I used to rehab houses. I loved taking a rundown home and remodeling it to a better condition. Even if it looked like a new home, it was only an older, fixed-up home. I thank God that He didn’t want to fix me up, but He decided to make it possible for my heart, soul, spirit, and mind to become a new creation through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ!
We are A New Creation in Jesus
In my human mind, it’s difficult to understand God’s ways, especially when they involve challenges. Living in our imperfect bodies in the broken world can be very confusing. However, Jesus knew our human condition, and that’s why he came as a baby and lived as fully human, except for sinning.
Jesus understands our confusion through personal experience. He showed us how to triumphantly live for God regardless of our conditions and circumstances through his teachings and example. I cannot forget that Jesus came to save people’s souls, not to make their lives happy or easy on this broken earth.
God also helps us understand our newness through his Holy Word, the Bible. The Bible has many stories about people who struggled, messed up, found redemption, and chose to walk away. The consequences of their choices teach us how to stay loyal and committed to serving Jesus and the destruction we can face when we walk away. The apostle Paul experienced firsthand how Jesus can transform someone on the wrong road and lead them to everlasting life.
So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (Cor. 5:17, NIV)
We are the Righteousness of God and Christ’s Ambassadors
Our new eternal life was bought with the life of Jesus Christ. What other gift could warrant complete loyalty, obedience, surrender, responsibility, and accountability? The modern lifestyle of today rarely, if ever, recognizes loyalty and commitment to a life of service as a life-saving gift a person receives from someone.
I’m not talking about being a slave by force. I’m talking about choosing to honor Jesus for giving his life for all our sins and making it possible for us to live eternally with him. Jesus took our place of judgment and punishment. Therefore, I choose to stay loyal to him. I choose to learn from him, do my best to love others as he loved me, and honorably serve him until I meet him in heaven.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. (Col. 3:23, NIV)
When we choose to be a disciple of Christ, we agree to mandates on our spirit, mind, heart, words, actions, responsibilities, accountability, and character refinements. We must learn about Jesus and work with him until our lives mirror his. We are also instructed to share the gospel and hope of Jesus.
We must be intentional about living according to the standards of Jesus, with his help. We must love everyone equally in respect and honor while being gentle, kind, patient, persevering, and working towards unity. These are just a few traits Jesus can refine and strengthen in our character as we walk with him daily.
Through Christ’s death, we are clothed in his robe of righteousness. We are no longer slaves to sin or death. We can show others the gifts, healing, restoration, and triumph that come as we grow in a close relationship with Jesus and serve him.
So we are Christ's ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, "Come back to God!" (2 Cor. 5:20, NLT)
Do we not owe the Savior of our eternal spirit and soul our loyalty, allegiance, and service? If we do not receive Christ’s salvation, honor God, and walk with them daily, how can we expect them to welcome us into a perfect eternity with him?
The Truth of Every Person’s Eternity
"You can enter God's Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.
"Not everyone who calls out to me, 'Lord! Lord!' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, 'Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.' But I will reply, 'I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God's laws.' (Matt. 7:13-4, 21-23, NLT)
Every person has only two eternal outcomes at the end of their life, heaven or hell. You can’t wait until you are in front of God before you decide. If you have not received Christ’s salvation and are partnering with him to follow his ways daily, you will not go to heaven. Because God is just and right, he will follow his high standards so that only those who chose and followed Jesus will enter heaven.
Only people who become new creations in Christ Jesus will live with him in heaven for eternity. No false rehabs will enter in. What will you choose?
