Modernized by Cliff Collins

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

In speaking from these words, I propose to show--

I. WHAT IT MEANS TO BE IN CHRIST IN THE SENSE OF THIS TEXT.

II. IN WHAT SENSE THEY ARE NEW CREATURES.

III. IN WHAT SENSE THEY ARE NOT NEW CREATURES.

IV. SEVERAL IMPORTANT MISTAKES THAT SO MANY STUMBLE OVER ON THIS SUBJECT.

I. Let us first me ask what it means to be in Christ in the sense of the text.

First, to be in Christ is to be united with Him in affection and confidence; to be in Christ is not to be understood here in the sense in which we use the term when we speak of a person being inside a house or inside a vessel; we don’t mean that we are in Christ physically. The language is, of course, figurative, and means the union of one mind with another. Now two minds can be said to be in each other when they are united in affection and confidence. When minds are united this way, we speak of them as being one; and morally they are one. They are not one physically, but morally they are so united that their interests and feelings are identical. We have a fine illustration of this in marriage. Husbands and wives by being united in affection, interest, and sympathy, become one flesh. And believers are united with Christ in a much higher sense, they are one in the high sense in which people are one who agree in their views, sympathy, affections, and the purpose for which they live. There is perfect unity in the end that they live for, in the great objects they sympathize with.

Believers are united to Christ in this sense. This is what it means to be united to Christ, He being in us and we in Him, as the Bible elsewhere expresses it. When our mind is united to Christ, it has perfect confidence in Him, it sympathizes with Him in everything He does, and it yields itself up in affectionate confidence to Him. We as Christians are in Christ in this sense.

The text, no doubt, means more than this, it means that to be in Christ is to be in Him as a covenant head. Christ is the representative of His people before the throne of His Father. He represents those who have been given to Him before the judgment seat. He is the Covenant Head of those who are united to Him by a living faith. They are His people. He claims them because they were given to Him. they were redeemed by Him, regenerated by Him, saved by Him, and considered as part of Himself.

II. The sense those who are in Christ are NOT new creatures.

First, they are not new in respect to their personal identity. They acquire no new physical or mental attributes. They have the same bodies that they had before, and they have the same minds, as far as the substance of the mind is concerned, that they had before. In short, they are the same people in body, mind, constitution, and nature, as they were before. There has been no change of the substance of either the body or the soul. Everyone is aware of this.

Those who are in Christ are not necessarily new creatures in respect to all their outward actions; for it may be that many of their outward actions were in perfect harmony with the requirements of the gospel. Therefore, they may not need to renew their lives in many respects, when they come to be new creatures in Christ Jesus. It may be, and will frequently happen, that they will do many things afterwards that they did before as far as their outward life is concerned.

III. The sense those who are in Christ Jesus are new creatures.

Before I discuss this, Let me pause to comment on the marginal reading of this verse. The text as we have it in our Bibles reads thus: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” Now in the margin, instead of “he is a new creature”, it says this: “made him to be new”. In this case, the text is preferred, but generally, the marginal reading is the best. In this case, it is not. It is true that the original Greek text will allow this rendering; but the meaning of the Apostle is revealed when we read this passage in context. The Apostle Paul says, “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature”, and then he explains to you what he means. He says, “old things are passed away; behold all things are become new”.

I observe then, that we are new creatures in this sense: we have a new purpose in life, one radically different from what we had before. Before a man becomes a new creature in Christ Jesus, the source of everything he does is self, and the end for which he lives is self. Self-seeking is the beginning and end of his behavior, and everything he does is for a selfish end, either for himself personally, or for those who are important to him. Self-pleasing is the end that those who are not in Christ have in view. The whole race of mankind acts on this principle, practically from the day they are born. The first willful act of a child is to seek something to gratify its appetite for food; and this principle of self-seeking grows as the baby grows, and strengthens as the baby becomes stronger. Its end and aim is self. Now everyone who is in Christ Jesus is a new creature in this sense, he denies himself to please God. Before, he asked, “How can I please myself”; now he asks, “how can I please God”? He now lives for the glory of God. His purpose in life is to please God. “He is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold all things have become new.”

