When you give your life to Jesus, everything changes. It’s not only your eternal destiny that changes, but your life right now is transformed. God gives you a new identity. Everything you’ve thought about yourself is no longer true. You are no longer what anyone else has labeled you. You are no longer limited by your own beliefs or those of others. When you make Jesus Lord of your life, you become a child of the King.
From that moment on you are not a failure, you are more than a conqueror (Romans 8:37). You are not an aimless wanderer, you are a person of purpose, created with unique gifts and talents to accomplish things for the Kingdom of God only you can do (Ephesians 2:10). Your old limitations and fears no longer apply. You are a new creation in every way (2 Corinthians 5:17).
New creation, new responsibilities
With our new identity comes new responsibilities. Since we are brand new, how we live must also be overhauled. I like how Levi Lusko put it. He said, “Your daily activity should come from your new identity.” Why would you want a new identity to only continue to live as you always have? We don’t often get do-overs in life, but this is our chance. We are no longer who we used to be. We are a new creation designed to bring glory to God.
As a disciple of Jesus, we should pattern our actions after His. Christ loved everyone He met. He had compassion on them. Jesus, while being completely superior to all, never sought to prove or flaunt that point. He was humble and sought to elevate others rather than Himself.
Our thoughts tend to be selfish and inward-focused. Jesus would concentrate His thoughts on others and how they might come to know God. Given His example, our thoughts must change. We’ve let too much of the culture seep into our lives to the point there appears to be little difference between our new identity and our old one.
New creation, new governing laws
A new creation is not subject to the same laws and constraints of the old creation. We are no longer destined to sin. In Jesus, we have overcome every temptation and trial (John 16:33). Death holds no power over us. As Paul said, to be absent from our body is to be present with our Savior (2 Corinthians 5:6-8; Philippians 1:21-24). It doesn’t get any better than that! With death off the table, we have nothing to fear.
Lusko went on to say, “Don’t pretend to be something you’re not, but act like the person God says you are.” This isn’t about putting on a pretense. It’s the opposite. Act like the person God says you are, not the person the world says you need to be. As a new creation, you are who God says you are. Period.
Focus on who God says you are, not on who you’ve been. You are a new creation. Act like it. Jesus has equipped you with everything you need to live as the person He says you are (2 Timothy 3:16-17; Ephesians 2:10; see “Fully Equipped”). The old has passed away; the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17). You are God’s child. He holds you in His hands. Be the person Jesus says you are. Glorify Him. Live in love and grace.