“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” 1 Corinthians 5:17
For us to better understand what this NEW life is all about…all we need is an ordinary caterpillar. There is nothing spectacular about a caterpillar, but when a caterpillar goes into and then comes out of its cocoon…the change is as obvious as night from day. In fact, it’s still the same old bug, but now it has a new identity. The insect that used to slink and crawl along a leaf is now able to soar on the wind as a butterfly. Same caterpillar, all-new butterfly.
When a person becomes a Christian, the Bible says they are cleansed from all unrighteousness and sin and made new from the inside out. That person is still the same person and yet they are someone entirely and completely new. Their new identity is God’s Holy Spirit now living inside them. This person will begin to think and feel and talk and behave more and more like a child of God because God’s Spirit changes them from within.
What’s impossible for a caterpillar – FLYING – is totally natural for a butterfly. The Bible says that every human being is born into sin and incapable of pleasing God with their lives no matter how good they behave. It’s impossible. God is not looking for people who trust in themselves, but for people who completely trust Him. Through believing in Jesus, all the sin is removed from a person’s soul and what was once impossible for the unbeliever – PLEASING GOD – is totally natural for the Christian.
How disappointing and sad would it be to come across a butterfly that didn’t believe it could really fly? What a tragic waste if a butterfly chose to continue crawling around on a leaf for the rest of its life instead of trusting its wings! As Christians, we also have to exercise our faith every day. We have to trust and obey God’s Spirit living within us or we too will miss opportunities to soar and succeed with God!
GOD OF NEW LIFE, THANK YOU FOR MAKING ME NEW FROM THE INSIDE OUT! AS I LEARN TO TRUST YOU MORE AND MORE, MAY YOU EQUIP ME WITH EVERYTHING GOOD FOR DOING YOUR WILL. MAY YOU WORK IN ME WHAT IS PLEASE TO YOU. MAY MY NEW LIFE BE A TESTIMONY TO OTHERS OF YOUR GRACE AND POWER. THANKS, BE TO JESUS CHRIST WHO IS MY NEW LIFE!