Living New

3 days ago
1 min read

Following Jesus is more than adding a few Christian practices to the life we already live. Jesus transforms us.

Sometimes we can approach our life in Christ as if we are simply adding something new to our old routines. We add Bible study. We add prayer. We gather with the church. These are important practices, but the life Jesus offers is much deeper.

Paul tells us that through baptism our old self was crucified with Christ so that “we should no longer be slaves to sin” (Romans 6:6). He then encourages us to “count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:11).

This is the language of transformation.

Consider what happens when a caterpillar enters a chrysalis. It does not emerge as a slightly improved caterpillar. It emerges as something remarkably different, a butterfly. Where the caterpillar’s walk ends, the butterfly’s flight begins.

No illustration can fully capture what God is doing in us, but perhaps this one helps. Jesus does not simply improve the life we already have. In Christ, we have been given new life.

The question is whether we are learning to live that new life. Are we simply adding Jesus to our routines, or are we allowing him to reshape our priorities, habits, relationships, and desires?

Growth in Christ means learning each day to live as the new people God has already called us to be.