What does a “New Life” look like?

2 Corinthians 5: 17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.

 

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We could always tell when it was the weekend not because of the obvious glance at the calendar. Our phone would start to ring and the main question was “is there going to be a party in your room?” In fact when we got an apartment we expanded party central to new heights. We received twenty one phone calls in ten minutes!

• My life is GOD’s and HE wants me to proclaim the message about HIS SON.
• My example “is” important and determines whether I will be heard or not.
• My actions do speak louder than words so my actions need to be in line with GOD.

After college I tried to take my partying ways into the church and for some reason it didn’t quite feel the same. My message of forgiveness while being dedicated to GOD who saved me just didn’t mix well with cursing at someone at a grocery store or being tipsy and flirtatious in bars. I had to find a “new life.”

 

My confusion of what a “new life” looked like came from my lack of understanding GOD and HIS purpose for my life.

• GOD made me for HIS purpose not mine.
• HE desires that I spend some of my time on earth proclaiming the Great News about HIS SON.
• GOD blesses me when I give up my selfishness and I attempt to live for HIM.

There were many who questioned the validity of my “new life.” “Will he stick to it” probably ran through their minds. “Why are you trying to act goody, goody” is another. Or better yet "Look at him going through his problems, I wonder will he crumble?" BUT GOD wants me to review all areas of my life and be an open book to my sin so that people may believe in HIS SON and that’s all that matters.

 

I still look at my life and try to remove barriers to someone believing in GOD’s SON. I am not trying to “work” my way into Heaven; rather I have realized that my walk is just as important as my “talk.”

• GOD doesn’t expect me to be sinless; HE did that HIMSELF.
• GOD wants me to show love to people who don’t deserve it like HE did for me.
• GOD desires that I acquire faith instead of fear so that people will be drawn to HIM by my example.
• GOD wants me to willingly give up worldly pleasure for a moment only to get eternal pleasure.

A “New Life” is not a sinless life rather it is one dedicated to proclaiming a message of grace not judgment. I’m glad HE gave me a new life!

• Is GOD telling you to change some areas of your life?
• Can you proclaim the message of salvation, grace and mercy with your current attitude?
• Are you projecting “fear”, “lust” or “jealousy” or is your life full of GOD’s “grace”, “peace” and “mercy?”
• Is there at least one area of your life that you can let go of in order to be GOD’s example?