The Lord Gives New Life

Lesson Two • Fill ‘er Up
Devotion 1: The Lord Gives New Life
Mark Pittenger 

Have you ever been asked if you know someone, and you reply with, “I know of him.” This goes along with the line, “It is a small world.” Another way to see it is through the lens of social media. It is when you meet someone (while on vacation, at a concert, or just out and about), have a great conversation, and then connect through social media. Later, when you see something they post, you never get to really know the person; you get to know of them.

If you Google search the definition of “know”, you get two answers:

Be aware of something through observation, inquiry, or information.

Have developed a relationship with (someone) through meeting and spending time with them.

In 2 Corinthians 5:17, it says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” Paul’s ministry and authority in Corinth were being ridiculed and challenged based on how they viewed him from their worldly perspective. To better understand Paul’s response in verse 17, let us look at the previous few verses. Verses 14-16 read, “For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer.” Paul tells them that they need not worry about their outward appearance and to focus on what is on the inside. Much like social media, our true selves are often hidden from the public view. People often only know the social you. Only those who have a true relationship with us, really know us. 

Paul also refers to the true conversion of oneself when one really knows Jesus. Who better to speak on this inward conversion than Paul? The very one whose job was to persecute Christians is now saying that because Christ died for all, we all should live for Christ! If we truly want to live for Jesus, we have to live like Jesus, and to live like Jesus, we have to know Jesus! So, how do we get to know Jesus? Look back at the definition of “know” given to us earlier by Google. We have to observe, inquire, and develop a relationship with Him, with habitual studying of the Bible, praying, and asking questions if we truly want to see the benefits of our conversions. 

Once we decide to dedicate our lives to living for Jesus, we are a new creation. The old us is no more and we are made new! It is then that our perspective of others should shift from a worldly view, to seeing others through God’s perspective. It is this promise of being made new that can only be found in believing the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus as historical and actual facts.

Are you living in a way that reflects a new creation in Jesus? I hope so. If not, will you accept the challenge? Remember, it is not knowing of Jesus, but rather knowing Jesus. There is a difference.

In 1 John 2:6, we are challenged, “Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.”