A New Creation

Paul Cozza

A Place in the Wilderness

A New Creation

© 2023 Paul Cozza

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Paul Cozza
A Place in the Wilderness

Email: paul@aplaceinthewilderness.com
Website: aplaceinthewilderness.com

Scripture quotations are from the
American Standard Version of the Bible (1901)
unless otherwise noted.

Cover design: Nuggitz Creative Services (Nuggitz.com)

Cover photo: Alex Mit | Depositphotos.com

Note: An asterisk before a reference number indicates a text footnote (as opposed to a verse reference).

Twice in his epistles,1 the apostle Paul used a phrase that can be translated as either new creation or new creature. What did he mean when he used this phrase?

Creation or Creature?

While it may seem these two phrases are equivalent, there is actually quite a difference between them. Did Paul mean a new created being—that is, a new human? Or did he mean a new creation, different from a merely human being?

There is also some ambiguity in his use of the word new. Did Paul mean new in time or new in type? For the answer to these questions, let us look at the person, Jesus.

Jesus

The babe born in Bethlehem—Jesus—was both God and man. God became a man2 and this man was named Jesus. In some mysterious way, this little Being was both true God and genuine man.

As a man, he lived a real human life. He hungered3 and thirsted,4 He ate and drank,5 He slept6 and became weary,7 He loved,8 wept,9 suffered,10 and died.11 In every way, he was a genuine human.

However, in His resurrection, what had he become? He walked,12 talked,13 and ate14 like any human being. He had flesh and bones.15 His body showed the wounds16 of his crucifixion. He could be touched17 just as any man can be touched. In all ways, he was a human.

However, he could also change his form,18 become invisible,19 walk through walls or closed doors,20 and ascend21 to sit on God's throne with and in God.22

What had this man Jesus become? What was he then, and what is he now? He is something entirely new: he is of a new kind, a new being, the first of a new “species,” if you will. This resurrected and ascended Christ was and is something completely unprecedented. From eternity past throughout all time, such a being had never existed before.

Is He God? Yes. Is He man? Yes. Is He the Creator? Yes. Is He a creature? Yes. He is all of these and is yet one. He is completely one in every way. In Him, there is no incongruence and no separation. He is one who is fully God-man. He is a new kind of being.

Brothers of the Firstborn

In His resurrection he was the first of this kind, but the first of many of this kind. Clearly, we are human. But now God is in us23 and part of us. He has been born into our human spirit.24 God is now growing25 within us, sanctifying26 and transforming27 as He does.

Eventually, this divine being within us will mature fully. Then, what have we become? We become the same as our older brother, Jesus. He is the firstborn among many brothers; we are the many brothers.28 We are many of the same kind as He—a fully new creation.

What is this? I do not know. However, I do know that we will be like Him.29

Not a New Creature

We are not a new creature. That would mean we are a totally created being, although new. But, that is not our case. We are now indwelt by God himself, and will be totally one with Him in every way. However, God is not a creature. So then, we are a new creation, both a creature and the eternal, uncreated God.

We are something new. We are something of the same kind as Christ. Recall what Paul said in his epistle:30 the Christ in us will be marveled at when He is manifested—He in us, we in Him—altogether one. One new kind of being. When He moves, we move in His moving. When we move, He moves in our moving. What kind of being is this? Something entirely new and unimaginable! Consider what it is like to enjoy and partake of Christ as He is one with us.

The New Jerusalem

What then can we say about the New Jerusalem? Many think she is physical, and only physical. Others believe she is spiritual, and only that. But the New Jerusalem is composed of God in Christ with all of His redeemed.31 And we are a new kind! Then, what about the New Jerusalem?

Consider that the New Jerusalem is the bride of the Lamb.32 She must be of the same kind, of the same species, as her husband.33 She must be the same as the Lamb—Christ.

