New Life in Christ
On April 1, 2024 by Jacob Jones
Recently, I heard a young believer sing the encouraging words from John Peterson’s song “New Life in Christ” and my heart was lifted in praise to God for the Truths that I heard so beautifully preached though song. Here are the words to the chorus:
“New Life in Christ! Abundant and free!
What glories shine, what joys are mine,
What wondrous blessings I see!
My past with its sin,
The searching and strife,
Forever gone, there's a bright new dawn!
For in Christ I have found New Life!”
What does it mean to have a “new life in Christ”? What’s “new”? How does that affect the way I live? What is so wonderful about living with Christ? These questions are important, and I’d like to answer these questions from God’s Word. I’ve included several scripture references and would encourage you to read them for yourself.
New life in Christ begins when a person accepts by faith God’s gift of salvation through Jesus Christ (Eph 2:8-10). The faith to believe is a wonderful gift that is supplied and given by God and comes through hearing the Words of God’s Son, Jesus Christ. (Rom 10:17) Upon hearing the Words of Christ, a person must by faith confess Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, they must believe that Jesus is who He claims to be, and they must choose to follow Christ. (Rom 10:9-10)
Upon salvation, every person begins a new life with Christ living within them. When a person has this new union with Christ, that person becomes a new creation and obtains a different course from how they used to live. All the old ways of living are passed away, but a new way of living has taken its place. (2 Cor 5:17) This new life is characterized by dependence upon the power of Christ who loves me, died for me, rose again for me, and now dwells within me. (Gal 2:20)
Every believer is joined together in Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. We are dead and buried with Him in relation to the penalty, bondage, and dominion of sin. Because of our union with Christ’s death and burial, we are freed from sins controlling power over our lives. Sin no longer reigns or rules over us with its cruel bondage and we are no longer a slave to that bondage. Our union with the resurrection of Christ allows us to be spiritually alive and enabled in our walk with God. Our new Loving Master is Christ and we become slaves to righteousness. (Rom 6)
Christ living in every believer empowers believers to live a spiritually fruitful life as they depend upon Him. Jesus is the true spiritual vine that nourishes and enables genuine spiritual vitality. Without Christ we could do nothing except perish. (John 15:5) As we abide in Christ and follow His Word, we will experience genuine spiritual growth. (John 15) Whatever the Word of God demands of us, Christ empowers us to obey that command. It is Christ living within us who works in us by giving us the desire to obey God and He also empowers us to accomplish what God would have us to do. (Phil 2:13)
A believer’s union with Christ can never be broken. God’s Word declares that all believers are eternally, forever saved. (John 3:16; 6:40, 47; Phil 1:6; 1 John 5:11-13) God guards the believer’s eternal security (2 Tim 1:12; 1 Peter 1:5) and will not allow anything to separate a believer from their union with Christ. (John 10:27-29; Rom 8:38-39)
Because of our union in Christ, we are called to serve Christ, by presenting ourselves as obedient slaves to Christ. (Rom 6) We, who were once dead because of the penalty of our sin, are now alive with Christ and enabled to accomplish what He tells us to do. (1 Cor 15:22, Eph 2) We are now God’s workmanship, and He desires that we produce good works for His honor and glory. (Eph 2:10) A believer’s life ought to display Christ’s work within their life. (Eph 2:7) A believer has every access to the eternal promises of God and the ability to freely obey God through their union with Christ. (Rom 8:1-11, 2 Cor 1:19-20)
Believer, what great blessings we have in Christ!! Are you living in that reality?
Unbelievers, without Christ, you are “dead in your trespasses and sins”. Come to Christ in faith. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He is a loving, forgiving Savior Who can give you a “New life.”