A New Creation (+This Sunday)
Good morning, Immanuel. Our union with Christ means sin is no longer who we are.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
It's a common trope in action movies — the hero and villain fighting each other for control of the vehicle/plane/spaceship at a key moment in the story. And it feels a lot like what is going on inside of us as Christians. Christ has come to us and is now fighting our sinful nature. On our worst days, we wonder if he will prevail.
But the wonderful news of the gospel is that my relationship to sin has radically changed. Yes, sin is still kicking around in my heart, but I relate to it in a fundamentally different way now. The reason? Who I am is fundamentally different now.
It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. The life I live I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me, and gave himself for me. - Galatians 2:20
There is indeed a battle going on inside us—a battle between what Paul calls the desires of the flesh and the desires of the Spirit (Gal. 5:17). But we mustn’t miss the larger point Paul has been making: It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. This gets us to the heart of something central to the Bible’s teaching on what it means to be a Christian. Our union with Christ doesn’t just mean that he identifies with us (wonderful though that is). It also means we identify with him—in a “this-changes-everything” kind of way. We died with him, and we have new life in him.
So yes, sin may well have been something that defined my life. Maybe for many, many years. Perhaps it really was who we really were. But even if so, our union with Christ means it is no longer who we are. In Christ, I am now different, I have changed, I have been made new.
January 7, 2023 - This Sunday At Immanuel
Sunday Morning…
NEW SERIES - Join us for Sunday morning worship at our 9 am or 10:45 am services as we kick off our new series in 1 Timothy!
Seminars…
9 am: Studying the Bible Together led by Dr. Tom Cox in the Staff Lounge
9 am: Exit Signs - A study in Exodus Seminar led by Dr. Russell Moore in the Cafe
9 am: Student Seminar led by Vince Greenwald in the gymnasium (grades 5-12)
On The Horizon…
Sunday, January 14th: DISCOVER RECEPTION - The next Discover Reception will be hosted in the cafe on January 14th at 10:45 am. If you are new or newish and looking to learn more about Immanuel, RSVP here.
Saturday, January 20th: NEXT STEPS ONE DAY EVENT- Join us on Saturday, January 20th, from 9 am-2 pm in the cafe for Next Steps Day. We will cover the material for all four sessions. Coffee and lunch will be provided. RSVP here.
Praise God, thank you Sam 🙏🏼