Copyright © 1997 Peter Wade.
From the book, You Are A New Creation, now back in print as "In Christ: A New Creation".
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You Are A New Creation
by Peter Wade
1. Nothing Else Matters
There are two key verses in the New Testament concerning the New Creation in Christ. While the second verse is better known, the first verse is vital for it clearly demonstrates the place of the New Creation in the life of a Christian.
Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation (Galatians 6:15 NIV) "The only thing that counts is a new creation!" (New English Bible). A free translation might be, "Nothing else matters but a new creation."
What does matter to you? Your answer will vary considerably, depending on whether you are, for example, a parent or a student, in management or sales. In addition, what matters to you will change as you progress through life. However, regardless of which labels are placed on you and at what stage of physical life you may be, the truth is that "nothing else matters but a new creation". Your understanding of the truth of the New Creation will determine your success in every aspect of your life. The distinction is vital and vibrant, and when seen and applied can change a believer and a ministry into a powerful force for God.
In Galatians 6:15 the New Creation is shown in its relation to religious
ceremony. The Jewish rite of circumcision is given as an example of all
religious practices based on works. All works-based religious actions are worth nothing in God's sight, regardless of whether it is putting flowers on the altar or serving fellow man or tithing to the church. Giving up a works-basedreligion is not the full answer either, for that too is worth nothing in God's sight. "Nothing else matters but the New Creation." The passage continues, "To all who live by this principle. may there be peace and mercy!" (verse 16 Phillips).
The truth of the New Creation in Christ has as its foundation a passage in II Corinthians chapter 5 that is quoted often in the church world, yet believed less often, and acted upon quite rarely.
The passage under discussion starts in verse 17 with these power-packed words,
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (II Corinthians 5:17). And the passage concludes with verse 21, where the extent and greatness of the New Creation is made clear,
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (II Corinthians 5:21). I find it thrilling to observe that once a man or woman is said to be "in Christ", the scripture states there is "a new creation". There is no suggestion that this is a promise to be fulfilled in heaven or that the result described will become a reality when certain conditions are fulfilled, but it does state that the moment we are "in Christ" a New Creation is a reality.
I notice also that it is not a "re-creation" that is spoken of here. God does not take the old things of my life and give them a "spit and polish job" and make them new in appearance. God places within me something entirely new, for verse 17 continues by stating that "the old has gone, the new has come!" "His old life has disappeared..." (Knox); "the past is finished and gone." (Phillips); "a new life has begun." (LB); "a new order has already begun." (NEB). How much has become new? Everything. There is nothing of the old left; "everything has become fresh and new" (Phillips). And the scripture also declares that,
All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation (II Corinthians
5:18). "All this is from God", and since God is spirit (John 4:24) then the New Creation is a spiritual inside job. The word "of" (KJV) is rendered by many translations as "from", the genitive of origin.
So God has done a wonderful thing for those who believe in their heart that God raised Jesus from the dead and confess with their mouth Jesus as Lord (Romans 10:9). It's nothing that Peter Wade can do, or Billy Graham, or Oral Roberts, it is something God has done. And since God is the Creator of the New Creation, then it must be perfect, for God is perfect. And I can conceive of no greater perfection than for a believer to be declared "the righteousness of God in Him" (verse 21). How righteous is God? The answer has to be "totally righteous". Then how righteous is the believer? Just as righteous as God!
This New Creation message is part of the philosophy of ministry to which I adhere. It is one of the distinctives of this positive ministry of God's Word. Everything that I do and believe is basically an outworking of this philosophy of ministry that could be termed the New Creation message. Others speak of our Christ life and our union with Christ, which are also excellent terms. It is possible that other fellowships who share this philosophy of ministry may do things differently to the way in which we minister or fellowship. And since God is a God of variety, these differences are perfectly wonderful, for methods may
vary but the message remains the same.
The New Creation message, I believe, has made a significant change in our lives and is the foundational and consolidating truth that will change other people's lives also. The impact of this truth can perhaps be better understood if examined in three parts. It is a message of completeness; it is a message of contentment; it is a message of confidence. In this chapter, we will look at the message of completeness.
The complete book is back in print as "In Christ: A New Creation"!
Copyright © 1984 Peter Wade. Revised 1997. The Bible text in this publication, except where otherwise indicated, is from the New International Version (NIV), Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission. This article appears on the site: http://www.inchristclassics.com/.
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