THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT

PROGRAM AIR DATE: 2-17-19



LESSON TITLE: "A NEW CREATION"



WELCOME

TODAY WE ARE BLESSED WITH A WONDERFUL GIFT FROM GOD, THE BIBLE. THIS BOOK IS GOD'S LIVING WORD. IN ITS PAGES, WE ARE TOLD "FOR THE WORD OF GOD IS LIVING AND POWERFUL AND SHARPER THAN ANY TWO-EDGED SWORD." IT IS IN THIS BOOK OF BOOKS THAT WE FIND THE ANSWERS TO ALL OF MAN'S QUESTIONS AND NEEDS. THIS MORNING YOUR AREA CHURCHES OF CHRIST WELCOME YOU TO A PROGRAM COMMITTED TO THAT PERFECT LAW OF LIBERTY AS WE PRESENT THE LIVING WORD. NOW HERE IS YOUR HOST, RAY SULLINS.



WELCOME TO THE LIVING WORD PROGRAM ON THIS WONDROUS LORD'S DAY MORNING. WE THANK GOD THAT YOU HAVE CHOSEN TO BE WITH US TODAY, AS WE COMMIT THIS TIME TO OUR WONDROUS CREATOR. WHAT A GREAT PRIVILEGE WE HAVE TODAY TO JOIN IN THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PRAISE OUR GOD AND GLORIFY OUR SAVIOR. MAY WE EACH DO OUR PART TO MAKE THIS TIME ACCEPTABLE IN HIS SIGHT AND ACCORDING TO HIS WILL. NOW, LET'S APPROACH OUR FATHER'S THRONE IN PRAYER.

PRAYER: OUR GOD AND FATHER IN HEAVEN WE ARE SO THANKFUL FOR THIS DAY AND EVERY DAY OF LIFE. WE'RE SO THANKFUL FOR THE MANY THINGS THAT WE HAVE, FOR FATHER WE KNOW THAT ALL PHYSICAL THINGS AND SPIRITUAL THINGS COME FROM YOU. WE ASK YOUR RICHEST BLESSINGS ON US AS WE SERVE YOU AS WE DO YOUR WILL AND HELP US THIS DAY AND EVERY DAY TO LIFT UP YOUR NAME AND TO GLORIFY YOU, TO PRAISE YOU IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH AS YOU HAVE ASKED US IN OUR DAILY LIVES AND AS WE GATHER TO WORSHIP BEFORE YOUR THRONE. AND FATHER, HELP US WHEN THIS LIFE IS OVER TO RECEIVE THAT GREATEST OF ALL REWARDS, THE MANSION IN HEAVEN THAT HAS BEEN PREPARED FOR THE FAITHFUL THAT IS AVAILABLE THROUGH YOUR GRACE, LOVE, AND MERCY. THESE WONDERFUL BLESSINGS WE PRAY IN THE NAME OF JESUS YOUR SON, AMEN.

ONCE AGAIN THIS MORNING, WE HAVE A WONDERFUL PRIVILEGE AS CHRISTIANS TO LIFT UP OUR VOICES IN PRAISE TO GOD. THE BIBLE PROCLAIMS THAT OUR WORSHIP IS A SWEET SMELLING SAVOR TO OUR CREATOR. SO, THIS MORNING WON'T YOU JOIN IN WITH THE CONGREGATION AT THIS TIME AS WE SING TOGETHER OUR FIRST HYMN OF THE MORNING. THE NAME OF THE SONG "GOD IS LOVE!"



DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS



ONE OF THE HARDEST LESSONS THAT WE HAVE TO LEARN AS CHRISTIANS IS TO PUT OTHERS FIRST. ONE OF THE REASONS THAT IT IS SO HARD TO LEARN AND PRACTICE THIS CHARACTERISTIC, IS BECAUSE OUR SOCIETY, WHICH USUALLY SAYS JUST THE OPPOSITE IS TRUE. WHEN WE TURN ON THE TV, RADIO, OR READ THE PAPER, WE FIND PLENTY OF THINGS TO KEEP US FROM THINKING ABOUT OTHERS, AND RATHER KEEPING OUR ATTENTION ON SELF. EVEN THE EXAMPLES AND STORIES THAT WE READ ALWAYS PROMOTE AND SHOW THE SUCCESSFUL LIVES OF THOSE WHO "TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES." THE OLD IDEA OF "DOG EAT DOG!"

