wants to save everybody.
Christ died for everybody. God loves everybody. This is
the message of false religion. God loves you. Christ died for
you. God wants to save you. The Holy Spirit's calling you.
But it's up to you to either accept or reject what he did. If you accept it, you're saved. If you reject it, you're lost. But it's up to you. It's up to
an act of your will. There isn't a drop of gospel
in that. Not even a drop. It's not so. It's a false message. And if you believe it, you don't
believe the gospel. I want to be frank about that. I'm not
saying that harshly. But I want you to know that is not the gospel
of this book. It's contrary to the gospel of
this book. That's making salvation dependent
upon you. Listen, if salvation is 99% grace
but just 1% your will, you make the whole thing of works. That's
what it is. Now, I want us all to realize
that that's not gospel. You know, I can tell what an
individual believes about grace by what they believe about election. You can't read the Bible and
deny that the Bible teaches election. It's there. Do you believe it's
conditional or unconditional? Do you believe God chooses people
because he foresaw how good they'd be or because he foresaw they'd
make the right choice or because he foresaw? Or did he do it simply
as an act of his will because he would? Which is it? Now, the
new creation speaks. Not new with respect in time,
but totally different, not the old changed or improved or healed,
but something completely different. Something that was not there
before. I have heard regeneration called
radical change. No, it's not a radical change.
It's not a change. It's something new. It's a creation. Before God created the heavens
and the earth, there wasn't anything there. But when he created the
heavens and the earth, there was. Something was there that
was not there before. If any man be in Christ, he is
a new creation, the creative act of God. Now turn back to
our text in 2 Corinthians chapter 5. Verse 18 or 17. Therefore, if any man be in Christ,
He is a new creation, a new creature. He's not changed. He's not improved. He's not turned over a new leaf.
He's a new creation. And beloved, this is the rule
of the gospel. In Christ Jesus, neither circumcision
avails anything or uncircumcision, but a new creation, as many as
walk according to this rule. That's the rules of life. That's
how important this is. Now, therefore, if any man being
Christ, he's a new creation. But what he says next, all things
are passed away. Behold. All things. Are become new. I remember one
time I was preaching in a prison in Frankfort, Kentucky, and the
chaplain got up and he read this verse of Scripture and he looked
at those men And he said, I used to desire sin. I don't anymore. I used to want to drink and carouse
and party and no more. Old things are passed away. I
don't have any sinful desires because I've been delivered.
Christ has made me a new creation. And I don't have those sinful
desires that I used to have. Fellas, if you'll just believe
on Christ, you'll be delivered and you won't have these sinful
desires anymore. And I just put my head down and
I thought, you're the biggest lying hypocrite I've ever heard
in my life. That's not so. It's not true. I got getting
up and saying that thing to those men. What's it mean then? I know it
doesn't mean that because if you still have an old nature,
you know that that old nature's no better than it ever was. You
know that for sure, don't you? You know it about yourself. I
don't have to convince someone that has a new nature that they
still have an old nature that's completely evil. The only person
you have to convince about that is somebody who doesn't have
a new nature. They can't understand it. It just doesn't make any
sense to them. But if you've got a new nature, you know for
sure you still have this old nature that's completely evil. Paul said, I find a law that
when I would do good, evil is present with me. It's right there. I feel it breathing on me. I'm
aware of his presence, that old man that's corrupt, according
to the deceitful lusts. So what's Paul mean, then, when
he says old things are passed away, behold, all things are
become new? What's he mean? Well, my old standing before
God's law is passed away. You know what my old standing
was? Guilty. Guilty as charged. You know what? That plum passed
away. It's gone. And this is the heritage
of every believer, every new creature in Christ Jesus. I stand
before God's holy law without guilt. Not guilty. You see, Christ took my guilt. That's what was going on on the
cross. Christ took my guilt. He himself became guilty of my
sins. And God's wrath was poured upon
him because he was guilty. Because he deserved it. Because
my sin became his sin. And God's wrath came on him just
as truly as God's wrath came upon him. His righteousness is
mine. So I stand before God's law without
guilt. I believe that this old things
passing away and all things becoming new has something to do with
repentance. What do I mean by that? What's
repentance mean? It means change your mind. That's
what it means. Change your mind. How many times
have you repented? You've changed your mind. You
felt strongly about something. You don't feel strongly about it anymore.
