THE BELIEVER HAS NO PAST!

THURSDAY 17 July

So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! 2 Corinthians 5:16 (NLT)

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)

There are some verses in the Bible that just seem too far fetched when it comes to what we believe to be true. At least that is how many Christians behave when confronted with such radical grace. Most can’t handle it. We are encouraged in our opening verse to stop evaluating others from a human point of view. This means that as far as God is concerned we are not to treat people according to their humanity but to the possibility of their divinity.

I say possibility because not everyone will receive their divinity because not everyone will receive Christ. Although this is true we are told to see everyone how God sees them; through His finished work. How many believers personalise what Apostle Paul was saying here? Who has stopped evaluating themselves from a human point of view? Not many if we’re honest about it. The truth is, we are not going to be able to stop looking at others this way until we start looking at ourselves in a new light.

Our second verse strengthens this thought. Let’s break it down. The word ‘therefore’ tells us that based on everything that was said preceding this statement…

‘Therefore if any man be in Christ’. Question: who is the man in Christ? Your spirit. The real you. Not your soul or your body. Why is this important to know? Because you have two memories. Your mental memory and your physical memory. These two are not in Christ. That’s why you could be deceived into thinking you still have an old past. You read that right. Did you know the believer’s past only exists in these memories of their old life. In reality however old things ARE passed away and all things ARE become new.

In other words, everything that you ever did wrong in your life no longer exists past, present or even in the future. The problem is not many have taken God at His Word and began talking and acting like this is the truth.

For example the most notorious serial killer can accept Christ and no heinous act they ever committed in the past would be counted against them by God. They may have to pay for their crimes by life imprisonment or even death but as far as God is concerned they are guiltless and without a past.

2 Corinthians 5:19a continues, ‘that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them…

Does that seem fair to you? I’ve got news for you. Grace isn’t fair but it is just because God punished sin in the body of His Son and died the to pay the price of man’s disobedience. Justice was therefore satisfied and now all of us who have accepted the verdict are justified. Just as if I’d never sinned! The best news you will ever hear!

I don’t know about you but I’ve done some wrong things in the past. Please hear me. All those things no longer exist. If you are in Christ It’s the same for YOU! All things that have to do with my life HAVE BECOME NEW through salvation. It’s the same for YOU! Someone once said, when the Devil reminds you of your past, remind him of his future! Even Satan knows that your past is gone but if he can convince you it’s not, this is where the deception lies.

Sometimes we don’t need the Devil’s help because we have fallen for the deception ourselves. When we believe what God says is not true, it is a sign of our lack of belief in the gospel. Unbelief is the limiter of faith in Christ. The cure for unbelief is proper teaching. Imagine that you have no past. How would it affect the way you live, the decisions you make, the life you lead?

Don’t just imagine. Accept this reality by meditating on the Word. This is the only way to drive this consciousness deep into your soul and body so every part of your being begins to respond and resonate with it.

We start by demolishing arguments and reasonings that are higher in our minds than what God has said. ‘God is not a man that He should lie, nor the Son of Man that He should should change His mind.’

Do you think you know better than God? He is all knowing.

If He cannot lie about anything including believers having no past maybe it’s time to stop lying to yourself or to one another about the new man in Christ and start thanking the Lord for his lovingkindness and grace towards us.

APPLICATION

Make the decision that from this day forward you will see yourself having no past and see everyone else through the lens of Christ’s finished work of salvation.