“The new man has a different DNA”. I heard Him saying to me one day.
When we choose to put our faith in Jesus Christ and believe that we’re redeemed from sins through His death and resurrection, the same power that raised Christ from the dead is in us. That changed our DNA: we are a new creation, the old has passed away and all things are made new.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
2 Corinthians 5:17
The word “creature” here comes from the Greek word “ktisis”, which means original formation. Do we know the original plan that God has for us?
Adam was God’s original masterpiece, He made him in His own image, according to His likeness (Genesis 1:27). God made man superior compared to all His other creation, in all things and also in terms of his moral disposition. Man was made righteous, having the original righteousness from God (Ecclesiastes 7:29). But when Adam rebelled against God and committed sin, we lost this righteousness.
God restores our righteous standing when we believe in Christ and receive Him as our Lord and Saviour. Jesus took our place at the cross and divine exchange took place: He who’s without sin became sin so we can be the righteousness of God through Christ. Because of Jesus’ perfect and finished work at the cross, we’ve gotten back what Adam lost in the Garden of Eden.
What this means for us
To put it simply, we are no longer the same being.
We don’t have to try to be righteous, because we ARE ALREADY made righteous through Jesus Christ. But we are to put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:24) and who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him (Colossians 3:10).
We are now a new man who is renewed in righteousness, holiness and knowledge:
· As a new creation, we stand on a righteous ground, God has raised us up and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. (Eph2:6).
· Speaking of holiness, it basically means we have been set apart for Him. In Peter 2:9 it’s written that we are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, God’s own special people who are called out of the darkness into His marvelous light.
· We are renewed in knowledge because we have received the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been given freely to us by God (1 Corinthians 2:12)
Since we’ve been raised with Christ, we are called to walk in the newness of life, having been dead to sin:
Even so consider yourselves also dead to sin and your relation to it broken, but alive to God [living in unbroken fellowship with Him] in Christ Jesus.
Romans 6:11 AMPC
The word “consider” there comes from the root word “logizomai” meaning to reason, to deliberate, to imagine, to cast in mind. Are the thoughts that we think about ourselves aligned with what His Word says about us? His Word about us as children of God is what we know to be true.
Or do we believe the lies that the enemy throws at us?
Be ready for battles
Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil and to withstand the evil day (Ephesians 6:10-18)!
The word “withstand” here comes from the root word “anthistemi”, meaning to stand against, to resist. It is also where the word “antihistamine” comes from, to neutralise or be used as an antidote against the schemes of the devil.
God has given us the His complete armour to fight the enemy:
1. Girdle of truth
We are to gird our waist with truth; the waist is the place of strength. It supports the whole skeletal structure of the body. The truth is God’s Word, what God says about us. This shall be the truth that sets us free and keeps us being strong.
2. Breastplate of righteousness
The breastplate is worn over the chest to protect the most vital part of the body, which is the heart. Our heart is easily condemned, but knowing that our righteousness is not based on our own works or doing, but rather it’s based on Christ’s righteousness, this will protect us from any condemnation. Because it is written, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1).
3. Shoes of the Gospel
We have to be always ready to share the good news of Jesus Christ. The Romans had studs under their sandals to keep them standing firm during an attack. Likewise, we need to stand firm and secure in the Gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation.
4. Helmet of salvation
The helmet, worn over the head is to protect our mind, for the battle takes place in the mind. The word “salvation” here means defender or defense.
Let our thoughts be always according to His Words that protect and defend us. Let us have the mind of Christ, to see how Jesus sees, think as He thinks and perceive things as He perceives.
5. Shield of faith
This is to quench the fiery darts which are the lies of the enemy thrown at us. We build this shield of faith by storing up His Word in our hearts. As we know His Word, we will be able to discern truths and lies, because faith comes by hearing and by hearing of the Word; be it through our own reading the Word or through Christ-centered sermons.
6. Sword of the Spirit
The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God, and the sword here is not a long sword, but rather a small dagger. When or if the fiery darts of the enemy pass through the shield of faith, we can use this dagger to pull out any arrow or dart that has gotten into us. We are to have His Word to have the final say about anything said to us or about us. When we do this, we are extracting the lies out of our mind and heart with the Word of God.
Guard your mind
We cannot afford to think thoughts that are contrary to what God says about us. When we do that, we are giving authority to a lie and we war against the very purpose of our life. When we dwell on the things that are contrary to what He says, we will not be able to walk in the purpose God has for us.
We have to cast down arguments and every high thing (strongholds) that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ (2Corinthians 10:5). Strongholds are destructive thought patterns that allow the enemy to reside safely in these pockets of thoughts in our mind. They are always contrary to God’s Word.
Let us stop and think for a moment. Are there destructive thought patterns that we tend to succumb to? What are they? Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal them. It is not something we are powerless against. Let there be a re-adjustment in our mind, let there be a re-alignment in our imagination; with God’s truth as the foundation.
As a new creation in Him, we have a new nature. We do not live under our old sinned nature anymore. But we are made anew in Him and we have it in us to walk in the newness of the Spirit.
Let us take an inventory of all that has been given freely to us. Recognise that the new man has a different DNA and walk according to what He has called us to be, with all that He has prepared and given to us.