I REMEMBER A SONG THAT WAS VERY POPULAR SEVERAL YEARS AGO THAT SPOKE OF THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL. THE SINGER CLARIFIED OVER AND OVER AGAIN THAT THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL WAS IN SELF. THAT'S NOT WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS. GOD SAID THAT THE GREATEST LOVE IS THAT WHICH IS FOUND IN THE FIRST COMMANDMENT. IN FACT, JESUS SAID, "YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND," MATTHEW 22:37. THE GREATEST LOVE WE CAN HAVE IS THE LOVE WE RETURN TO OUR GOD, BECAUSE OF ALL THAT HE IS DOING AND HAS DONE FOR US. THE SECOND GREAT COMMANDMENT IS MENTIONED IN VERSE 39, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." AGAIN THE GREATEST LOVE WE CAN HAVE IS FIRST FOR GOD, SECOND FOR OTHERS, AND THEN WE CAN CONSIDER OUR LOVE FOR SELF.

IN THE BIBLE, JESUS WAS ALWAYS TRYING TO TEACH HIS DISCIPLES THE GREAT LESSON OF HUMILITY. CHRIST ALWAYS WANTED THEM TO THINK OF OTHERS, THEIR NEEDS, AND THEIR FEELINGS. REMEMBER THE GOLDEN RULE? THE LORD SAID, "WE ARE TO TREAT OTHERS AS WE WANT TO BE TREATED." WOULDN'T THIS REQUIRE THAT WE THINK OF OTHER FIRST AND CONSIDER HOW THEY WILL RECEIVE OR REACT TO, THAT WHICH WE DO OR SAY. ALL OF US HAVE PROBABLY SEEN THE ACROSTIC BEFORE WHICH IS MADE FROM THE WORD JOY. THE "J" STANDS FOR JESUS FIRST, THE "O" FOR OTHERS SECOND, AND THE "Y" STANDS FOR YOURSELF LAST. IF WE WANT TRUE JOY AS CHRISTIANS WE MUST FOLLOW GOD'S PLAN. FURTHERMORE, THE ONLY WAY GOD WILL BE HAPPY WITH US, IS WHEN WE LEARN TO PUT HIM AND OTHERS FIRST.

ALSO NOTICE WHAT THIS SCRIPTURE TELLS US, "LET NO ONE SEEK HIS OWN, BUT EACH ONE THE OTHER'S WELL-BEING," ONE CORINTHIANS 1024. WE ARE NOT TO LOOK TO OUR OWN GOOD IN A SELFISH WAY, BUT WE ARE TO PUT THE GOOD OF OTHERS EVEN BEFORE SELF. HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU MADE DECISIONS IN LIFE THAT BENEFIT YOU, BUT REALLY THEY HARM OTHERS? LET'S ALL TRY TO LEARN THE LESSON FROM GOD, THAT WE NEED TO PUT HIM FIRST, OTHERS SECOND AND THEN OURSELVES LAST.

AND WHY SHOULDN'T WE WANT TO LOVE GOD AND PUT OTHERS FIRST? THINK OF WHAT JOHN SAID IN ONE JOHN 419, "WE LOVE HIM BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US." ARE YOU PUTTING GOD AND THE INTEREST OF OTHER BEFORE SELF? MAY WE ALL LEARN MORE EVERY DAY TO BE GREATER SERVANTS TO GOD AND OUR FELLOW MAN.

TODAY WE WILL BE CONTINUING OUR SERIES ENTITLED, "BEHOLD ALL THINGS HAVE BECOME NEW." THIS MORNING WE WILL BE FOCUSED ON "A NEW CREATION!" SO PLEASE CONTINUE WITH US THIS MORNING AND AFTER OUR NEXT SONG I WILL RETURN WITH THIS LESSON FROM GOD'S WORD. IT'S NOW TIME TO JOIN IN OUR SECOND HYMN OF THE MORNING, THE NAME OF THE SONG, "DO ALL IN THE NAME OF THE LORD."



