Difficult passages(2 Cor. 5:17) If any man be In Christ, he is a new creature - Pastor Ralph Arnold
2 Corinthians 5:17 is a verse commonly misunderstood, and this is due to not rightly dividing between the two natures (Old Man) and (New Man). Too many times, Christians have made the judgment that someone is not saved simply because of how they are living. When they have not even taken the time to ask that person if there was a time when he put his faith and trust in Christ for salvation. Regarding this subject, the following questions should at least be considered:
1) Do all Christians live a changed life?
2) Must a Christian live a changed life?
I believe these issues are addressed in the video teaching. Now At Salvation, there certainly is a change which occurs. But the Change is INWARD. The New Man is birthed in us at the moment we got saved and born again. Therefore those that are in Christ are a New Creature since they have the NEW MAN. That New Creature is in fact the New Man that we are commanded to walk in. But just because we have a New Nature, does not mean that the Old Sin Nature is gone. We all still have a sin nature and we are capable of yielding to our sin nature.
Furthermore, it is important to understand that a changed life is not automatic. As a matter of fact, a changed, transformed life is not even guaranteed. Just because someone gets saved and born again, does not guarantee that they will live a changed and transformed life. The only way they can live a changed and transformed life is by renewing their mind. And they can only do that by reading, studying and by obeying the Holy Scriptures, the King James Holy Bible. Walking in the Spirit is also Walking in the Bible. Therefore for a Christian to manifest an OUTWARD change in his life, that Christian must walk in the Spirit and in the Scripture, and then he will begin to grow in grace and mature unto perfection as he ought to. However though, if the new Christian does not begin to read the Bible, does not develop a prayer life, does not become a member of a Bible believing Local Church where he can be accountable to other believers, then there is a huge possibility that that Christian will not live a changed life. And even worse, that Christian will backslide and even go back unto his old life of sin. Because if you are not walking in the Spirit, then you are walking in the flesh, and if you walk after the flesh, then you will fulfil the lusts of the flesh. And this is where the chastening of the Lord comes upon the believer.
If the believer repents when he is chastened and corrected by God, then fellowship will be restored between him and his heavenly Father. But if there is no repentance, and that believer continues to remain out of fellowship with the Lord, then the time could come where the Lord kills that backslidden Christian and will take him home early to Heaven. And so Christians certainly should live a changed life, but the only way a Christian can do that is by walking daily in the Spirit, Reading God's word and applying it to his life daily, praying daily, and having fellowship with other strong, spirit filled Christians.
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