New Testament Reading Plan: James 4-5
SCRIPTURE READING
2 Cor 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ [ie. saved], he is a new creation . The old has
passed away; behold, the new has come. (ESV)
In this verse, Paul is saying that getting saved is being made new. When you get saved you get
made into a new person – you’re not the same as you used to be. Your desires aren’t the same;
your actions aren’t the same; your behaviour isn’t the same - everything is new because you got
re-made into a new creation. That’s what getting saved is. When you get saved you get born
again out of that old, hideous lifestyle you used to live: you used to be self-centred and worldly
and unforgiving and negative and critical and proud and rebellious and drunken and greedy
and lustful and angry. What a terrible way to live! So then you got saved and you got born again
by the power of the Holy Spirit out of that lifestyle, and you got saved to a new lifestyle: you
got saved to a new lifestyle of being radically others-centred; of being humble; of being kind
(even when others are harsh); of being generous and of being submissive and peaceful. You
got saved to a new lifestyle of forgiving absolutely everyone who hurts you and mistreats you.
That’s salvation! You got saved from an ugly destructive path to a righteous and loving one.
Now, let me ask a question: if you ’re NOT a NEW person , are you saved ? If you’re
the same bitter, unforgiving, angry, worldly, selfish, lustful, slanderous person now as you were
before you got saved, or would be if you weren’t saved, then are you really saved? No! Paul
says, here, ‘IF’ anyone is in Christ, then ‘he is a new creation.’ In other words if you’re not a new
creation then you aren’t in Christ.
PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Pray that the church would understand the importance of being transformed into a new
creation. Pray that people would repent and turn from their old wicked ways and follow
God wholeheartedly.
2. Pray that the apathetic and rebellious would be shaken and awakened to see that they are
on a wrong path. Pray that they would be stirred to submit to God and be transformed into
a new person.
3. Pray that you would be a good testimony by living your life as racially others-centred, being
humble, being kind and forgiving.
