Monday, December 12, 2005
New Creature in Christ
Well, what in the world does that mean?
Let's look at the scripture:
"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 - King James Version)
Well, not sure that helps much. Seems like I spend most of my time making sure the old man doesn't pull a resurrection...
I like it in basic english a little better:
"So if any man is in Christ, he is in a new world: the old things have come to an end; they have truly become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17 Bible in Basic English)
hmm. What kind of New World? Is this just dealing with Final Destination? Or a New World of Opportunities? Am I really that different this side of Christ? Do that many of us have such dramatic 'turnings' as from a Saul of Tarsis to a Paul the Apostle of Jesus and Him Crucified?
Vines says this:
A new creature (καινὴ κτίσις)Or creation. Compare Gal_6:15. The word κτίσις is used in three senses in the New Testament. The act of creating, as Rom_1:20. The sum of created things, as Rev_3:14; Mar_13:19. A created thing or creature, as Rom_8:39. The Rabbins used the word of a man converted from idolatry. “He who brings a foreigner and makes him a proselyte is as if he created him.”
Perhaps the key word is 'In' Christ. Let's look at that. Is it like I'm IN Virginia, but can leave Virginia to drive into Maryland?
en: A primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), that is, a relation of rest (intermediate between G1519 and G1537); “in”, at, (up-) on, by, etc.: - about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-) by (+ all means), for (. . . sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-) in (-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-) on, [open-] ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, [speedi-] ly, X that, X there (-in, -on), through (-out), (un-) to(-ward), under, when, where (-with), while, with (-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) prep.
Hmm. clear as mud.. but I like the idea of being In Christ means being in a 'fixed position denoting a relation (time? place? attitude?) of rest.'
Maybe the problem is that we try to turn BEING in Christ into a DOING in Christ....
Sigh. Maybe we're getting somewhere when we just 'enter in'.
Let's look at the scripture:
"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 - King James Version)
Well, not sure that helps much. Seems like I spend most of my time making sure the old man doesn't pull a resurrection...
I like it in basic english a little better:
"So if any man is in Christ, he is in a new world: the old things have come to an end; they have truly become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17 Bible in Basic English)
hmm. What kind of New World? Is this just dealing with Final Destination? Or a New World of Opportunities? Am I really that different this side of Christ? Do that many of us have such dramatic 'turnings' as from a Saul of Tarsis to a Paul the Apostle of Jesus and Him Crucified?
Vines says this:
A new creature (καινὴ κτίσις)Or creation. Compare Gal_6:15. The word κτίσις is used in three senses in the New Testament. The act of creating, as Rom_1:20. The sum of created things, as Rev_3:14; Mar_13:19. A created thing or creature, as Rom_8:39. The Rabbins used the word of a man converted from idolatry. “He who brings a foreigner and makes him a proselyte is as if he created him.”
Perhaps the key word is 'In' Christ. Let's look at that. Is it like I'm IN Virginia, but can leave Virginia to drive into Maryland?
en: A primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), that is, a relation of rest (intermediate between G1519 and G1537); “in”, at, (up-) on, by, etc.: - about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-) by (+ all means), for (. . . sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-) in (-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-) on, [open-] ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, [speedi-] ly, X that, X there (-in, -on), through (-out), (un-) to(-ward), under, when, where (-with), while, with (-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) prep.
Hmm. clear as mud.. but I like the idea of being In Christ means being in a 'fixed position denoting a relation (time? place? attitude?) of rest.'
Maybe the problem is that we try to turn BEING in Christ into a DOING in Christ....
Sigh. Maybe we're getting somewhere when we just 'enter in'.
