Tag: 2 Corinthians 5:17

Understanding sin in the Christian life

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JEFF TURNER

When Paul wrote to the believers in Corinth, he addressed problems of fighting and jealousy among them. He told them they were acting in a fleshly way. Some readers have taken this to mean there are two types of Christians. They think some believers are spiritual while others are carnal Christians who are saved but don’t grow spiritually. I think this understanding misses Paul’s actual message.

The word carnal simply means sinful. The root of the word is the same as flesh. It describes an action, not a permanent state. When someone says they are a carnal Christian, they are really saying they are a sinning Christian, as if this were an acceptable identity. This contradicts the basic meaning of Christianity itself. Jesus came to save people from their sins. This includes both the punishment that sin brings and the control that sin has over a person’s life.

When someone becomes a Christian, sin no longer has power over them. They have been set free from its grip. However, Christians still commit sinful acts because they live in bodies that are not yet fully redeemed. Believers have a new nature inside an old body. They are waiting for the day when Christ returns and their bodies are made new. Until then, Christians will sometimes think and act in sinful ways because of the old nature that remains.

The answer is not to accept sin as normal. Instead, Christians should recognize their sins, turn away from them, and receive the forgiveness God offers.

Everything Made New Again

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AMY TURNER

In the book of Revelation, we find a promise that God is bringing renewal to all things. Everything broken or worn out will one day be restored. This renewal is not only about the world around us but also about the lives we live and the relationships we hold. When we look closely, we can see many areas that need change, healing, or forgiveness.

The words from Scripture remind us that God is not creating a whole new world from nothing. Instead, He is taking what already exists and renewing it through His grace. I believe the goal is not to replace, but to restore; that is, to make things as they were meant to be.

Consider what this promise means for our personal lives. Each person can look inward and see where growth or renewal is needed. Through the love and mercy of God, these parts of life can be made new. The process may take time, but the promise is certain. One day, everything will be the way God first intended when He looked at creation and called it “very good.”

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

2 Corinthians 5:17

The Change That Comes With Faith

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AMY TURNER

When a person puts their trust in Christ, something real takes place within them. The outside may look the same, but the inside has been made new. The Bible teaches that in Christ, the old self is left behind and a new life begins. This does not mean that temptations disappear or that old struggles instantly vanish. It means that a different kind of life now exists, one that is guided by the Spirit instead of by darkness.

Through Christ, believers gain new strength and new desires that influence the way they think, speak, and act. What was once impossible, things such as growing in faith and maturity, are now possible because of His presence.

This change is not yet complete. There will come a time when the work of renewal is seen fully. Scripture reminds us that when Christ returns, His people will finally be like Him, free from the brokenness of the past and complete in His likeness. Until then, Christians live in the assurance that they are already made new, even while they continue to grow.

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

2 Corinthians 5:17

The Need for a New Heart

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AMY TURNER

In the book of Ezekiel, God promises to replace a heart of stone with a heart of flesh. This picture shows the need for deep change INSIDE every person.

In 1967, Dr. Christian Barnard carried out the first human heart transplant. At the time, it was considered an extraordinary step in medicine. Today such operations are more common, but they still remind us that some conditions cannot be treated with medicine, diet, or lifestyle alone. When the heart is too damaged, the only option is replacement.

The Bible explains that all people are born with hearts that are not spiritually healthy. At first, the signs may not be obvious, but with time the evidence shows. Human effort cannot cure this condition. Only God can provide the new heart that is needed for real life.

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

2 Corinthians 5:17

Becoming a New Creation in Christ

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FLOYD ROGERS

Paul spoke of being “crucified with Christ,” meaning his old life was gone, and he now lived a new one through Jesus. He explained that when a person follows Christ, they become a new creation, no longer controlled by their past ways. The Spirit of God now lives within them, offering strength to resist sin.

Paul believed that as long as he stayed firmly rooted in faith, depending on what Jesus did on the cross, sin might still attempt to tempt him, but it would not win. His victory came not from personal strength, but from trusting in the power of the cross each day.

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

2 Corinthians 5:17