When we accept Christ as our savior, we undergo a radical transformation and become a new creation. We go from being dead in our sins and enemies of God to being made alive, justified, and accepted as God's children through faith in Jesus. As part of this new identity in Christ, we are no longer alone but become part of the body of believers. We are called to shed our old sinful selves and live righteous lives as examples of Christ for others through the renewing of our minds.

1. Who am I in Christ? –26h
October 2015
“Inhim we were alsochosen, havingbeen predestinedaccordingto the planofhim who works out
everything inconformitywith the purposeof his will” (Ephesians1:11).
ChristiansbelieveinLordJesusChristasour saviour. We know whoHe is,but actually have you
considered whoamI inChrist?It will blessusand provide us agreaterunderstanding asChristians,to
know“whowe are” in Christ. The humantendencyisto ask “what will Igain? We come to know about
Jesus,trustand believe inHimandthroughfaithcommitourselvestoGod. With Jesuscomingintoour
life,bythatactionalone changesstart to take place inour lives. The changeswe experience are radical
innature,so much sothat it may make others think of usas being"new”ora wonderfullydeferent
person".Itradicallychangesourvery attitude and being…Itchangersthe believerfromthe pointof
viewof a sinnertoa standardof Godlyliving.ThereforeinChristwe change…tobe a righteous person,
to be an example of Jesusforothersandthroughsame draws themalso toChrist.Thisis a mandate as
us as Christians.
Thischange is broughtforththroughJesus:In 2 Corinthians5 itsays, "Therefore, if anyoneis in Christ,
he is a new creation. The old haspassed away;behold,the new hascome” (2 Corinthians5:17). This
"newcreation"isGreek iskainos,whichmeans"somethingjustmade whichisunlikeanythingelse in
existence”.We are notcleanedout like agarden or simply coveredover.We become anew creation;we
are as newas the worldonthe firstdayof creation.Thisnewnessmanifestsitself inourspiritual
condition,ourrelationships, ourhearts,andourtotal beingchanges.Ourattitude forone another
changesto goodness, love andconsideration forone anotherasJesusdesiresfromChristians.We can
learnfromRomans 6. “We were therefore buried withhim throughbaptisminto deathin order that,
just as Christwas raisedfrom the dead throughthe gloryof the Father, we too may live a new life”
(Romans6:4). Therefore inChristwe change tobe kind,honestand highin integrity andalsobecome an
example forothers alsotoemulate and change.
Whenwe believeinChrist, Spiritually we become alive forthe firsttime. InEphesians2we can learn
that we were deaddue to oursinful nature:“Asforyou, you were dead in your transgressionsand
sins” (Ephesians2:1). It describes ouroldself as"deadinitstrespassesandsins. Throughourfaithand
belief inJesus,we are justifiedand asa resultournew self…asanew born and at peace withGod:
“Therefore, since we have been justifiedthroughfaith,we have peace with Godthroughour Lord Jesus
Christ” (Romans5:1). We can learnthat those whowere deadthroughsinare made alive in Christ:“But
because ofhis great love for us,God,who is rich inmercy, 5
madeus alivewith Christeven when we
were dead intransgressions—itisbygrace you have been saved”(Ephesians2:4-5).We can alsoknow
that by receivingourforgivenessthroughJesus,itreleasesusfromcondemnation fromGod:“Therefore,
there isnow no condemnationforthose who are in ChristJesus” (Romans8:1).
Howevermuchwe may thinkotherwise,we are all sinners.In Romans3 it describes oursinfulnessas
the oldself,before we receive Christasoursaviour: Ittellsus: As it is written: “There is no one
righteous,not even one; there is noone who understands;there isno one who seeks God (Romans
3:10-11). Therefore asChristians we needtobe righteousandthatcan onlybe achieved throughour

2. faithinJesusChrist:“Thisrighteousnessisgiven throughfaithin JesusChrist to all who
believe…”(Romans3:22).
If we don’tseekGodand continue ourselvesseepedinsin,we are akintoan enemyof God. Therefore
we can onlybe reconciledwith Godandbe savedonly throughJesus Christwhoisoursaviour:“For if,
whilewe were God’senemies,we were reconciled to himthrough the death of hisSon,how much
more, havingbeen reconciled,shall we be savedthrough hislife! (Romans5:10). In addition through
our faithinJesusChristwe can be reconciledwithGodand alsowill be acceptedasHis Children. We can
learninGalatians3:26 - "So inChrist Jesusyou are all childrenof Godthroughfaith".Therefore asto
whowe are in Christ,we are changedindividuals,savedfromthe wrathof God savedfrometernal
damnation andalsoacceptedas childrenof Godthroughfaith in Christ.
Therefore whenwe are inChristwe become partof His family.Where once we were "strangersand
enemiestowardsGod”, we are transformationthroughJesusChrist, andacceptedas membersof the
householdof God:“Consequently,youareno longer foreignersandstrangers, but fellowcitizenswith
God’speopleand alsomembers of hishousehold” (Ephesians2:19).When we were our‘oldself”we
were alone,filledwithsin andwithoutawayout of the misery.ButthroughJesusChristwe are renewed
and become apart of "one body”togetherwith others believers.”…soinChristwe, thoughmany,form
one body,and each member belongsto all the others” (Romans12:5 ). In1 Corinthians12 we can learn
of the importantaspectof belongingtothe bodyof Christ: “…sothat there shouldbe no divisioninthe
body,but that its parts shouldhaveequal concern foreach other. 26
Ifone part suffers,every part
sufferswith it; if one part ishonored, every part rejoices with it” (1 Corinthians12:25-26). Therefore in
Christwe are alsotransformedto be a part of a strongbodyof believers.
Whenwe accept Christas our saviour, we begintomove away fromevil and become more concerned
withlivingasGod intends forus:“Donot conformto the pattern of thisworld, butbe transformedby
the renewing of your mind.Then you will be able to test and approvewhat God’swill is—hisgood,
pleasingandperfect will”(Romans12:2). InChristwe are a new creation,andthisnewnessaffects
every aspectof our lives.Forthe firsttime inourlives,we become spirituallyalive.We gofrombeing
God's enemiesto beingHischildren.We have anew life asa part of a new and strongfamily.Andwe
are free tofollowGodand care about others. Therefore inChrist,we are anew creationthat shears
away fromsin,become astrong bodyof believersandcontinue inaquestto be more like Christ.
"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)
“This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe...”
(Romans 3:22)