2 Corinthians 5:17 - the old has gone, the new has come

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

When a new year rolls around we often feel regret for the past or great hope for the future...or both! But what hope do we have of really having a "new year" if we are the same ol' people? This passage tells us that when someone has dedicated their life to following Jesus, they are re-made. Not just rehabilitated or reformed, but re-created-a new person. We're not talking about a new way of doing or not doing things, or a different way of behaving, but in Christ we are now new creations. However, we must yield to the perfecting work of the Holy Spirit to experience this new creation work in our lives. This new life is not something that WE muster up. It is the gift of God given and kept by the Spirit. Today, this year and forever.

Today's commentary by:
Caesar Kalinowski, Pastor, Soma Communities

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Galatians 5:16 - So I say, live by the Spirit

So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

How many times have we made New Year resolutions only to find ourselves discouraged by the 2nd week (maybe even the 2nd day!). Every New Year we intend to stop this or lose that - so much so that we resign ourselves each year to making a list with the assumption that we won't keep it. But the apostle Paul gives us an important hint in what it takes to truly change: we don't make a decision to keep away from the desires of our sinful nature, we make a decision to live by the Spirit! We need to focus our gaze on where we want to go instead of looking at what we want to avoid. Let's start this New Year by taking our gaze off of our weaknesses and refocus it on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. When we do, we find that He can change us more than our resolutions!

Today's commentary by:
Dave Whitehead, Senior Pastor, Grace NYC

What do you think? Discussion at: http://facebook.com/DailyBibleVerse