The New Jerusalem must then be a city of a new kind. She must in some way be in some way physical and yet also somehow spiritual. She must be physical because the kings of the Earth bring their glory into her,34 the nations bring their honor and glory into her,35 and all those in the Lamb’s book of life may enter her.36

Yet, she must also be spiritual as well. In her, God and the Lamb are on the throne.37 The same God and Christ who are now in the heavens reigning38 over creation will reign on their throne in the New Jerusalem. The river of water of life runs through her.39 This water is unequivocally the Spirit.40 In addition, the tree of life grows on this side and that side of that river.41 Christ is both the life42 and the vine.43 The tree of life must be Christ and nothing else—not Christ as flesh, for that profits nothing, but Christ as Spirit, who gives life.44

The New Jerusalem has dimensions45 that are obviously not physical, or at least not physical in any sense we know. How can a city be 12,000 stadia*46 high? Therefore, the New Jerusalem must also be of a new kind, composed of a new species of being.

Coming Down

John saw the new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven.47 However, he never mentions her landing on the Earth. Why is this? It is because the city is coming down eternally, bringing God and all that is heavenly to Earth and to all the creation. The New Jerusalem is the joining of God with His creation.

Recall that Christ as the son of man is the ladder that joins heaven to Earth.48 It is upon Him that the angels ascend and descend to bring the heavenly down to Earth. In like manner, the New Jerusalem—of the same kind as Christ—joins heaven to Earth.

Mysteries

It is indisputable that God is a mystery. Who can grasp Him or understand Him? Christ also is a mystery—the mystery of God.49 Furthermore, Christ in us is a mystery—the hope of glory.50 What of Christ and the Church? That is a great mystery!51 Great mystery upon mystery upon mystery upon mystery!

And the New Jerusalem? She is the greatest mystery of all—one which encompasses all the other mysteries and far, far more. Who can possibly apprehend her?

The apostle John, who by the time of the writing of the book of Revelation was probably in his mid-eighties and had known the Lord for more than 50 years, was so overwhelmed and stunned by his vision of the New Jerusalem that he fell at the feet of an angel and worshipped.52

The Great Blessing

The New Jerusalem is the glorious, stunning, and boundless heavenly blessing to all the creation. In her, there is healing for all forever53 and life in overflowing abundance.54 In her, God and man are joined eternally.

The New Jerusalem is the center of the new heaven and new Earth—a universal lampstand, radiating the glory of God55 to the whole creation. She is the magnificent and enlarged Holy of Holies, for her dimensions are equal in width, length, and height,56 like the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle and temple. In this holiest of places, God and all His redeemed dwell eternally.

The true appreciation of the New Jerusalem waits for our experience of her when she is fully revealed. What a future we have, dear brothers and sisters!

2 Corinthians 5:17 Wherefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new.
Galatians 6:15 For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth.

Matthew 4:2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he afterward hungered.

John 4:7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.
John 19:28 After this Jesus, knowing that all things are now finished, that the scripture might be accomplished, saith, I thirst.

Matthew 11:19 The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold, a gluttonous man and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners! And wisdom is justified by her works.

Matthew 8:24 And behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the boat was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.

John 4:6 and Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.

Mark 10:21 And Jesus looking upon him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.
John 11:5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.
John 13:1 Now before the feast of the passover, Jesus knowing that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own that were in the world, he loved them unto the end.
John 20:2 She runneth therefore, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we know not where they have laid him.

John 11:35 Jesus wept.
Luke 19:41 And when he drew nigh, he saw the city and wept over it,

Matthew 16:21 From that time began Jesus to show unto his disciples, that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up.

Matthew 17:23 and they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised up. And they were exceeding sorry.

Luke 24:15 And it came to pass, while they communed and questioned together, that Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.

Luke 24:17 And he said unto them, What communications are these that ye have one with another, as ye walk? And they stood still, looking sad.

Luke 24:41–42 And while they still disbelieved for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here anything to eat? And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish.

Luke 24:39 See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye behold me having.

Luke 24:40 And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet.

John 20:27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and see my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and put it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

Mark 16:12 And after these things he was manifested in another form unto two of them, as they walked, on their way into the country.

Luke 24:31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.