Or maybe one time it was not even an issue with you, but now
it's a big issue. You've changed your mind. You've repented. I
used to believe in my old way of thinking. I really did believe
this. I used to believe that man has
a free will. He may be bad, but he can choose
the good over the bad, and he can decide to accept Christ,
and he'll be saved. I used to believe that way. You
know, I don't believe that at all anymore. Don't believe it a bit. That's passed away. I used to
believe that God loves everybody, Christ died for everybody, and
the Holy Spirit's calling everybody, but it was left up to man as
to whether or not You'll be saved. It's up to his decision. He can
either accept what God did or reject it. It's all in his hands. I do not believe that anymore.
That has passed away. I don't believe that for a second.
I used to dislike the notion of God's sovereignty and salvation.
I used to not like the fact that he elected some, and I thought,
why didn't he elect everybody? Why didn't Christ die for everybody?
It doesn't seem fair. I used to sit in judgment on
God and judging for the way he does. I don't anymore. Whatever he
does is right. You know, I used to just just
really have a hard time with Esau and I hate it. But you know
what I'm amazed by now? Jacob have I loved? Old things have passed away. I used to didn't love God. I
do now. Old things have passed away,
and behold, all things have become new. Now, how can this be? Because He said, Behold, I make
all things new. Now what's this mean? Old things
have passed away. Well, that old standing before
the law, the old way of salvation by works, the old way of thinking,
that's passed away. But behold, let's don't forget
this part, all things have become new. We have a new standing. It's called justify. Justify. I have believed in justification
by grace for a long time, and it's more precious, and it's
more new to me now than it's ever been. It's not just an old
doctrine. It's new. It's good news. You
know, one of the reasons I know the Bible is the Word of God
is because it's always new. It's always new. The doctrine
of the Word of God is always new. The Gospel, listen to me,
the Gospel always comes as news. Good news. Right now, it's good
news to me that Christ came into the world to save sinners of
whom I am the chief. That's not something I learned
way back when. It's news right now. It comes as good news. We have a new heart. God said, a new heart will I
give thee. And with this new heart, there's
new motives. There's a new will. You know
what my will is now? Here's my will, not my will be
done, but thine be done. That's my new will. My new will
is for God's will to be done. That's what I want more than
anything else. God's will to be done. We have new desires
and new goals. Turn with me to Philippians chapter
three. I've already quoted one of these
verses, but let's go on reading in Philippians chapter three.
Verse seven. Here's the way I used to be.
What things that were gained to me, those that I put in the
plus column, things that I thought were advantageous to me, but
what things were gained to me, I've got a totally different
view of them now. I count them as garbage, garbage,
loss for Christ. Yea, that was it. I count all
things. but loss, but garbage, for the
excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom
I've suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but
dung, that I may win Christ and be found in Him." Here's my desire,
to win Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness,
I don't want to have anything to do with that which is of the
law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness
which is of God by faith. Oh, that I may know Him. That's
my desire, that I might know the power of His resurrection. and the fellowship of his sufferings. I want to know that what he did,
he did for me, being made conformable unto his death. What's that mean?
He became obedient to death. And I want to be made conformable
to that obedience to where I'll obey him if it kills me. That's
how important obedience is. Go on reading. He says, Verse
11, if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the
dead. That's my desire. That's my goal. That's my objective. Old things have passed away.
Behold, all things have become new. You know, we have a new
view of the world. Now, this is my father's world. I look at this world and we love
the creation of God. We look at this world, it's our
Father, we look at the mountains, the beautiful, it's His. I look
at the world like that, but I also look at the world like this.
This world that loves not God. This world that has no love for
the gospel. I don't want to have anything
to do with that world. I really don't. You know, John said, love
not the world. I don't. I don't. Neither the things that are in
the world, for all that is of the world, the lust of the flesh,
the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the
Father, but of the world. Love not the world. You know,
a believer doesn't. Doesn't. I don't love this world
that hates the gospel, that hates my God and my Redeemer. I don't
have a love for that kind of thinking. Do you mean you don't
love people? No, I do love people. I want
everybody in here to know the Lord. I do. I'm preaching the
gospel, hoping that that's what the Lord uses to make you know
the Lord. But I do not love this world. We're forbidden to look. We have
a new view of the world. We have a new relationship. All
things are passed away. Behold, all things have become
new. I'm a son. I'm a child of God. I'm not a
slave. I'm one of his children. Behold, what manner of love the
Father bestowed upon us that we should be called sons of God.