But let me say again: when a man has some great end in view, he will act in the best way he can think of to secure that end. A selfish man’s efforts are directed towards a selfish end. Therefore, everything a selfish man does is selfish. Now when individuals choose a different end to pursue, the character of their efforts also changes. Before they were in Christ Jesus, they were in the flesh and had a selfish reason for everything they did. The great end that they had in view and planned to secure was their own interest. Now people who are in Christ Jesus are new creatures in this sense: they are seeking to realize a different end and have different reasons for what they do in trying to secure it. Before they had a selfish end, and selfish reasons for seeking it, now they are living to secure the interests and glory of God.

Those who are in Christ Jesus are new concerning the relations they sustain. They are now God’s children instead of being rebels against Him. They are obedient subjects of His government instead of being the enemies of His kingdom. Instead of being criminals, they are pardoned, justified, and accepted in Christ.

They are new in the fact that they regard everything in an opposite light from what they did before. Before they judged everything in view of their relationship to the end they had in view. When they were pursuing a selfish end, they viewed everything in a selfish light, but now they have experienced a radical change. Because the great end they have proposed to themselves is now different, their views of things must also be different. Now they regard things in relationship to God, and to the great end that they now propose to secure. The Apostle Paul speaks of having known Christ after the flesh, yet he says; “Now we know him no more”. The fact is, before conversion, men regard everything after the flesh. They see everything with unconverted eyes, with an unregenerated and unsanctified heart. Everything is judged by its relationship to self. Even religion itself is looked at in a selfish light. Even Christ Himself is regarded from a selfish point of view. Unconverted men only care about religion if they can get something out of it. They don’t care about God and Christ unless they can gain something from it. So supreme is the selfishness of the human heart that it doesn’t care about anything in the universe, in heaven, or on earth, unless it will promote their selfish ends.

Now when people become new in Christ Jesus, things are no longer regarded for selfish reasons, and looked at in a selfish light. These considerations give way to an opposite group of reasons. They come to regard no man after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Instead of seeking self, they seek the glory of God, the interests of His kingdom, and the salvation of souls.

When a man comes to be in Christ, he is new in his sympathies, entirely new. Before, his sympathies were turned in a selfish direction. Watch him, and you will see that his sympathies are alive to all selfish considerations. Propose to him a way to make money, and you will find his sympathies come alive: he will go anywhere at anytime to get money. His thoughts and sympathies are all turned in that direction. But when a man becomes a new creature in Christ Jesus, his sympathies are entirely changed. Instead of finding that he is easily excited with simple selfish considerations and prospects of worldly gain, you will find that these things have little effect on him while he is sensitive to increasing the kingdom of God and saving souls. Now everyone who is in Christ knows that this is true: it must be true.

If our union with Christ does not have this effect, why should we be in Christ at all? What would religion be good for if it has no effect on its possessor? If any man is in Christ, he must be a new creature; and if any man thinks he is in Christ, and is not a new creature, he is mistaken. Why should I want to be in Christ Jesus if I must remain the old creature? But because a man, when he is in Christ Jesus, becomes a new creature, I see that it is an excellent thing to be in Christ, and it is a change to be intensely desired.

How are those in Christ Jesus new? They are new in temper and in spirit. Instead of being crusty, ill tempered, easily provoked, and ready to fly into a fit of temper at everything, they become the opposite of this, manifesting a new temper and a new spirit. This must be true by a natural law. I have shown you what it means to be a new creature in Christ Jesus; that it is to be united to Christ in affection and confidence, and be one with Him in end and aim. Thus, how can a man be united to Christ, whose temper and spirit are un-renewed? The Bible says, “If any man does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His”!

Those who are in Christ Jesus will be new in this respect: they will thirst after spiritual things. Before, they were thirsty for the world, for its honors, wealth, and pleasures, but now they hunger and thirst after righteousness. Their language is often, “My heart and my flesh cries out for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?”

Those who are new creatures in Christ Jesus are new in the sense that they have new hopes. Instead of having worldly hopes, they have heavenly hopes. Instead of being focused on earthly things, they are all universally swallowed up in Christ. Their sole hope is that, when He appears, they may be like Him.

