“It’s New to Me”

“That you might walk in newness of life” Romans 6:4

 

Happy New Year! Time can seem like a runaway train: picking up speed, mileposts whizzing outside the windows, dangerous curves, and the prospect of arriving at the station in quick order. At least 2025 felt that way. So now we are approaching a new year. This got me to thinking about “new.” Sometimes people ask me the question “what’s new?” Jokingly, I tell them that “new” is the thirteenth letter in the Greek alphabet (spelled “nu” but pronounced as “new”). While this is true, it fails to answer the question.

So, we must turn our attention to Scripture and discover how God would answer the question “what’s new?” Before we get started it is important to discern what the Bible means by the word “new.” No unusual, but the language of the New Testament has two distinct words for “new.” The first (pronounced neos) means temporarily new, new in relation to time, something like “recent.” This is the word we would use when we greet someone with “Happy New Year.” The second word (pronounced kainos—ai sounds like “aisle”) means something that is qualitatively new, not impaired by time or use; something never before known. It implies something better. This is the launching pad for most of what the New Testament means when it uses the word “new.”

Hebrews 9:15ff—Jesus’ mission was to inaugurate a new covenant. Through His death on the cross and the blood that was applied as a payment for sin, Jesus mediates a qualitatively new way of relating to God. In fact, it is now the only way to establish an intimate relationship with the Sovereign God of the universe (see John 14:6).

2 Corinthians 5:17 (Gal 6:15)—whenever a person comes into a legitimate relationship with Christ, a radical transformation takes place; you are a new creation. One of the great mysteries of the Faith is the “now-not yet” dynamic at work: If you are truly in Christ, you are qualitatively new. Paul says the old person is gone and the new person has come. But experience will remind you that you are still on the journey that will one day arrive at the completed you. This sets the stage for the next two—

Ephesians 4:24 (Col 3:10)—we have the capacity to live this new life in the present. Paul admonishes whole-hearted Christ followers to “put on the new self.” Literally, it has the idea of getting dressed in the morning, taking off old clothes and putting on new clothes. Obviously metaphorical, Paul’s intent is to say that we are to be intentional and proactive in addressing the way we live our lives in the world, as those who are qualitatively new in every way—thinking, speaking, willing, acting, etc.

2 Peter 3:13 (Rev 21:1)—Whole-hearted Christ followers always have an eye to the future, because out there (unknown time and distance) waits a new heaven and earth. Now, granted, no one knows what that looks like, but there is a longing in the heart to fully realize what has here been promised. It will certainly be beyond anything we can imagine!

Revelation 21:5—Jesus declares to John that He is making all things new. This is nothing short of a current reality that has eternal ramifications. When Christ makes something new it will be better than anything that has existed previously. It will never be minimized or marginalized by time. Again, see the eternal perspective in this statement.

Romans 6:4—with all of this now being said, Paul tells the Christ follower to walk in newness of life. Purpose to live your life qualitatively different than the world around you. Choose the path that requires to live by faith and not by sight. Be the new creation that you already are in Christ (Paul declares that we nee to live up to what we have already attained. Your New Year is set before you. What will the narrative of these next twelve months be?

 

Blessings on the Journey,

Dewayne