A New “Species”
Twice in his epistles, the apostle Paul used a phrase—new creation—that speaks of something entirely new, a phrase that points to what Christ became and what the believers are becoming.
God became a man, and this man was named Jesus. He lived a genuine human life. He hungered, thirsted, slept, wept, loved, and suffered. After His resurrection, He was still human. He could be touched, He could eat, and He bore the marks of crucifixion. However, He could also change His form, become invisible, pass through closed doors, and ascend into glory. He was human, but He was more than human. He was a “God-man.”
Now God is in us and part of us. He has been born into us. We are not merely human anymore. We are something new. God has joined Himself to man. We are a new creation, both a creature and the eternal, uncreated God. This new creation is of the same kind, of the same “species,” as Christ Himself.
The New Jerusalem is the full expression of this new creation. It is not merely a place, but a living entity composed of God in Christ with all His redeemed. And, as the wife of the Lamb, she must be the same as Christ, because a bride is of the same kind as her husband.
This is the great blessing. This is the mystery hidden through the ages. This is Christ in you.
My Reflection
When I consider these words, I am struck by how far beyond surface Christianity this truth reaches. Being a new creation is not about behavior modification or outward improvement. It is about God Himself entering into man and becoming one with him. Christ did not simply save us from something; He brought us into something entirely new.
This truth reshapes how I see my life, my growth, and my hope. God is not rushing His work. He is patiently forming within us the same kind of life that was manifested in Christ after His resurrection. What we are becoming is tied not only to today, but to eternity and to the New Jerusalem itself.
These thoughts only begin to open the door.
Impressions upon reading the booklet,
A New Creation
The complete unfolding of this truth in the booklet,
A New Creation, as well as a free copy,
can be found here.
