October 1, 2026
In 2 Corinthians 5:17, the Apostle Paul states, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” It is interesting to consider what the old things were and what the new things are.
The old things were the characteristics of what Paul called our “old man.” The old man was selfish, proud, and generally sinful. He wanted what he wanted and cared nothing about what anyone else might want. He determined to get his way, regardless of whom it might hurt.
Admittedly, the old man was not always totally bad. But too often he was guilty of the wrong kind of pride, the kind that makes one feel better than other people. In many cases, we call it snobbery. Basically, the old man put himself first, above all others. Morality was a technicality to be ignored or at least minimized. Thoughts about goodness and nobility were seldom, if ever, entertained.
In Romans 13:14, the Apostle Paul advised, “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.” What did Paul mean by “Put on Christ?” He was talking about behaving as a Christian. Paul also said, “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good” (Romans 12:9).
Paul was exhorting Christians to grow in the Lord’s grace, to mature in Christian character. But growth takes effort. We Christians must love God first and other people as ourselves. This takes work. It takes studying God’s Word (the Bible). It takes prayer, both personal and corporate. And it takes fellowship. We need to be around other Christians often. Why? The Bible tells us in Proverbs 13:20, “He who walks with wise men will be wise.”
Everyone has been through the old man stage. As children, we were understandably selfish, as we thought the world revolved around us. But children must grow up one day and assume responsibility for their actions. That is where repentance comes in. Jesus assures us that we must repent to see heaven. This means we have to be transformed. The problem is that all we can do ourselves is yield to God, to beg His forgiveness for the way we are.
That is when redemption comes. That is the point where the Lord forgives and saves us by His great love, mercy, and grace. I can well remember how I once was. I am not sure if I was not truly saved or if the Lord let me stray for the perspective it gave me in preparation for the ministry. At any rate, I realize a tremendous difference in myself today. And I cringe to think of the proud and stupid way I was. I believe all true Christians must feel this way.
Please do not misunderstand me. I am not, and would never, think of myself as good. God’s Word makes it clear that there are no good people on earth, though some are much better than others. But to think of oneself as good is totally naïve and foolish. Jesus, God’s own Son, was the only good person who ever lived on the earth.
The new creation Paul refers to is a totally new attitude toward self. It is the realization that we are not and cannot be good as long as we are alive on the earth. It is glorying in the salvation and righteousness that Christ has bestowed on us. This new way of thinking gives us joy. We often call it the “joy of salvation.” This does not mean that we are never somewhat depressed or unhappy. We are still carnal and sinful. But we now know it, and we regret it when we grieve or even quench the Holy Spirit.
So, may we, who now believe in Jesus as God and the Christ, be exultant in our new man as we try to “put on Christ,” as Paul advised. Trying to do our best is all we can do. We must learn to depend on Christ and thank Him that we are now different. We are now new creations.
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Ralph Fudge is the pastor of Big Ochlocknee Baptist Church in Coolidge, Ga., and has a Master’s degree in theology from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
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