"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17
The birth of Jesus was the defining moment in all creation when fallen mankind began to be restored to a righteous relationship with the holiness of God. The agents of Jesus' birth were the Holy Spirit and the virgin young woman, Mary. Her pregnancy was miraculous. There was a parallel miracle pregnancy that began six months earlier when her cousin Elizabeth and her husband, the priest Zacharias, both past the age of child bearing, nevertheless, gave birth to a son, John (the Baptist).
Both of these births were miracles. Both were by the agency of God's supernatural intervention in the lives of ordinary people. John. was born six months before Jesus, to be the voice of one crying in the wilderness, "Prepare ye the way of the Lord." He was Elias who was prophesied to come as the messenger proclaiming the coming Messiah.
Jesus' physical birth was a forecast of our spiritual birth. He was born of the seed of the Holy Spirit. We likewise are reborn of the same Spirit, not of corruptible seed of man.
"Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever." 1Peter 1:23
We are who we are now because of who Jesus is, and because of what He has done for us. Who He is and what He has done defines who we are now.
Jesus Christ is Lord and God. He created all things with God in the beginning. He is inseparably one with God the Father and the Holy Spirit.
You and I have been born twice. Our first human birth, that came by water, from our mother’s womb, was by the will of our father and mother. Our second birth that brought us salvation from sin through Jesus Christ was a spiritual rebirth by the will of God. Now we have been born again, first by water and now by the Holy Spirit. Our reborn spirit is who we really are now.
It is that new spirit that makes us new creations in Christ Jesus. Though our memories and our humanity remains, the spirit of sin and death has no claim on us now.
With the old spirit we were condemned under the law of sin and death. Now we are subject only to the law of the spirit of life In Christ Jesus.
The law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus is our governor now. Under that law there is therefore now no condemnation, because we are in Christ Jesus our Lord.
"For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." Romans 8:2
If that weren’t reason enough to rejoice and be thankful, we are also assured that no weapon fashioned against will fulfill its intended purpose. In fact, what was intended for evil God will turn it for good.
Remember Haman was hung on the gallows he built for Mordecai. Joseph was raised up to be a ruler over his brothers in Egypt though they sought to kill him as a child, and despite the lies of Potiphar’s wife and imprisonment he was raised up to be the second ruler over all Egypt. David became King despite Saul’s many attempts to kill him.
One of my favorite accounts of the futility of the chief priests and the scribes against Jesus is this. When He rode into Jerusalem with great crowds waving palm branches and shouting:
“Hosanna to the Son of David!
‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’
Hosanna in the highest!”
Then in John 12:19
“The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, ‘You see that you are accomplishing nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him!’ ”
Salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ has given us many things; new life from the dead, a new identity as sons of God, blessings, and fulfillment in this world and in the world to come, and a sure and steadfast defense against the evil works of darkness. We now have the assurance of life and that more abundantly, all because of our great Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We are His treasure and He is our life and the length of our days.
What a peace that is!!!