Anytime you see the word “therefore” in the Bible, you should search out what it’s there for. Here, it means that because we are in Christ Jesus we are new creatures. We are in Christ positionally, there- fore we are to practice our position by making all things new. I remember my high school football coaches stressing the importance of playing your position. The quarterback played the quarterback position, not the tight end or tackle position. Likewise, the Christian is not to play around with the world trying to be someone or do something that he or she would be out of position being or doing. In the football scenario, just because the quarterback tried to play tight end it would not change his position. It would however, adversely alter the team. 

We have been placed in Christ (the very best position) by God’s grace. The theological term for that powerful intervention from Heaven is justification. It’s most wonderful and comforting to know that we can never lose our position in Christ. At the same time, it is most disturbing to realize, when we truly examine our hearts that we are so easily distracted and often do not practice our position. One reason the church has lost so much power and influence in our culture today is because
she has lost her newness. Newness is noticed whereas the “same old, same old” dulls and gathers mold. Even the ‘new car’ smell, when we drive one off the lot, makes us feel better and forget about the payments temporarily. That new car loses a lot of value as soon as it leaves the dealership. The ‘new’ quickly wears off. 

The newness of a Christian should never wear or rub off. The ‘new birth’ smell of re- deeming grace should always be a sweet savor not only to God, but also to others. 

“And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savor.” Ephesians 5:2 

Probably the most neglected blessing is the blessing of newness. Old habits, old thoughts, even old friends can cause a redeemed child of grace to fall in a rut. Old, unconfessed sin can smear our cheer and cause us to cower in fear. What’s so bad about trying to do life wearing old clothes is that Jesus has purchased new ones for us. 

If a loved one or friend bought you a new coat or sweater and gave it to you as a free gift of love and you hung it in your closet and never wore it, what would your friend or loved one think? Sometimes it seems we like to live off of cheap grace in that we don’t want to appear to be making too much of Jesus and His kingdom because someone might think we’re trying to work for our salvation. The fact is, Jesus paid it all and that includes our eternal newness. Following Jesus should never be boring. Actually, if you feel life is boring there is a great danger that you are not following Him. When we sneak around and try to hide the price tag of our righteous robe Christ has given us, we are not worshiping God but we are wasting grace. Several years ago I attended a conference in Nashville Tennessee. The conference was held at the Grand Ole Opry Hotel which was a pretty swanky place at the time. I remember eating breakfast at the café there the first morning and it cost almost twenty dollars. Now the breakfast offering was really something else, and since it was a buffet, I decided the second morning to have only cereal, toast, some fruit and coffee. When I got the check though, I was surprised to see the cost was same as the first morning. When I questioned the waitress, advising her that she must have made a mistake in my bill, she said, “Sir, it’s all the same price, you pay for the buffet regardless of what you eat!” The third morning I really enjoyed that buffet. I even tried something new! God, though Jesus Christ, has prepared a great buffet and the Holy Spirit invites us to His taste of grace buffet. 

“He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.” Song of Solomon 2:4 

Maybe it’s time to shake off religion and enjoy God! God never gives us another day without giving us something new. 

New Grace - 

We are NOT only saved by grace, we are also sustained by grace. Grace wears new all the time! The shoes and clothes God gave to the Israelites wore new all the way through the wilderness. 

“And I have led you forty years in the wilderness: your clothes are not waxen old upon you and thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy foot.” Deuteronomy 29:5 

There is a great Christian song entitled, “New Grace” by Tom Hayes. Google the song sometime soon, it will make you feel new all over. Here are some of the lyrics: 

“All of grace is my story

All the way from Earth to glory

Since by grace He lifted me from sin and woe

Living grace He as extended

As on Him my heart depended

He’ll give new grace when it’s my time to go.

