Continued from Beholding and Becoming
Life in the New Creation
Paul describes the change believers have experienced as a new creation. In Ephesians 2:10, he says that we are the workmanship—the masterpieces!—of God “created in Christ Jesus for good works.” Similarly, Paul reminds his readers that when they “learned Christ,” they were taught to “put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph. 4:20–24).26 A parallel passage in Colossians 3 says the new man, “is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator” (v.10). And 2 Corinthians 5:17 exults that, “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (cf. Gal. 6:15). For all who are joined to Christ by faith, this inaugural and decisive renovation of the heart has already taken place. They have put off the old man and put on the new man; they have put on Christ (Gal. 3:27; Rom. 13:14). New creation has begun!
Perhaps you remember the lyrics from the children’s song, “Bullfrogs and Butterflies.” Both were born again. The curse of sin has been canceled and its bondage has been broken. As
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