The Old and the New - II Corinthians 5:17

by Rohn Sat Aug 31, 2013 10:43 pm

THE OLD AND THE NEW
II Corinthians 5:17

(2 Corinthians 5:17) Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (KJV)

“The program committee for a national barbers' convention devised a graphic means of demonstrating the effectiveness of their profession. They found a social derelict on skid row with long, dirty hair. His face was unshaven and his clothes were ragged and filthy. His body reeked with odors of cheap liquor and filth.
“The barbers cleaned him up. They gave him a bath, shampoo, shave, haircut and a manicure. They liberally sprinkled talcum powder on him and added spicy cologne.
“He was dressed in a new suit and was presented before the convention as a changed man. He certainly looked the part. However, within a week the man was back on skid row, back in the gutter, back in his former pattern of living. The barbers altered his appearance, but their services had not changed his inward nature.
“Anyone can spend a bit of money and put a man in a new suit, but it takes being clothed with the Spirit of the Lord to put a new man in that suit! "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Cor. 5:17 NIV).”
--Norman Bales

"Old things have passed away. ."

I. THE OLD.
1.SPIRITUAL DARKNESS; BLIND IN SIN.
(Ephesians 4:18) Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: (KJV)
Sin always brings darkness.
People cannot see their spiritual condition because they are so blind to it. They cannot understand spiritual things. In this condition it seems that people cannot understand that God loves them and wants to save them from their sins. Even when they hear the Word of God expounded or someone tries to talk to them about the lost-ness of their soul, they don’t seem to be able to see themselves as lost souls. Or if they do it doesn’t have the effect on them that makes them want to come to God. They are darkened and blind.
But there is hope for them. Here it is in a promise that Jesus gave to the disciples.
(John 16:8) And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: (KJV)
As we pray for those lost in sin, our prayer should be for the Holy Spirit to convict them of sin. As the Holy Spirit works then the messages we preach and the words we speak can be used to open their eyes until they see the seriousness of their lost state and begin to seek God.

2. SATAN'S BOND-SERVANTS.
(Proverbs 5:22) His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins. (KJV)
When people begin to follow their own sinful desires they think they can give them any time, but they soon become customary to their sins, and then their sins become habits. Who can break a habit? Their sins have them bound and they are captives of the devil by their own sins.
(2 Timothy 2:26) And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. (KJV)

3. CHILDREN OF THE DEVIL.
(John 8:44) Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. (KJV)
Those who are not born again have the very nature of the devil in them. They desire what the devil desires. They have in their heart the potential to commit any sin the devil would tempt them to.
They need to be changed. They need to be born again. They need a life-changing experience that only comes from confessing and forsaking their sins and taking Jesus as their Saviour.

4. MORALLY DEFILED.
(Isaiah 1:6) From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment. (KJV)
What a sickening picture unregenerated man is. Those who live for themselves and not for God are in a terrible state. The Bible misses no words to describe the terribleness of sin.
Here is what Jesus says abut man whose heart is full of sin.
(Mark 7:21-23) For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man. (KJV)

5. AN EVIL CONSCIENCE.
The man who commits sin and imagines he :can go his own way and be happy if only his sin is not discovered, makes the fatal mistake of leaving his conscience out of the account. No man can tell when conscience will rise up and shake the accusing finger in his face, and make him condemn himself. This was illustrated when a young thief who had stolen a package of diamonds worth over $1,000 walked into the West Twentieth Street Police Station, in New York City, and confessed himself a thief in order to save a girl who was held for the crime. That mysterious thing we call conscience would not let him sleep or enjoy his stolen goods in peace, but took him by the throat and marched him to jail for his misdeeds. It was like the case of the men who were about to stone the woman to death for adultery, and Jesus said to them: "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her" (John 8:7). And John, recording the incident, says: "They which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out -one by one.” (8:9).

6. AN UNHOLY LIFE.
(1 Corinthians 6:9-11) Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. (KJV)
I’m surprised at how many think that sin doesn’t keep a person out of heaven. Sin in your life will keep you from entering the City of God. We must forsake our sin if we are going to spend eternity in Heaven. We must live holy lives for nothing unholy will enter the city.
(Revelation 21:8) But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (KJV)

7. PLEASURE IN SIN.
(2 Timothy 3:2-4) For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; (KJV)
(Romans 1:28-32) And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. (KJV)

8. WITHOUT HOPE AND WITHOUT GOD IN THE WORLD.
(Ephesians 2:12) That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: (KJV)

II. THE NEW.
1. EYES OPENED; HEART ENLIGHTENED.
(John 8:12) Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. (KJV)
The religion of the Lord Jesus Christ is a religion of light. One of the most splendid descnptions of our Heavenly Father is in the words of John: "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all" (1 John 1:5).
James says, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights" (James 1:17).
Note James' descriptive name for God, "The Father of light." And the Lord Jesus declares that those who seek to do the will of God are the "children of light" (John 12:36).
Our Savior never said a more splendid thing about Himself than when He uttered that sublime declaration, I am the light of the world" (John 8:12; 9:5).
Everywhere in the Scriptures light is used as an emblem of the righteous character of those who are the true children of God. Yes, the religion of the Lord Jesus Christ is a religion of light.
(1 John 1:6) If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: (KJV)
To walk in the light means to do what God tells you in His word. As He speaks to you, you are quick to obey. As He opens up His will to you, you do His will. To go any other way is to walk in darkness and lose your soul for all eternity.

2. FREE FROM BONDAGE OF SIN.
(Galatians 5:1) Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. (KJV)
Once we are free, don’t turn back to the very thing, the very sin, that had you bound and unable to serve God in the first place. God is able to set you free from the bondage of sin and keep you free.
(John 8:36) If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. (KJV)

3. CHILDREN OF GOD.
(1 John 3:1-2) Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (KJV)

4. MORALLY PURE; AFFECTIONS SANCTIFIED.
(Matthew 5:8) Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. (KJV)
What does it mean to have a pure heart?
It means that we not only look good on the outside but that we have been changed in the inside. Our sins must be forgiven and our heart cleansed from all sin if we are to see God.
He is able to do this in us:
(1 John 1:9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (KJV)

5. A GOOD CONSCIENCE.
(Acts 24:16) And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men. (KJV)
(1 John 3:21) Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. (KJV)

6. A HOLY LIFE.
God’s requirement for His people has always been that they holy.
(1 Peter 1:16) Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. (KJV)

7. PLEASURE IN DOING GOOD.
(Psalms 37:3) Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. (KJV)
(Psalms 37:27) Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore. (KJV)
Joy in the service of Christ.

8. A LIVELY HOPE OF A BLESSED IMMORTALITY.
(1 Peter 1:3-4) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, (KJV)

What a difference between the OLD life and the NEW live that we have in Him. Are you living the NEW life today?

by 12acrehome Sun Sep 01, 2013 12:42 pm

The Old and the New - II Corinthians 5:17

The Old and the New - II Corinthians 5:17

Re: The Old and the New - II Corinthians 5:17