Thoughts from The Bible

Thoughts from the Bible

Tuesday, 03 October 2023 06:58

The New Man

by Cody Anderson Corinth Missionary Church

Last week, we talked about the born-again man. This week, I will try to describe how being born again affects the new man. 1 Peter 1:3 says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,” (NASB, emphasis added). Again, new birth is the work of God, but it doesn’t stop there. God caused a new birth in order for us to have a living hope. What does that living hope look like in the new man?
When we see the phrase “living hope,” we should realize that it is something special. “Hope” refers to the substance of God’s promises, but Peter didn’t simply call it a hope. He uses the word “living” as an adjective to better describe the hope that comes from the new birth. He is saying we have life in the hope of Christ’s work, and this hope is continuously giving life. It isn’t simply a one and done type of hope that we must hold on too. It is something that is growing and thriving within the new man.

What does this living hope look like? We can look generally at the Scriptures and church history to see it at work. Look at the Apostle Peter who goes from denying Christ three times to being one of the first leaders in the Church. Paul was on his way to kill Christians when God gave him life. Paul then proceeds to spread the word about Jesus Christ across much of the known world. Also, men and women have laid down their lives because of the living hope that being born-again brings about. Men throughout history have been murdered because they continued to publish the Scriptures. We always like seeing these drastic changes man has gone through as a result of being born-again. However, this isn’t the only evidence of a living hope within someone.

The Spirit indwelling in the born-again man will develop in him an unshakable faith. We will grow because a desire will arise for the Word of God. Jesus said in John, if you love Him, you will keep His commandments. The only way to keep His Law is to learn it. In learning His Law, we see the character of God revealed, and we desire to know Him more. Not only will the living hope cause more time in the Word, but it will also cause more time on our knees. Communing with God in prayer is the direct effect of the born-again follower of Christ. A love for other believers and the Church will begin to develop. The new man will begin putting to death the old man. The selfish man will give way to a man who becomes a slave, gladly doing what is needed for the growing of the Kingdom of God.

I want to reiterate that this new man has a living hope. It isn’t common that the new man is conformed into the image of Christ immediately or even in a short time. It will take some decades to allow the new man to overtake the old man. Not because the Spirit isn’t willing, but the flesh is weak. As Jesus explained being born-again like a wind, we will get glimpses of its effects from time to time, but we don’t always see the work going on in the new man. The new man needs to let the Spirit have His way and to love God above all else.