LESSON

BY RAY SULLINS



WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CONTINUING WITH US NOW AS WE GO TO GOD'S WORD AND LOOK AT ANOTHER GREAT LESSON IN RELATIONSHIP TO GOD'S WORD SPECIFICALLY ON THE NEW THINGS THAT GOD HAS GIVEN US THROUGH THE SCRIPTURES. WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING TOGETHER STARTING LAST WEEK AT THE IDEA OF THE NEW BIRTH IN RELATIONSHIP TO HOW ONE LEAVES THE WORLD AND THE THINGS OF THE WORLD TO BECOME A CHILD OF GOD AND HOW THAT CERTAINLY THAT THEN CAUSES THEM TO BE CONSIDERED AS A FAITHFUL OR A TRUE FOLLOWER OF CHRIST.

IN CONNECTION TO THAT THEN WE WILL BEGIN THIS DAY IN OF THE BOOK OF PETER AND IF YOU WILL LOOK WITH ME THERE IN FIRST PETER CHAPTER TWO, HE NOW MAKES THIS CONNECTION WITH THIS IDEA. HE SAYS, "AS NEWBORN BABES DESIRE THE PURE MILK OF THE WORD, THAT YOU MAY GROW THEREBY." IF YOU THINK OF THE IDEA THAT IS BEING PRESENTED HERE, IT IS THAT BUILDING UPON THE NEW BIRTH. AND IF YOU THINK ABOUT A NEW CHILD OR A NEW A LIFE COMING INTO THE WORLD, THEN THEY GROW AND WE KNOW THAT IN ORDER TO GROW THAT THAT CHILD MIGHT NEED MILK AND EVENTUALLY THAT CHILD GOING TO NEED SOME TYPE OF SOLID FOOD AND EXERCISE. THERE ARE THINGS REQUIRED THAT CHILD MIGHT GROW. AND IN RELATIONSHIP TO WHAT PETER SAYS AS HE AGAIN TALKS ABOUT THE NEW BIRTH AS ONE WHO IS NOW BEEN BORN AGAIN IT'S ALREADY HAPPENED. EVEN WITHIN THIS CONTEXT MAKES THE CONTRAST BETWEEN THE OLD MAN THAT DIED AND WAS REALLY PUT TO DEATH IN SIN AND WASHED AWAY THE CONCEPT OF ROMANS SIX, AND BAPTISM IN ORDER THAT ONE MIGHT BECOME A NEW BABY. AND AS THE IDEA, VERSE ONE ACTUALLY SAYS THAT YOU SHOULD LAY ASIDE THE DECEIT, HYPOCRISY, EVIL SPEAKING, ALL THOSE THINGS THAT WOULD BE CONTRARY TO GODLY THINGS OR WHAT A NEW AND PURE BORN, AGAIN, CHILD WOULD BE LIKE. THE INNOCENCE OF THAT NEWBORN CHILD. AND IN A SPIRITUAL SENSE, IT IS THE SAME AS THEREFORE YOU GROW AND YOU CONTINUE TO STAY AWAY FROM THOSE WORLDLY THINGS.

WELL, THAT'S REALLY WHERE WE CONTINUE OUR DISCUSSION TODAY AS WE GO TO THE BOOK OF SECOND CORINTHIANS. AND THE BOOK OF SECOND CORINTHIANS HERE IN CHAPTER FIVE MANY OF YOU MIGHT RECALL IS ACTUALLY THE VERY FOUNDATION FOR THE SERIES THAT WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT TOGETHER BECAUSE IT REALLY TALKS ABOUT HOW ALL THINGS HAVE BECOME NEW. AND SO AS WE ARE DEAD TO ALL THINGS, DEAD TO THE WORLD, DEAD TO SIN, DEAD TO THOSE THINGS THAT WOULD KEEP US FROM GOD AND ALL THINGS ARE MADE NEW. WE THEN HAVE THE GREAT ABILITY TO KNOW THAT AS NEW CREATIONS WE'RE STRIVING TO BE WHAT? LIKE GOD OR FAITHFUL TO GOD, CHILDREN OF GOD. AND THEREFORE WE ARE NEW CREATIONS. IN OTHER WORDS, WE WERE MADE BY GOD AND BEFORE BECOMING CHILDREN OF GOD WE CERTAINLY HAVE BODIES THAT ARE GIVEN TO US BY GOD. BUT THEN WHEN WE ARE BORN AGAIN SPIRITUALLY, IT'S AS IF WE HAVE BEEN BORN AGAIN AND WE ARE ACTUALLY NEW CREATIONS AS IF WE BEEN CREATED ALL OVER AGAIN THAT WE MIGHT ACTUALLY THEN BE ABLE, AS YOU WELL KNOW, TO BE SERVANTS TO THE THINGS OF GOD AND FAITHFUL TO HIS CAUSE.

