The New You

2 Corinthians 5:17
 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
 I just love the word "new."  In the Greek this means unused, unprecedented. About three years a go, my church bought a brand new car for me to use in my ministry. I was so excited when I picked it up at the dealership. A brand new chevrolet hhr with eight miles on it! I couldn't believe it! I was like a kid in a candy store when I drove it off the lot. I have been so careful with that car. Washing and detailing it as often as possible. Guarding it from scratches and dents. Doing all I can to preserve it's newness. In spite of my efforts the car has sustained scratches and dents. The interior while still nice is not like it was when it was new. I still love the car but it's not the new car that it once was. God, on the other hand, does the complete opposite when it comes to us. He doesn't try to keep us new, He makes us new. He takes the old broken and used. The unworthy, the stained and dented and makes it new, unused and unprecedented. Every one who comes to Jesus is given the title of "NEW CREATION." Past sin that stained our lives is now gone,  Psalms 103:12,"As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us." Our sins are forgiven, past, present and future. The past hurts we have sustained are now healed as if they never happened. God no longer sees us as scratched or dented but as His righteous children fit for His Kingdom.  2 Corinthians 5:21, " For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." Our interior, is made new. The Holy spirit has taken up residence in our hearts and has made us new. Not cleaned up but new! Not like new, but brand spanking new! New identity, new outlook, new ability, new love! Every thing is new! We become the complete package,  Colossians 2:10, "and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power." I write this as a pastor who deals in reality. Christians don't really get this! The hardest thing for us to do is turn loose of the past. We want to believe we are new but we have a hard time making newness resonate in our lives. Might I suggest following the example of Jesus. How did He bring newness to us? Was it not through death and resurrection? Something happened to our sin when Jesus was crucified. Our sin was crucified with Him. Isaiah 53:6, " All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; 
And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all." Not only that but the burden and requirement for righteousness also has been nailed to the cross. Colossians 2:14," having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross." Are we getting the picture? It's not enough just try and leave our past behind us! Our past sin and hurt must become dead to us! We have to kill it! Death means separation and if we picture ourselves as dented, scratched and stained we have not truly severed the tie with our past sin and hurt! This is so hard and yet we understand that this is what God has done for us. Church, I have a challenge for you today, take the next step in your walk with Jesus. Break out the hammer and the nails! Take that past sin of adultery, fornication, addiction, homosexuality, divorce, harsh language or any other sin the devil has been guilting you with, "Nail it to that Cross, walk away and let it die!" Take those past hurts of molestation, verbal abuse, physical abuse, abandonment and betrayal. Nail them to the wood and do it like you mean it! Make every strike of the hammer count! Drive the nails deep! Drive them to stay! They will beg and plead. They will ask for another chance. They are guilty and they deserve the death penalty of the cross! Do not relent! Our Jesus who was not guilty, who did not deserve death went bravely to the cross without a word. He did this for you. To make you new. My brothers and sisters, The book of Ecclesiastics says, "There is a time to kill, and the time is now! Crucify them and walk away with victory. Galatians 2:20 says, " I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." The truth is this, the only way new life begins is when the old is done away with. Then and only then can our new resurrected life begin.