We have a new knowledge. Turn to Colossians chapter three. Verse nine. Don't lie to one
another. Seeing that you put off the old
man with his deeds and put on the new man, verse ten, Colossians
three. which is renewed in knowledge
after the image of him that created him, where all fleshly distinctions
are taken away, where there's neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision
or uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bond or free, all these
fleshly distinctions that men put such stock in, they're taken
away. But here's the new knowledge.
Christ is all. That knowledge is new, and it's
fresh. Christ is all in my salvation.
Christ is all to God. Christ is all in the Scriptures.
Christ is all in motivation. Christ is all. Christ is all. That's new, isn't it? It's fresh. And we have a new name. My name
has been changed. You know what my name is? Jehovah
Tzidkenu, the Lord our righteousness. Now, you saying that's your name?
Well, that's the name of the Lord. It is. It's my name, too. This is the name wherewith she
shall be called. God's church. Every one of his
people. Jehovah Sidkenu, the Lord, our
righteousness. We have a new song. You know, I love music. And I've had many
songs that I've listened to and listened to and listened to.
At first, they're powerful, or I like them a lot. And they get
old. They get old. As a matter of
fact, can you remember what your favorite song was five years
ago? I can't. You know, these songs get old. But here's a song
that never grows old. Look in Revelation 5. It's a
new song. Verse 9, and they sang a new
song, always new, always fresh. Revelation 5, 9, they sung a
new song saying, Thou art worthy. to take the book and to open
the shields thereof, for thou was slain and hast redeemed us
to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people
and nation, and hast made us unto our God, kings and priests,
and we shall reign on the earth." Boy, it's a powerful song, isn't
it? It's a new song. It's about what He's done. He's
given us a new commandment. He said in John 13, a new commandment
I give unto you that you love one another as I have loved you. That's the new commandment. Now,
how does he love? That's the way we're called upon
to love one another as he has loved us. And we will spend eternity in
a new heaven and a new earth, and hear him say continually,
Behold, I make all things new. Now, if any man be in Christ,
he is a new creation. Old things are passed away And
behold, all things are become new. Now, somebody is saying
in their heart, I see that that is what the scripture teaches.
Now, what? What am I supposed to do? I want
to be in Christ. I hear what you're saying and
I see the glory of this. I want to be in Christ. That's
where I want to be. What do I do? How do I get in
Christ? I realize that the only way I'll
be in Christ is if God puts me in there. But how can I get in
Christ? How can I know I'm in Him? That's what I need. How can I be in Christ? That's where I want to be. Give
me some direction. OK, turn to Acts chapter 16. Now, Paul and Silas had been
thrown into prison. They'd been beaten with the cat
of nine tails and their feet were fast in stalks. Verse 25,
And at midnight, Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises unto
God. I love to think about this. Here
they are with their wounds and in pain, and yet they're in that
prison. Praying and singing praises to
God. Would to God that that would
describe me and you. And the prisoners heard then,
verse 26, And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that
the foundations of the prison were shaken, and immediately
all the doors were opened, and everyone's bands were loosed.
And the keeper of the prison, waking out of his sleep, he didn't
hear this praying going on. He was asleep. He's the one who
beat him. He's seeing the prison doors
open. He drew out his sword and he would have killed himself,
supposing that the prisoners had been fled. Of course, he'd
supposed that. I mean, look at the way he treated him. Of course,
they'd want to get out of there as soon as they could. But they
didn't. But Paul cried with a loud voice saying, do thyself no harm,
for we're all here. Then he called for a light. That's what I need, is light. I need light. Then he called
for a light and sprang in and came trembling and fell down
before Paul and Silas and brought them out and said, Sirs, what
must I do to be saved? What a question. What must I
do to be saved? What must I do so I can see that
I'm in Christ? Now, I realize some people would
say, well, you can't do anything. But that's not what Paul and
Silas said to him, is it? He gave a command. This is a
command. Believe. Trust. Rely upon the Lord Jesus
Christ and thou shalt be saved. You right now. Trust. The Lord Jesus Christ. As all
you need. And beloved. You're in Christ. you'll be saved. Is that it? Yep. Yep. That's it. Believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. Let's pray.