John 20:19 When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
John 20:26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them. Jesus cometh, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

Acts 1:9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

Revelation 3:21 He that overcometh, I will give to him to sit down with me in my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father in his throne.
Revelation 22:1 And he showed me a river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb,

Ephesians 4:6 one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all.
2 Corinthians 13:5 Try your own selves, whether ye are in the faith; prove your own selves. Or know ye not as to your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you? unless indeed ye be reprobate.
1 Corinthians 3:16 Know ye not that ye are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Colossians 2:19 and not holding fast the Head, from whom all the body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and bands, increaseth with the increase of God.

1 Thessalonians 5:23 And the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved entire, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit.

Romans 8:29 For whom he foreknew, he also foreordained to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren:

1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we children of God, and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be. We know that, if he shall be manifested, we shall be like him; for we shall see him even as he is.

2 Thessalonians 1:10 when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be marvelled at in all them that believed (because our testimony unto you was believed) in that day.

Revelation 22:1–5 And he showed me a river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the midst of the street thereof. And on this side of the river and on that was the tree of life, bearing twelve manner of fruits, yielding its fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no curse any more: and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be therein: and his servants shall serve him; and they shall see his face; and his name shall be on their foreheads. And there shall be night no more; and they need no light of lamp, neither light of sun; for the Lord God shall give them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

Revelation 21:22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God the Almighty, and the Lamb, are the temple thereof.

Genesis 2:18–23 And Jehovah God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him. And out of the ground Jehovah God formed every beast of the field, and every bird of the heavens; and brought them unto the man to see what he would call them: and whatsoever the man called every living creature, that was the name thereof. And the man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the heavens, and to every beast of the field; but for man there was not found a help meet for him. And Jehovah God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof: and the rib, which Jehovah God had taken from the man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And the man said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.

Revelation 21:24 And the nations shall walk amidst the light thereof: and the kings of the earth bring their glory into it.

Revelation 21:25–26 And the gates thereof shall in no wise be shut by day (for there shall be no night there): and they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it:

Revelation 21:27 and there shall in no wise enter into it anything unclean, or he that maketh an abomination and a lie: but only they that are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Revelation 22:3 And there shall be no curse any more: and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be therein: and his servants shall serve him;

Revelation 3:21 He that overcometh, I will give to him to sit down with me in my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father in his throne.
Revelation 4:2–3 Straightway I was in the Spirit: and behold, there was a throne set in heaven, and one sitting upon the throne; and he that sat was to look upon like a jasper stone and a sardius: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, like an emerald to look upon.

Revelation 22:1 And he showed me a river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb,

John 7:38–39 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, from within him shall flow rivers of living water. But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believed on him were to receive: for the Spirit was not yet given; because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Revelation 22:2 in the midst of the street thereof. And on this side of the river and on that was the tree of life, bearing twelve manner of fruits, yielding its fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth on me, though he die, yet shall he live;
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by me.

John 15:1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

John 6:63 It is the spirit that giveth life; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I have spoken unto you are spirit, and are life.

Revelation 21:16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length thereof is as great as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs: the length and the breadth and the height thereof are equal.

12,000 stadia is about 1380 miles

Revelation 21:2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.
Revelation 21:10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,

John 1:51 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye shall see the heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

Colossians 2:2 that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, even Christ,

Colossians 1:27 to whom God was pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

Ephesians 5:32 This mystery is great: but I speak in regard of Christ and of the church.

Revelation 22:8 And I John am he that heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel that showed me these things.

Revelation 22:2 in the midst of the street thereof. And on this side of the river and on that was the tree of life, bearing twelve manner of fruits, yielding its fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

Revelation 22:1–2 And he showed me a river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the midst of the street thereof. And on this side of the river and on that was the tree of life, bearing twelve manner of fruits, yielding its fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

Revelation 21:11 having the glory of God: her light was like unto a stone most precious, as it were a jasper stone, clear as crystal:
Revelation 21:23 And the city hath no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine upon it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the lamp thereof is the Lamb.

Revelation 21:16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length thereof is as great as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs: the length and the breadth and the height thereof are equal.