AND SO READ WITH ME THERE IF YOU WILL FROM SECOND CORINTHIANS CHAPTER FIVE AND WE WANT TO FIRST LOOK AT VERSE 17. THERE THE BIBLE SAYS, "IF ANYONE IS IN CHRIST, HE IS A NEW CREATION; OLD THINGS HAVE PASSED AWAY; BEHOLD, ALL THINGS HAVE BECOME NEW." YOU SEE, ALL THINGS HAVE BECOME NEW. THERE'S OUR SERIES AGAIN. BUT WHAT IS THE SPECIFIC THING THAT IS RENEWED OR NEW IN THIS TEXT? THE NEW CREATION. THE NEW CREATURE AS IF HAVING BEEN MADE AS NEW OR AS IF HAVING BEEN CREATED OR AS IF HAVING BEEN REBORN IN A NEW SENSE SPIRITUALLY. AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT CHRISTIANS ARE. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT CHRISTIANS DO. THEY HAVE AGAIN WHAT? THEY HAVE CAUSED THE OLD THINGS TO BE PUT AWAY IN ORDER THAT THEY MIGHT FOCUS ON THE NEW THINGS. NOW SOMETIMES THOSE OLD THINGS CAN BE, AGAIN, OF THE WORLD OR IN A CARNAL SINFUL SENSE, THE SINS OF LIFE BUT NOT NECESSARILY. SOMETIMES WE JUST HAVE TO PUT THE THINGS OF THE WORLD BEHIND THAT MIGHT KEEP US FROM GOD OR THE THINGS OF THE WORLD BEHIND THAT MIGHT NOT ENCOURAGE US TO BE CLOSER TO GOD. MAYBE THERE'S A FRIENDSHIP I HAD BEFORE I BECAME A CHRISTIAN AND THAT FRIEND WAS REALLY NOT INTERESTED IN GOD AND THAT FRIEND IS ENGAGED IN THINGS THAT ARE CONTRARY TO GOD. AND IF I'M GOING TO CONTINUE THAT FRIENDSHIP AND THEY HAVE NO INTEREST IN GOD OR HEARING THE TRUTH OR FOLLOWING GOD HIMSELF, HOW CAN I CONTINUE IN THOSE OLD THINGS HOPING TO AGAIN DO THE NEW THINGS THAT ARE REQUIRED IN SCRIPTURE? I THINK YOU CAN BEGIN TO SEE THE VERY POINT THAT IS BEING MADE HERE. IF WE'RE GOING TO BE RECONCILED TO GOD, AND THAT IS OVERALL, WHAT THIS SPECIFIC TEXT IS DEALING WITH, NO LONGER THOSE WHO REALLY ARE A PART OF THE WORLD BUT HAVE BEEN MADE A PART OF CHRIST, A PART OF GOD AS THE CHILDREN OF GOD. AND THAT'S WHY AS WELL IN THIS TEXT IT TALKS ABOUT HOW THAT WE HAVE LITERALLY DIED TO THOSE OLD THINGS.

IF YOU WILL BACK UP WITH ME TO VERSE 14 AND LET'S READ FROM THERE. "FOR THE LOVE OF CHRIST COMPELS US, BECAUSE WE JUDGE THUS: THAT IF ONE DIED FOR ALL, THEN ALL DIED; AND HE DIED FOR ALL, THAT THOSE WHO LIVE SHOULD NO LONGER LIVE FOR THEMSELVES, BUT FOR HIM WHO DIED FOR THEM AND ROSE AGAIN. THEREFORE, FROM NOW ON, WE REGARD NO ONE ACCORDING TO THE FLESH. EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE KNOWN CHRIST ACCORDING THE FLESH, YET NOW WE KNOW HIM THUS NO LONGER." AND SO THEREFORE SINCE WE ARE WHAT? IN CHRIST, WE ARE NEW CREATIONS. THOSE OLD THINGS HAVE BEEN PASSED AWAY AND THOSE NEW THINGS HAVE COME TO THE FOREFRONT. WE ARE NOW FOCUSED AS THOSE NEW BABES GROWING IN THE MILK BUT THEN ALSO IN NEED OF THE MEAT OF THE WORD TO BECOME MORE AND MORE MATURE AND TO DO WHAT GOD WANTS AND TO ACCOMPLISH THE TASKS THAT GOD HAS PLACED BEFORE US SO THAT WE AGAIN MAY NO LONGER BE SERVANTS OF SELF BUT SERVANTS OF GOD.

