Scripture is filled with the language of transformation. A new heaven and a new earth. (Rev. 21). Our lowly body to be like his glorious body. (Phi. 3:21). New wine into fresh wine skins. (Matt. 9:17). Old made new by the transformation of the gospel. Paul, perhaps most famously, writes that we become “new creations. . . the old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17). There are many other examples – including the non-exhaustive list below:
- ”Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned in Christ! — assuming that you have heard him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:17-24)
- “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is in your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” (Colassians 3:1-3)
- “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put put one the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.” (Colassians 3:5-11).
- “But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world, for neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.” (Galatians 6:14-16)
Our hope as Christians comes, in part, by the promise of the old passing away and the new coming, both now and eternally, but are you aware of what it actually looks like in your own life to become a new creation? What would you argue is the evidence?
I polled several in my circle on this question. The answers include what you might expect: worshiping, giving, serving, studying, evangelizing, praying, spending time in Christian community, etc.. What is not on that list that you would include as the evidence in your life and in what quantity?
Another way to consider the question of renewal is to examine turning points in your life. The new year always brings this type of introspection. Even if you eschew the practice of new resolutions, you will admit that most of us take time to inventory the good and bad of the previous year to bring any learnings into the new year. What turning points did your year bring? How about the past five?
The Wall Street Journal featured an article in its recent weekend edition using the life of Ron Shaich as an illustration of what year end introspection might look like — a practice he calls a “premortem.” Shaich asks himself: “What can I do in the next three to five years that I will respect looking back from my deathbed?” Shaich divides his premortem into areas of concern – he thinks about his relationships with his body, his work, his family, his friends and God. He comes up with specific projects to achieve key initiatives in each area and then reviews every quarter to monitor his progress.
Oswald Chambers, a 20th century Scottish pastor, made famous by his writings and devotions, wrote this about turning points: “Every once in a while God brings us to a turning point — from that point we either go toward a more and more slow, lazy, and useless Christian Life or we become more and more on fire – giving our Utmost for His Highest.” Identify your turning points – which direction did you go?