They have new fears. Before, their fears were related to this world. They found the loss of their worldly character, the respect of the world, the comforts and honors of the world more important than the loss of their souls. Now their fears are different. They are afraid to sin because it will grieve Christ and dishonor God. Yet this is not a slavish fear, but a filial fear, a fear of offending one that is greatly loved.

Those who are in Christ have new joys. Before, their joys were earthly, but they didn’t last long; their joys were only experienced for a moment, and then they passed away forever. Now, when a man is in Christ, his joys are entirely new. This joy is the joy of faith, the joy of love, the joy of communion with God, and the joy of sympathy with heaven. All his joys are derived from spiritual things.

There is a new sorrow for sin. They no longer have that worldly sorrow that works death, but their sorrow is a godly sorrow. Their language is, “Rivers of water run down my eyes, because men don‘t keep Your law”. Sorrow, joys, hopes, and fears, are all new. They all cluster around one great end, and relate to one object. I cannot dwell on this, except to say that those who are in Christ have new living habits. Before, they were selfish and self-indulgent. True, they might have denied themselves in some things, but it was only so they could indulge in something else. Now, all self-indulgent habits are given up. I have a question for the renewed man. It is in connection to all his actions. What relationship do your habits have to God’s glory? God’s glory will be the great end you have in view; and if any habit that you’ve indulged in seems likely to defeat this end, you will give it up immediately, and you will have new habits of life.

Those who are in Christ have new reasons for their actions that before were according to the letter of God’s word and requirements. Suppose that before they were converted, they went to meetings, read their Bibles, and prayed; suppose they even gave money to the poor. All of these things were done from selfish motives. Self was the ultimate end they had in view, in everything they did! Now they have a different end for every one of these things. Do they pray? They don’t pray for the same reasons they did before: they have a much higher end in view. Do they read their Bibles or go to meetings? They have new reasons for their conduct. Although they do the same things outwardly, they now do them for entirely different reasons. They now aim to please God instead of self in all that they do. I don’t mean to say that Christian’s don’t sin under the force of temptation, but I do mean to say, that a man who is in Christ Jesus has a new reason for even the most trifling things of his life. Let me illustrate this several ways. For example, I go into a shop and I see a young man at work. I ask, “What are you doing”? “Laboring.” “What for?” “Wages.” “What do you plan to do with your wages?” “Buy books.” “Why do you want books?” “Why, I am going to college to get an education.” “But, why do you want to get an education?” “To prepare myself for the ministry.” Now even with all these questions, I really learn nothing about this young man’s character. He may want an education, he may want to become a minister, and yet he may be the wickedest man in the world. His character must be seen in the ultimate reason for all of his decisions. Suppose he says, “I want to be a minister that I may make a living”, or “I want to be a popular speaker”, or “I want to live an easy life”, or “I want to be respected”. Selfishness would be the beginning and end of such a character. Everything he’s done has been for selfish reasons, and for a selfish end. But one who was a new creature in Christ Jesus would give you quite a radically different reason for his actions. He would be doing everything so that he might glorify God and save souls; for to be a new creature in Christ Jesus is to be devoted to everything that Christ is devoted to: to be one in sympathy, in heart, in spirit, in love, in confidence, and in thorough devotion to the end for which Christ lives.

Those who are in Christ have new business habits. Business properly conducted is a noble thing. A man may, if he chooses, make it consistent with his highest purpose in life. But the man who is ungodly approaches his business with only a selfish end in view, and he does not ask about the relationship of his business to the kingdom and glory of God. He never inquires whether the business is in accordance with the laws of God, as long as it is in accordance with human laws and it is profitable. Now let me say that the man who is in Christ Jesus would no sooner engage in an immoral business, the results of which would endanger the salvation of souls and bring dishonor to God, than he would leap into hell! He would no sooner do one than the other! Let me repeat, the man who is a new creature in Christ Jesus, the man who has given himself up to Christ would no sooner engage in a business without asking what relationship that business has to God and religion, than he would leap into hell! Why, he is in Christ Jesus, a new creature, which makes it naturally impossible that he should give himself up to do anything that is not in perfect harmony with the mind of Christ. He is living for a certain end, and is it possible that he would leave this end out of view when he enters into business? Impossible! It can’t be! If a man loves Christ supremely, can he serve the devil in his business? The man, who professes to serve Christ on Sunday and serves the devil in his business, is a hypocrite. There can be no doubt about it. “No man can serve two masters”; he “cannot serve God and mammon”. (Matt 6:24) If he has been doing the devil’s business before his conversion, he will wash his hands of it. His language will be, “I would rather die than lift my hand against society by engaging in a business that will injure my fellow men and ruin their souls”.