Grace not yet discovered

Grace not yet uncovered

Grace from His bountiful store

Grace to cross the river

And grace to face forever

But there’ll be new grace

I’ve not needed before”

Jesus said not to put new wine in old bottles and that is why God makes us new. That way we can contain the new grace He gives us every day. If God makes the mercy new every morning, surely He gives us new grace to go along with it. 

“It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his com- passions fail not. They are new every morning, great is thy faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23

New Gratitude - 

Since the Bible says that we should be thankful for all things, we ought to be always looking for new things to thank God for. Surely, we wouldn’t have to look far because God gives us a new day every morning. The very fact that our Almighty, Gracious, Heavenly Father has chosen us and given us to Christ Jesus His Son who redeemed us, calls for an ever thankful heart just looking for opportunities to show our thanks to Him in new ways. 

New Ground - 

Every step we take in life is a new step. We don’t walk today just like we did yesterday. Every church assembly for worship is a new one. We won’t be together just like we were last Sunday when we meet this Sunday by God’s grace. God always gives us something to look forward to. Hope is the implement God provides to trek the new ground life in Christ here on earth. 

Samuel in the Old Testament took a stone and set it in a certain place
and called it “Ebenezer.” It was to be a focal point to remember what God had done in the past. “Ebenezer” means
“hitherto hath the Lord helped us,” but this stone was also a new ground stone in that he was really saying “up to now the Lord has helped us and since He doesn’t change, he will help us right on.” It’s good to know that God is sovereign and merciful at the same time. The fact is, God has done a pretty good job of taking care of His people in the past and He is doing a gracious work right now, else I could not write this nor could you read it. The “new ground” thought here and with Samuel’s Ebenezer stone is that God will take care of our future as well. What’s new to us is not new to God. If anyone “has been there and done that,” it has to be Almighty God. 

Abraham is called the “father of the faithful,” but to get that title he had to walk on some new ground. 

“By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.” Hebrew 11:8

Later on God would promise Abraham and his descendants all the land they could walk around (Genesis 13:17) This is better known as the promised land and it was new ground. The sad part of this is that the  Israelites only got to enjoy about one third of the originally intended land area the Lord had intended them to have. They looked at the obstacles blocking their way and forgot the new ground covenant and their position in Jehovah. 

Have you ever thanked God for making you a new creature? See, we all have found a new reason to express our gratitude to God. Really, by faith we should thank God for what is going to do, even though He hasn’t done it yet. All God’s promises are sure. When God says it, we better believe it is a done deal. 

“For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.” II Corinthians 1:20

I received a letter once from a person asking me to be a part of a meeting happening soon. The letter closed this way - “Thanking you in advance.” Now, that was a new way to show gratitude and was also a powerful persuading nudge for me to do what I had been asked to do. 

We know that we didn’t become new creatures by default. It took the shed blood of our thrice righteous and Holy Saviour on Calvary’s cross to remake us and give us a new heart. This renewing, regenerative work of the Holy Spirit keeps us singing because the fount of every blessing has been opened. Every believer should have and should sing a new song every day. Moses had a song, Mary had a song, Solomon had a song, and God even wrote a whole book of songs and put them in His Bible. Some songs are always new especially those pertaining to redemption. 

“And they sung a new song, saying, thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof: for thou was slain and hast redeemed us to God by the blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nations.” Revelation 5:9 

Amazing Grace may be an old hymn, but it’s new every time we sing it in the spirit of gratitude. Thank God that He makes all things new! Even the Holy Word of God, written thousands of years ago, read multiple times by us is made new every time we read it. Truth always renews. Never say “There’s nothing new.” There is — God’s Word. The Bible will not only instruct, rebuke, correct and teach us, it will also keep us new. 

May God help us never to turn back from the new ground God has prepared for us. While none of us may know where we are going and what tomorrow holds, we do know who’s going with us and who holds tomorrow. With the assurance of new grace, the atti- tude of a new gratitude, wouldn’t you rather be on new ground? I “new” you would! 

Brother Randy