THERE IS A TEXT I'D LIKE TO BRING IN FROM THE BOOK OF ROMANS THAT MIGHT HELP US WITH THIS BECAUSE IT AGAIN TIES THAT MOMENT OF JUST BEFORE BECOMING A CHRISTIAN IN OUR UNDERSTANDING AND BEING BORN AGAIN INTO REALLY THE ULTIMATE RESULTS THAT WE HAVE. AND THAT'S FOUND THERE IN ROMANS CHAPTER SIX. BUT EARLIER IN THE TEXT HE'S TALKING ABOUT HOW THAT WE DIED AND WERE BURIED AS CHRIST WAS BURIED. WE ARE RESURRECTED AS CHRIST WAS RESURRECTED AND THEN EVEN IN THAT TEXT HE SPECIFICALLY SAYS IN VERSE SIX THAT THE OLD MAN WAS CRUCIFIED WITH HIM AND THE BODY OF SIN WAS DONE AWAY WITH HIM THAT WE MIGHT WHAT? LIVE TO CHRIST. BUT LATER IN THAT TEXT GUESS WHAT HE BEGINS TO DEAL WITH? HE SAYS WE HAVE A CHOICE. WE HAVE A CHOICE WHETHER WE ARE, IN VERSE 16, TO BE WHAT? SLAVES OF SIN OR SLAVES OF GOD AND RIGHTEOUSNESS. SO SLAVES OF EVIL OR SATAN AND SIN OR SLAVES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, HOLY, GODLY THINGS, AND GOD HIMSELF. AND THAT'S THE CHOICE THAT WE MAKE WHEN WE BECOME A CHRISTIAN. AND SO THAT MEANS THAT WHEN WE AGAIN DIE AND WE DIE AND WE LEAVE THE OLD MAN IN THE GRAVE AND WE RISE AS THAT NEW CREATION. SEE, WE'VE ALREADY DONE THAT ONCE WE HAVE BEEN BORN AGAIN. BUT THEN AS THAT NEW CREATURE, THAT NEW BABE, THAT NEW CREATION, WE ARE NOW SERVANTS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. OUR PERSPECTIVE HAVE CHANGED. OUR NEEDS HAVE CHANGED. OUR DESIRES HAVE CHANGED. OUR FOCUS HAS CHANGED. WE ARE NOW THOSE WHO WANT TO DO ONLY THOSE THINGS THAT REALLY ARE FITTING OR PROPER IN THE SIGHT OF GOD. WE ARE THOSE WHO ONLY WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN THOSE THINGS AGAIN THAT WOULD GIVE GLORY AND HONOR TO HIM AND CERTAINLY WOULD NOT BRING REPROACH ON HIM IN ANYWAY. NO MATTER IT BE THE THINGS THAT WE DO OR THE THINGS THAT WE SAY. WE ARE NEW CREATIONS.

