CREATED OR RECREATED IN CHRIST?

Tuesday 17 June

For we are His workmanship, CREATED in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10 (NKJV)

and that you put on the new man which was CREATED according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:24

One of the concepts we touched on yesterday was asking the question if there was a creation or recreation in the Genesis account. Some Christians think it’s just semantics or not important for the believer. What many don’t seem to realise is the foundational principles are carried through from Genesis throughout the Bible.

The Apostle Paul often took truths from Genesis and expounded on them in the light of Christ. For example 2 Corinthians 4:6

‘For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.’

This is taken from Genesis 1:3.

Romans 4:17 the last section is another example of Apostle Paul using the idea that God created out of nothing.

‘As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were NOT.’

When it comes to the Word of God it matters what we believe. It was said that the children of Israel knew the acts of God but Moses knew something greater: the ways of God. It is from this perspective that we answer the question CREATED OR RECREATED IN CHRIST?

The word for created is ‘bara’ in Hebrew which actually means he-created. It describes bringing something new into being that did not exist before, make something out of nothing, often associated with God's creative acts.

‘Ktizo’ is the Greek word for CREATED properly, which applies only to God who alone can make what was not there before out of nothing, figuratively it means to begin, especially what is habitable or useful. Additionally (through the idea of proprietorship of the manufacturer); to fabricate, i.e. found (form ORIGINALLY):create, and make.

This is the same Greek word used with both of our opening verses. I hope you are starting to see a pattern here.

So what about believer? Has he been created or recreated? Let’s look at it this way. Are we called new recreations or new creations in Christ?

2 Corinthians 5:17 starts off saying ‘If any man be in Christ he is a new CREATION’, not a recreation. This is why we are created in Christ Jesus which is the same thing as being created in righteousness and true holiness. Another way of saying it is born of the Spirit or baptised into Christ.

Having the right mindset is critical when it comes to the way we approach and apply the Word of God. If we have a re-creation mindset as believers we think that we have to recreate something rather than just rest in the knowledge that everything has already been created in Christ for us.

Hebrews 4:3 says ‘Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, “So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’” And yet HIS WORKS have been FINISHED since the creation of the world.’ What works? All His works in Christ.

‘ALL things were MADE by (through) Him and without Him and was not anything (or anyone) made that was made.’ John 1:3

Everything that we will ever need for life and godliness in Christ that we access through the knowledge of God and (kai?which is) Jesus our Lord.

‘To give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.’

We don’t recreate these works. They were already finished, completed and perfected in Him. This tells us that our life in Christ functions the same way. Do you see the difference?

Everything visible and invisible was created for everyone before we ever arrived.

‘For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.’ Colossians 1:16 (NKJV).

Knowing this, we don’t have to strive for anything because everything has already been prepared for us beforehand by His grace. We’re not recreating anything, we are accessing and enjoying all He has created for all, IN CHRIST.

APPLICATION

Have the consciousness that you are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies and rest in the unforced rhythms of grace as new creations in Christ Jesus.