The New Man Replaces The Old
The old man has a sinful nature. He is ignorant of the gospel of Christ and does not adhere to His teachings. Jesus told his disciples that those who are well do not need a physician and that He came for the lost sheep. He explained the great joy in heaven when one sinner repents.
Before an encounter with Jesus, the old man is corrupt with worldly behaviors. He is selfish, greedy, a deceiver, unreliable, and a slanderer. The acceptance of Jesus into their lives is a game-changer. Salvation in Christ puts an indelible mark in their lives.
He turns their misery and hopelessness into joy and hope for eternal life. Jesus turns around their misfortunes into blessings and fills their hearts with joy.
Christ does not discriminate against our background or how sinful we are. He loves us unconditionally and wants to renew our lives into new hope in Him.
Saul was opposed to the gospel and persecuted the church before he met Christ. He was on his way to Damascus when the Lord Jesus appeared to him and transformed his life. He became blind and Jesus asked him to go to Ananias to be prayed for that his sight might be restored. Saul was prayed for by a minister of the gospel that he was opposing even killing them.
His name was changed from Saul to Paul and he served God by preaching the gospel throughout present-day Asia. Saul’s conversion was unimaginable yet God actualized it. There is nothing difficult for Him.
The Impact of Christ in Your Life
1. He forgives your sin
When you meet Jesus, he forgives all your sins and washes you clean. He erases the bad past that is undesirable and allows you to build a new life in Him.
He forgave all the sinners He met. The Pharisees and Sadducees accused Him of blasphemy when they heard him forgive sinners. He forgave the prostitute who washed His feet with her tears and dried them with her hair, the paralytic man before healing him, the thief who was crucified alongside Him, and the man who waited for healing at the pool of Bethesda.
2. He removes any ungodly habit in your life
Jesus brings change wherever He goes. He transforms even those the world has given up on. Those who encounter Him die in sin and live in Him beginning a new chapter in their lives.
Jesus dined in the house of Zacchaeus, a famous dishonest tax collector. Many people had suffered at his hands. He had swindled and oppressed the poor building an empire for himself. Zacchaeus acquired his wealth dishonestly yet Jesus did not judge him for that.
After dining in his house with his disciples, Zacchaeus promised to give half of his wealth to the poor and restore four times to those he had stolen from. He abandoned his old habits and became a new man. Anybody who encounters Christ becomes a new man.
3. He satisfies your desires
Jesus satisfies all your desires when you meet Him. You lack nothing in His presence. He gives your heart peace and sets you free from the endless search for worldly treasures
Many people who met Jesus abandoned everything to follow Him. The disciples too left everything to follow Jesus. They lacked nothing whenever they were with Him.
4. He blesses your honest work
Jesus not only transforms your life but also your livelihood. When the disciples were fishing and they had caught nothing the whole night, they had given up and wanted to retire to their homes. Jesus met them at the shores and asked them to go fishing again. They agreed and cast their nets at His word on the right-hand side of the boat.
To their surprise, they caught a lot of fish that their nets were almost breaking and had to ask for help from another boat. While still at the boat, Simon Peter told Jesus that he was a sinner and unworthy of Him.
Jesus told him that He would make them fishers of men. He blessed their work and multiplied the fruits of their labor.
5. He takes you from darkness to light
An encounter with Jesus is transformation and renewal of your mind. He renews your mind and perspective of life following the light of salvation.
In Christ, you become alive in the spirit and do not live ignorantly as the gentiles do. When you encounter Christ, you cease following the desires of the flesh and walk in the spirit. Worldly pleasures no longer thrill you and you find rest in Christ.
Managing New Life in Christ
Like a newborn baby, new life in Christ needs to be carefully sustained lest you lose salvation. It is precious because God gives us a second chance in life through Christ.
We can maintain new life in Christ through three key ways:
i. Fellowshipping with other believers
We build our faith in Christ when we meet other believers and encourage each other in Christ. We grow when we share our challenges in a circle with a common faith. Fellowship made the ancient church grow because the bible records that they met daily to break bread together.
ii. Striving to know Christ deeper
The knowledge of Christ grounds our faith in Him. We learn about His perfect will towards us and what He expects of us. Just as the body needs to feed on food for survival and growth, so do our spirits need to hear from the Lord. We grow stronger in Him and the enemy cannot shake us.
iii. Holding tight to salvation
The Bible records that since the days of John the Baptist, the kingdom of God suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. You can maintain salvation by holding firm onto it regardless of any discouragement you hear.
Purpose not to lose your new life in Christ because such chances hardly come along. Turn away from worldly temptations because they are a passing cloud but Christ is forever.
In conclusion, Christ gives us peace of mind when we allow Him in our lives. He is the best gift to humanity. Moreover, Christ gives us power over the enemy. He fights our battles when we entrust Him with our lives. New life in Christ is beneficial.