THE FINAL TEXT I LIKE TO LOOK AT LEAST FOCUS ON FOR JUST A FEW MOMENTS THAT WILL HELP US IN OUR DISCUSSION IS AGAIN IN COLOSSIANS. AND HERE PAUL AS HE SPEAKS TO THE COLOSSIANS DOES A GOOD JOB JUST LIKE WITH THE CORINTHIANS AND AS WELL WHAT PETER SAID THERE TO THOSE SAINTS IN HIS EPISTLE. HERE PAUL, AS HE TALKS TO THE COLOSSIANS, REALLY TO ME COMES DOWN TO A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING, A TRUE FOCUS ON HOW WE GET PUT AWAY THE OLD THINGS IN ORDER THAT WE MIGHT FOCUS ON AND KNOW THOSE THINGS THAT ARE GOOD. AND SO LOOK WITH ME AT THIS TEXT AS HE TELLS US THAT OUR CHOICES AS A CHRISTIAN TO LIVE THE CHRISTIAN WALK IS ALL ABOUT DETERMINING THAT WE NO LONGER WILL BE ENGAGED IN THE FLESHLY CARNAL THINGS OF LIFE AND ONLY FOCUSED ON GODLY THINGS. AND HERE IN THAT TEXT IF YOU'LL NOTICE WITH ME HERE'S WHAT HE SAYS IN VERSE NINE BEGINNING. HE SAYS, BUT NOW HOW YOU, YOURSELVES, ARE TO PUT OFF ALL THESE, SUCH AS ANGER, WRATH, MALICE, BLASPHEMY, FILTHY LANGUAGE OUT OF YOUR MOUTH AND DO NOT LIE TO ONE ANOTHER SINCE YOU HAVE PUT OFF THE OLD MAN AND HIS DEEDS. IT MAKES A CLEAR CONTRAST OF AN OLD MAN WALKING AROUND WITH ALL OF THIS SIN, ALL OF THIS SIN. IN FACT, IF YOU BACK UP TO VERSE FIVE HE SAYS THAT YOU HAVE PUT THEM TO DEATH. WHEN DO WE PUT THOSE THINGS TO DEATH? WE PUT THEM TO DEATH WHEN WE BECAME A CHRISTIAN. WE DIED AND WE LEFT THAT OLD MAN IN THE GRAVE. AND HE SAYS HERE WHEN YOU PUT THESE THINGS TO DEATH LIKE WHAT? FORNICATION AND PASSION, ANY KINDS OF SINS, ANY KINDS OF SIN. BUT NOW NOTICE THE CONNECTION BECAUSE WHO IS HE TALKING TO? CHRISTIANS. HE IS NOT TALKING ABOUT THOSE WHO NEED TO BE BORN AGAIN BECAUSE THEY ARE ALREADY CHRISTIANS, HE IS TALKING ABOUT THOSE OR RATHER TO THOSE WHO NEED TO BE NEW CREATIONS. AND YOU CREATE CREATURES OF GOD. NOTICE WHAT HE THEN ADDS IN VERSE 10 AS HE SUMMARIZES. WELL, WHAT IS TAKING PLACE BEFORE HERE AND HOW WE REALLY BECOME ONE WITH GOD AND FOCUS ON GOD AND LOOKING ABOVE TO WHERE CHRIST IS. VERSE 10 SAYS, AND HAVE PUT ON THE NEW MAN. SO WE HAVE WHAT? PUT OFF THE OLD MAN AND HIS DEEDS, THE OLD SINFUL MAN, AND HAVE PUT ON THE WHAT? THE NEW MAN. AND NOTICE SOME THINGS ABOUT THE NEW MAN. THE NEW MAN WHO IS RENEWED IN KNOWLEDGE ACCORDING TO THE IMAGE OF HIM WHO CREATED HIM. THE NEW MAN WHO IS NOT FOCUSED ON OLD THINGS BUT WHO IS NEW. AND ACTUALLY THE WORD RENEWED, REFRESHED THAT IS REALLY LIKE THE EYES HAVE BEEN OPENED FOR THE FIRST TIME. YOU KNOW, MAYBE WHEN YOU WENT TO A NEW JOB OR MAYBE WHEN YOU WENT TO A COLLEGE OR A CERTAIN CLASS ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT YOU MIGHT LIKE, YOU MIGHT LEARN THINGS AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT IS LIKE YOUR EYES HAVE BEEN OPENED FOR THE FIRST TIME. THINGS YOU NEVER KNEW. THINGS YOU NEVER UNDERSTOOD. THINGS THAT YOU REALLY DIDN'T SEE BEFORE BUT NOW YOU SEE. YOU SEE, AS THAT NEW CREATION YOU'RE LIKE THAT NEW MAN WHOSE MIND IS RENEWED. NO LONGER JUST FOCUSED ON WORLDLY THINGS WHETHER GOOD OR BAD BUT FOCUSED ON GODLY HOLY THINGS. THOSE THINGS THAT REALLY PERTAIN TO ETERNAL EXISTENCE. THAT REALLY AFFECT WHETHER WE WILL LIVE FOREVER OR WHETHER WE WILL HAVE ETERNAL LIFE, THE MANSION IN HEAVEN OR NOT.

