DAY 34

When she’s not taking care of our four children (five if you count me), my wife is an author and speaker who travels around the country proclaiming the good news of the gospel. Young girls frequently approach her after her talks clarifying, “Really, you mean to say that in Christ I can genuinely be made new? She always responds, “Yes, that’s what I’m saying: A new creation! Christ can make you a new creation!”

St. Paul himself experienced a brand-new life, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Galatians 2:20). In the case of Simon (Peter), his life was so profoundly new that Christ even changed his name in the process!

Satan tempts us into sin by tricking us into justifying it, “It’s not that bad; it won’t harm anyone. This is actually an act of love not a sin...and so on.” Later, when seeking forgiveness with the Lord, he tempts us in the exact opposite way, “But your sin is too great. You are damaged goods and no longer pure. Did you forget about that sin you committed thirty years ago...that one was just horrible, nobody knows about that one,” and so on.

Remember, the devil lies because he is envious. He knows the truth will set us free and strives to keep us from it! Contrarily, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth speaking through St. Paul proclaims, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17). Everything about the New Testament signifies this reality. We encounter a new Exodus story, a new Moses, a new creation story, a new Adam, a new Eve, a new tree of life, a new manna from Heaven and a new birth into the life of grace.

Nicodemus famously questioned how this is possible to be made new again, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you...That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew’” (John 3:4-7).

In addition to Baptism, there is also a rebirth in the Spirit of God that takes place. Our journey out of bondage through the wilderness and into a life in the Spirit is this rebirth. We call upon the spirit of God daily to make us anew through his mercy. Even creation testifies of this resurrection, as the sun arises anew each day. Today is a new day, exploding with endless possibilities and opportunities to grow in love for God and neighbor. Today is a new day of freedom!

“As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:12). He has blotted them out. He remembers them no more. Consider yourself a new creation in Christ! Let this truth penetrate to the depths of your being.

“All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18-19).

“And he who sat upon the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new” (Revelation 21:5).