(Most Shared Post of 2025) I am New in Christ. Now what?

On January 1 we will begin a new trek through Scripture. Today we revisit the post "I am a new creation in Christ. Now what?" This post was originally written for a new believer in October and has been shared over 1,000 times. We hope it blesses you today and we encourage you to share it with a person who is exploring faith or a new Christian.

When you prayed to put your trust in Jesus Christ, you became a child of God, a new creation, and everything changed. 
 
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." (2 Corinthians 5:17)
 
The “new” for you is a new in quality, a different nature than before you prayed to put your trust in Jesus. The term Jesus uses to describe your “new creation” is “born again”:
 
"Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3)
 
God promises that His people who are born again will have, spiritually speaking, a new heart and a new Spirit within you. 
 
"And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules." (Ezekiel 36:26-27)
 
Among many things, the Spirit of God dwelling within you seals your adoption as a child of God:
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"For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him." (Romans 8:15-17)
 
You have been born into God’s family as His child, secured by the work of Jesus Christ. As your representative, Jesus lived the perfect life you can never live and He died the death you deserve to die- paying the penalty for your sin and offering new life in Him:
 
"But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God." (Galatians 4:4-7)
 
God’s love has been poured into your heart by His Holy Spirit given to you (Romans 5:5), a love He displayed in His work: While you were still a sinner Christ died for you (Romans 5:8). Because Jesus’ work is finished you can live from the security of God’s love. All of this means (at least):
 
Jesus has made you worthy of the Father’s love                                     Ephesians 3:17-21
You are secure in the love of Jesus                                                                Romans 8:29-39
You are sealed in the work of the Spirit                                                       Ephesians 1:13-14
You are validated by the work and performance of Jesus                  Romans 3:21-26
You are not perfect, but Jesus’ work makes you righteous and protects you in the process of the Spirit’s work of making you more like Jesus         2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 10:14
You are accepted because Jesus was rejected                                         Isaiah 53:1-12
You can live an abundant life because Jesus died the death you deserve     John 10:10
You are forgiven because He was condemned                            1 Peter 2:24; Romans  8:1
You are welcomed because Jesus was betrayed                                      John 1:11-12
 
There are (at least) five applications from you being born as a new creation into God’s family:
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1. You live FROM acceptance, not for acceptance. This means you are free from failure, comparisons, and perfectionism.
2. When you are tempted, anxious, ashamed, or feeling like a failure, remind yourself: “I am a beloved child of God.” Your identity will fuel behavior, not the other way around. When this gospel belief nourishes the root of your identity beliefs then it will redeem the fruit of your life.
3. Draw near to the Father daily: In prayer, time with other Christians, reading His word, personal worship, serving others…
4. Rest in Jesus’ finished work. When you fail, stumble, fall, or mess-up then run TO Jesus, not from Jesus. He will welcome you with open arms, forgive you, and cleanse you.
5. Walk in the Spirit’s power. The Holy Spirit is the fuel in your discipleship engine, and He is high octane.  The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you (Romans 8:11)!

BONUS Application: Look forward to eternity. The promised eternal life you have in Jesus Christ begins today, and your will flourish when you “set your mind on things above where Jesus is seated…” Colossians 3:1-2).

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