God's New Creation

By Hazel Holland

When we look at this beautiful blue jay and the vibrant colors of the Fall season, we forget that what we are enjoying is part of the old creation that is gripped by an unbreakable law... the law of entropy which Paul calls "the law of decay" (Romans 8).  Eventually the autumn leaves will turn brown and die, and so will this living creature.  How we wish we could break through this unbreakable law, but we can't. 

But in Christ the breakthrough has already occurred.  In Christ, God is beginning a new creation that is not subject to this law of decay and death... and this new creation has already begun!  But in Old Testament times believers didn't know about the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the effects of it on our lives right now.

In Christ, God has already broken through the old creation.  And right in the midst of the old creation, He is creating a new creation.  This means that we can choose to live each day on the basis of this new creation!  In the realm of the Spirit the breakthrough has already occurred.  When we begin to walk in the Spirit, then we can love, forgive, and reach out to others.  We can experience new life in the Spirit right now.

This is the mystery of the gospel.  We're no longer a part of the old creation, but a part of the new.  Now we may live our lives as sons and daughters of this new creation.  We're not part of the old any more.  We're part of the new.  We've broken loose from the old creation and are part of the new creation through faith in Jesus Christ.  We are heirs through the gospel and sharers together in the promise.♥ (Ephesians 3:4-6)

(Talking about the "law of decay"... I painted this watercolor while I was suffering from the painful effects of a decayed tooth that I had extracted last week!)

Click here to see a larger image of the painting!