The Rule Of The New Creation

Good day dear friends. 

It is another new week, and this post will be the last in the first series of Vignettes of Grace. This week we’re looking at verses 15 & 16 of Galatians 6:

“For neither is circumcision [now] of any importance, nor uncircumcision, but [only] a new creation [the result of a new birth and a new nature in Christ Jesus, the Messiah]. Peace and mercy be upon all who walk by this rule [who discipline themselves and regulate their lives by this principle], even upon the [true] Israel of God!" Galatians 6: 15 and 16 Amplified Version.

During my years as an undergraduate in University of Ibadan, I was exposed to lectures and presentations. With time, I also became involved in making presentations myself and I have come to the realization that sometimes, the audience tend to miss out on some important information in the presentation. As a result, I have learnt that it is not only proper to always end one’s presentation by reminding the audience of the key points, it is also very effective in helping them leave with the right messages. 

Like I pointed out last week, we are now at the end of this epistle to the Galatians and in this closing section, Paul was concluding the letter.  In these last verses to sum up, he identified 2 key things he wanted the Galatians to always remember; the cross of Jesus (as we saw last week), and the new creation in Christ which we are considering this week.

This week we are reminded again that circumcision or uncircumcision, fastidious adherence to codes of conduct, superficial external niceties, powerless sanctimony and several other things are not the heart of the matter. Not at all. The real heart of the matter is the new creature; the new being created in Christ Jesus; the newness of life that is a result of our union with Jesus in His death and resurrection. 

"When anyone is united with Christ, they become a new person. God makes them new. Old things have gone. See, they have become new!" 2nd Corinthians 5:17 Easy English Version

Romans 6:4 speaks of a newness of life for all who have been united with Jesus in His death and resurrection. Ephesians 4:24 also talks about "the new man created after God in righteousness and true holiness. Do you now see that as the main issue or are you still bothered excessively about issues that do not count?

Paul in verse 16 made a statement affirming God’s blessings upon everyone that lives according to this rule. As the Amplified version puts it, living by the rule of the new creature is about disciplining ourselves and regulating our lives by the principle of the supreme importance of the new creation in the new life in Christ. Make it your standard. Make it your canon. Make it your code. Make it your guiding principle. Nothing else is of greater importance than the new creation. As you wake and as you sleep, in every sphere, in all your considerations, let the predominating thought be the reality of the new creation!

One of my greatest desires is to see believers in Christ living in the reality of this revelation. Too often it appears we are not aware of the amazing implications of the grace of God upon our lives. We allow quite a number of things unsettle us but I want to believe that in the past weeks during which we have reviewed this epistle, the Spirit of God has helped us discover some wonderful insights while also re-appraising some glorious concepts concerning God and the new relationship we have with Him.

I almost do not want the series to end. I have been richly blessed posting them and I’m trusting God you have been blessed too in some way. Remember all what we’ve gone through have been snapshots of God’s truly astounding grace. God's grace has done so much for us, it has taken us away from such depths of depravity and doom, brought us to new glorious positions, given us new matchless possessions, bequeathed on us new incomparable privileges and commited to us new awesome responsibilities. 

My song for the week is "I Am New" by Jason Gray.

Enjoy His grace, take full advantage of it. Have a great day and a wonderful week. 

"I Am New" by Jason Gray