Not only is he a new creature concerning the kind of business, but in the manner of conducting a business lawfully. He is keeping shop for Christ, and he knows that his Master does not want him to lie or cheat in his dealings with men; and therefore, he will act how he knows his Master wants him to act. He will seek to act like Christ; he will represent Christ. The Spirit of Christ will be seen in all his dealings. If a man comes into his store, he will not try to cheat him because he is a new creature in Christ, and Christ wants honest servants. Therefore, he will not cheat a brother or anyone else. Please understand this.

Finally, he is new in the sense of depending on Christ. Many people say they depend on Christ while they neglect their duties. Now I say, and let this sink down into your hearts, that no man who depends on Christ does or can neglect his duty. Anyone, who is resting or, leaning on Christ, will, without hesitation. do what Christ tells him. Keep this fact in mind, my hearers.

IV. I’d like to call your attention to several important errors that many people fall into on this subject.

First, they fancy that their relationships have changed, that Christ is their covenant head, that He represents them and therefore they must be Christians, even though everybody knows that they are not new creatures. Now when Paul says, “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold all things are become new”, Paul undoubtedly means exactly what he says. Therefore, Paul means that if old things have not passed away and all things have not become new, they are not new creatures. In addition, observe, Paul says, “If any man be in Christ “, not was once in Christ, but is in Christ now,” old things are passed away; all things are become new.

The radical change of character that I have been talking about is not a ground but a universal and unalterable condition of being in Christ. That we shall repent and believe is not a ground of our acceptance, but it is a condition; and those who think that they are in Christ and shall be saved by Him while they are not new creatures, are guilty of most a dreadful wickedness, and are under a most awful delusion.

Another error is that many people depend on what they call their “experience”, at the time of their so-called conversion while their subsequent lives prove that they were never converted at all. I have often, perhaps thousands of times since I have been in the ministry, talked with people about their spiritual state, and when I have asked them what hope they have of salvation, they would refer back to their experience at the time of their supposed conversion. But ask them about their present experience and they have nothing to say. They depend entirely on an experience that took place years ago. They think that they were once converted and they look back to that. This reminds me of a circumstance I once heard of concerning a man whose hope of heaven was based on a very remote experience. Whenever he felt any doubts about his spiritual safety, he would go back in memory and think about his experience; and this was the only way he could obtain any degree of peace. As he got older, his memory began to fail him, so he wrote down his experience on a sheet of paper, and put it in a drawer, so if he should ever forget his experience, he could pull out the sheet of paper, read it, and find comfort. One day he became sick and being greatly in doubt of his situation, he requested an attendant to go to the drawer and get his experience and read it. The attendant went to fetch it but, to his horror, a mouse had been there and eaten it nearly all up! Whether this is true or false I cannot say, but that is what was told to me, and it is an excellent illustration of what I am saying, that there are a great many people living on what they can remember of some past experience. Now the text does not say, if any man be in Christ, he was a new creature once, but that he is a new creature. If a man is not aware of being a new creature in his soul, it is worthless for him to talk about being in Christ. Have they really changed the great end for which they live, and have they come into full sympathy with Christ? If not, the Savior does not own them as His children.

