EVERY ONE OF US IS A NEW CREATION IN CHRIST
By Ernest O'Neill
Every One of Us is a New Creation in Christ
By Rev. Ernest O'Neill
Every one of us here has been put into Christ and we are a new creation. Now look at 2 Corinthians 5:14: "For the love of Christ controls us, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died.” You, whether you are following Jesus at this moment or not, whether you are even trying to follow him, have died with Christ. That is what the verse says.
You can't eliminate Hitler from that verse. You can't say Christ died for all except Hitler or all except me, therefore all except Hitler or all except me have died. This word says God put all of us into his Son and remade all of us. And you have a personality inside you that is ready to thrive on trusting its God. Outwardly you have an old personality that has eyes that are darting out to see other people's approval. Outwardly you have a mind that is used to depending on the bank balance for security. Inwardly you have a new personality, a new creation that God has given you in Jesus and that is ready to come forth at this very moment.
Now, you see what this verse says that we are studying, Romans 10:8: "But what does it say?” (That is, the righteousness that is based on faith in God, or the sense of rightness that you get from trust in God.) "The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart (that is, the word of faith which we preach).”
Now the Greek word there for "word" is not "logos". "Logos" means the description of faith, but this Greek word is "rhema", and it means God speaking and creating faith. You remember at the beginning of Genesis God said, Let there be light, and there was light. That is "rhema". That is the word of God that causes things or pours things out or makes reality real.
Now, do you see what God is saying? The ability to create faith is inside all of you at this moment. The word for "near" is actually "enggus" which means "within". In other words, there is within you all the necessary equipment and the new personality to immediately launch into a new life this very day. There is a personality inside you that has been remade in Jesus’ image, that is in Jesus, and just as he was able to trust his Father in the midst of all the shouting and all the anger of the Roman soldiers, so his personality is inside you and is able to do the same, however many times people criticize you.
That personality is at this moment on your lips and in your heart. On your lips -- you need to act forth what is in you. In your heart -- you need to believe that it has happened to you. And immediately the power of that new personality begins to bring you into a right relationship of trust with your Creator and will begin to express rightness throughout your whole life.
Let it come out. The way you let it come out is by doing two things. On your lips -- speaking it forth and acting it forth; no longer saying, "Well, if I had been crucified with Christ I'd be a new creation. Yes, if that were true I'd be, and then I'd be able to trust God and I wouldn't have to worry what people are saying.”
Stop that! The truth is that you have been crucified with Christ. There is a new personality inside you that has been remade by God in Jesus, and all you have to do is let it come forth.
Then, believe in your heart. Believe the reality that Christ died for all of us and therefore all of us have died.