Old Things Pass Away

If any man be in Christ… old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17

The New Testament is, among others things, a record of the struggle of twiceborn men and women to live in a world run by the once born! That should indicate that we are not being as helpful as we ought to be when we fail to instruct the new Christian, that one who is “a babe in Christ,” that our Lord told his earliest disciples, “In the world ye shall have tribulation” (John 16:33).

The Apostle Paul knew what he was talking about when he told Christian believers, “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12).

Take the example of a person recently converted to Christ. His inner witness is clear and up to the light he has; he is beginning to live as he believes a Christian should. But this new world is altogether different from the one he has just left. Standards, values, objectives, methods—all are different. Many solid pillars upon which he had previously leaned without question are now seen to be made of chalk and ready to crumble.

There will be tears, but there will be joy and peace with the continuing discovery that in Christ, indeed, “old things pass away and all things become new” (see 2 Corinthians 5:17).

Lord, sometimes it’s convenient to hide my faith when I am in the company of non-Christians. Help me take a stand for Christ even if I’m in the midst of a hostile situation.