Another delusion that many people fall into is what they call “the perseverance of the saints”. Their idea is, that people once in Christ will surely be saved, no matter how they live. Now, I believe in the perseverance of the saints, but not that way. I believe the saints will persevere in holiness, as the Apostle John teaches in the third chapter of his first epistle, “Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God”. (I John 3:9) Now, who does not know that this is the true “perseverance of the saints”? Those people that I refer to, say they believe in the perseverance of the saints, and yet they argue that the saints will be saved whether they persevere or not! Now, what an outrageous idea is this! I believe in the perseverance of the saints, but I say they will be saved because they persevered. I am not saying that saints will never fall into sin, but they will not live in it. It is universally true, that the people of God hate sin.

Another delusion, that many people fall into, deals with Divine Sovereignty. Many depend on election and Divine Sovereignty for salvation. Now let me say, I believe in election and Divine Sovereignty. I believe that men are saved by Divine Sovereignty; but I believe those who are elected will give God their confidence like the elect do. They will live like the elect do. They will be holy like the elect do. They will persevere in holiness like the elect do. They will serve God like the elect, and they won’t be content to live a sinful, self-indulgent life in the service of the devil, and talk about being saved by election! This is monstrous! It is blasphemous nonsense! Who cannot see that what I am saying must be true? When I see people flying to God's Sovereignty, I know that the Spirit of Christ is not in them. If the Spirit of Christ were in them, they would seek to be saved by the sanctification of the Spirit through belief in the truth. Those who are saved are to be saved by faith, which works by love and purifies the heart. “This is the victory that overcomes the world, even your faith”. (I John 5:4)

Many people, when the truth comes home to them, try to push it out of their minds. I have known individuals do this many times! When the truth is presented, they will often say “Well, I certainly am not in Christ, if what the minister says is true; I don’t have that sympathy with God that he talked about; that’s not my character”. When they have gotten that far, the devil will suggest some text of Scripture to delude them and prevent their thoughts from continuing on in the right direction of self-examination. I have known the devil to quote Scripture to people under such circumstances many times! Whenever the truth is presented to your minds and you begin to think that you certainly are not a true Christian, if any passage of Scripture suddenly pops into your mind to make you believe that you are, you may be sure that it is the devil who suggested it to you; and if you allow yourself to be so comforted, you will probability lose your soul. Take care, for the devil will deceive you if he can.

In closing:

First, true religion always gives peace of mind. There is joy and peace in believing. This is universally true.

If you find by your consciousness that you are new creatures in Christ Jesus, you are bound to take the promises and consolations of the gospel to your own souls. They are all yours. You may take all of them and write your name on every promise. Write your name on every declaration that is made to “God’s dear children”, and rejoice in all the great and glorious things that God has spoken to His redeemed family.

If you are not a child of God, beware that you do not appropriate these promises, taking them as a flattering unction to your souls, for they don’t belong to you. You have “neither part nor portion in the matter” (Acts 8:21) until you repent of sin, renounce it, and come into sympathy with Christ.

It is absurd to build your hopes of heaven on some old experience. It is only the backslider, who is living in sin, that relies on hopes and experiences; but only the one who “is a new creature” can obtain comfort and eternal life.

I have often thought that the great reason why professing Christians do not have more comfort is because they are not in a state of mind that deserves comfort. If they were, God would not leave them without it. Unless we have faith, we have no business having comfort: unless we have that faith which works by love and purifies the heart. But if we have that faith, we shall surely to realize the promises.

What a different standard of religion the apostles held up from the standard that is commonly displayed today! Today, ministers are afraid of cutting their congregations off from all hope of salvation by making the standard too high and so they bring it down to their own level; they no longer are not in a position to hold the gospel up high like the apostles did. This is a common but awful delusion! It is the curse of the land. The standard is brought down to the level of the church instead of the church being elevated to it! This is not universally the case, and I praise God that it is not; but I have very often found it true, and my soul has been deeply grieved because of it. But, I must close.

You and I will have to meet at the judgment seat of Christ and I call heaven and earth to witness that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing. If you are not a new creature in Christ, you will never be saved! If you take hold of any hope short of this, you will find it to be a hope of sand, and when you are swung out over the vast abyss of eternity, it will suddenly fail you and your soul will be eternally lost! May God have mercy on us all for His name’s sake. Amen.