The Problem with New Creation

It has to be one of the most beautiful and frustrating tenets of Christianity. The concept that all who are in Christ are a new creation. It is beautiful because it is the promise of a fresh slate, a clean start and a new hope. It's frustrating because it rarely if ever looks like that.

If we're being honest, this is probably why Christians get called hypocrites so much. Well, that and our tendency to say one thing and do a whole other. And the way we judge people for the very things we do. And...well, you get the idea. But if we talk about being a new creation to everyone, yet they don't see much new about us, they just call us hypocrites. Its really just kind of a default answer at this point, and in this case- not entirely accurate.

See, I think we misunderstand the concept of new creation. We think give off the impression that coming to a relationship with Christ makes it all better. Oh, we know that's not true, but we still deep down feel that. It's why we feel so guilty the first time we fall, and the second, and the third, and...you get it.

There are no doubt stories of people who were clearly completely changed- the alcoholic who never again touched the stuff, or the promiscuous one who suddenly became monogamous for life. But most of us have lapses, and we can't understand it. In fact, we hate it. I hate it. Why am I still struggling with the same stuff I struggled with before I met Him.

I was really angry in Junior High. I was quite temperamental, and terribly small, so this was a bad combination. I was kind of like Ben Stiller's character from Mystery Men who get real mad, turn red and...nothing. That was his, and my, power. But then I met Jesus and I stopped being angry. Until I started again. I felt I was broken, something was wrong. Why was I going backwards? I thought this all changed.

What we need to do is re-examine the idea of New Creation. What does it really mean?

An Illustration

A few months back, I noticed our old, normal Walmart that sits less than a mile from our house was under construction. I asked why, and the cashier responded with a look that said, "What are you, stupid?"- but actually said- "It's going to be a Super Walmart.

Now, at that moment, for me, the Walmart was no longer just a regular Walmart. But it wasn't yet a Super Walmart. It was in between- but it was a new creation. It could never go back to being 'just a Walmart,' but until it was completed, there would still be plenty of evidence that it once was. Over time, it has changed. Still not done with its transformation, it looks more like a Super Walmart than it does a regular. Most of the changes have been inside, so it just looked like a mess, but recently, the outside has shed it's dingy gray and blue and been replaced with beautiful tan and brown bricks and overhangs. Everyone who drives by sees the change, and they can tell by looking there is a new thing happening there.

The moment we accept Christ's offer, we are a new creation. We will never go back. But many changes must happen in our lives, inside and out, some noticeable and some not, before we become our Super Walmart selves. For a long time, there will still be evidence of what we were, but hopefully, as God works on us, we look more like what we will be than what we were.

While this resolves some of my frustration, I still want to be better now. I don't want to go back to the same old mistakes and doubts. But I do. Repeatedly.

I must remind myself that I am still under Construction. I am pursuing holiness- and we must, for we should never desire to remain as we were- and it will take a lifetime of the intervention of God to achieve.

But I- nor you- will ever again be what we were.

That's the beauty part, by the way.