AND THEN AFTER HE SAYS THE IDEA HERE OF THOSE WHO ARE RENEWED IN KNOWLEDGE IT SAYS ACCORDING TO THE IMAGE OF HIM WHO CREATED HIM. ISN'T THAT INTERESTING BECAUSE WE KNOW ALSO THAT IN THE OLD TESTAMENT WE ARE SAID TO BE, IN CHAPTER TWO GENESIS, MADE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD. IT TELLS US THAT NOT ONLY THAT IN CHAPTER TWO BUT IT ALSO REITERATES THAT IN CHAPTER ONE. AND HE SAYS THAT WE ARE MADE IN THE LIKENESS OF THE IMAGE OF GOD. AND HERE IT SAYS THAT WE ARE ALSO MADE IN THE IMAGE OF HIM WHO CREATED US. SO WE ARE MADE IN THE IMAGE OF CHRIST. SO WHAT IS THAT IMAGE OF CHRIST? WELL, GOD, THE CHARACTER, THE ACTIONS WHILE HE WAS ON THE EARTH. AND HE LEFT US THE EXAMPLE PETER SAYS THAT WE SHOULD FOLLOW. YOU SEE HOW BEAUTIFUL THAT IDEA IS? THAT WE ARE THE NEW MAN IS THE IMAGE OF CHRIST. IN FIRST CORINTHIANS 15, PAUL HAS A DISCUSSION HOW THAT THE FLESH IS REALLY THE IMAGE OF MAN, THE IMAGE OF ADAM IS THE CONCEPT OF THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD THAT ARE DETERIORATING, THE DECAY. BUT THEN HE ALSO STATES THERE THAT WE ARE ALSO IN THE IMAGE OF GOD, THE SPIRITUAL MAN. AND THAT IS THE BEAUTIFUL CONCEPT TO ME THAT IS BEING PRESENTED HERE AS THOSE NEW CREATIONS MADE A NEW AS SPIRITUAL. SPIRITUAL FOCUS NOT EARTHLY OR FLESHLY FOCUS. AGAIN THINGS THAT COULD BE GOOD OR BAD BUT NOT FLESHLY OR EARTHLY THINGS BUT SPIRITUAL THINGS THAT MY MIND IS CHANGED. THAT IS RENEWED BECAUSE AS I FEED IT WITH THE TREASURES OF GOD'S WORD AND I FEED MY HEART AND I GROW AND I BECOME WHAT GOD WANTS ME TO BE WHAT HAPPENS? I BEGAN THEN TO HAVE THOSE TREASURES COME FORWARD BECAUSE IT IS IN AND OUT OF THE MOUTH THAT REALLY THE TREASURES OF THE HEART ARE REVEALED IN OUR ACTIONS. WE KNOW THAT. AND SO WHEN I RENEW MYSELF IN A GODLY KNOWLEDGE OF PURE KNOWLEDGE, WHEN I BECOME THAT NEW MAN AND WHEN I REALLY UNDERSTAND THAT AS THAT NEW MAN I AM WHAT CHRIST WANTS ME TO BE, HAVING DIED TO THE OLD AND KEEPING THE OLD DEAD AND IN THE GRAVE AND LIVING TO THE NEW.

OH, HOW BEAUTIFUL IT IS TO SEE THE GOD HAS MADE US NOT ONLY THROUGH THE REBIRTH CHILDREN BUT THROUGH THE NEW CREATION THOSE WHO EXEMPLIFY HIM, SHOW FORTH HIS IMAGE, AND GIVE HIM GLORY IN ALL THINGS. WHY NOT MAKE SURE YOU'RE RIGHT WITH GOD TODAY SO THAT YOU WILL BE BLESSED NOW AND BLESSED ETERNALLY.



CLOSING COMMENTS



LET ME THANK YOU AGAIN FOR CHOOSING TO BE WITH US TODAY FOR THE LIVING WORD PROGRAM. I HOPE AND TRUST, THAT TOGETHER WE HAVE ALL BENEFITED FROM THIS SERVICE TO OUR LORD. LET ME ALSO INVITE YOU TO JOIN US EVERY LORD'S DAY MORNING AT 7:30 AS WE GIVE THIS TIME TO OUR CREATOR.

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AS CHRISTIANS, WE HAVE BECOME NEW CREATIONS OF GOD IN AND THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. THUS, MAY WE STRIVE EACH AND EVERY DAY TO LIVE UP TO CHALLENGE BEFORE US TO BE ALL THAT GOD WANT US TO BE; KNOWING THAT THOSE WHO DO SUCH WILL HAVE GREAT REWARD!