II Corinthians 5:17

False teachers at the church in Corinth questioned Pauls conduct and motives while attempting to marginalize his apostolic position of authority. Among the reasons for the division, as is often the case today, was that they had been ...led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ (2 Cor 11:3), and were seeking ...pride in appearance, and not in heart. (2 Cor 5:12) They wanted to draw attention onto themselves. Paul had to remind them that the basis of our ministry is Christ and Gods glory, not ours. Additionally, we have entered into a new covenant of salvation by Gods grace through faith in Christ and are no longer under the old covenant law of Moses.

The fundamental doctrine found throughout Scripture is of justification, sanctification and glorification. We are "justified" not by our works, but by faith in Christ, Who died in our place for our sins. We are "sanctified", made holy, by the Holy Spirit working in and through us,thus glorifying God (glorification).This truth can be summarized in Romans 11:36 For from Him and though Him and to Him are all things. Paul teaches in 2 Cor 5:15 that we should ...no longer live for ourselves, but for Him who died and rose again on our behalf. Then Paul wrote; Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. (2 Cor 5:17) If we are "in Christ" then we are a new creation and God is going to form us to the image of Christ to be used for His glory. In so doing we will endure all kinds of difficulties. Some may be painful because, in Christ, we are at odds with the world. But take heart, Paul says we will not be crushed, despairing, forsaken or destroyed. (2 Cor 4:8-9) As a new creation in Christ we possess and embrace God's promises and values. We have a new family within the body of Christ and our motivations are guided by the Holy Spirit, which are of God.

An analogy may be the process by which a caterpillar becomes a butterfly. In a wingless, wormlike form the caterpillar becomes encased in a cocoon which it later emerge's from, through much struggle. In the process of struggle, necessary to leave behind the "old" cocoon, it scrapes from its newly formed wings "the old self" completing it's transformation into a beautiful butterfly, a new creation. It is much the same with us. Old things have passed away (Mosaic law) behold, new things have come (freedom in Christ). Spread your wings and fly.

To God be the glory