"God's Awesome New Creation Offer" Part Two (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Our passage says, "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come" (2 Corinthians 5:17). Apostle Paul speaks only briefly in this verse of what this great offer involves. He says, "the old things passed away" and that "new things have come." Even though it's not possible for us to describe them all, let's consider one of the most important of "the old things passed away." FIRST IS OUR OLD CONDEMNATION BEFORE GOD! There's no condemnation for the person that's in Christ! Apostle Paul said it best with these words, "Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). Condemnation is a terrible word that should grab our attention! It brings to mind the verdict of guilty as well as the penalty that verdict demands! Outside of Christ, we're guilty of sin before God and deserving of His righteous judgment. God would've been absolutely just to leave us in such a condition, but He did not! Praise God forevermore! No sin a person in Christ can commit (past, present, or future) can be held against that person! Why is that so? The penalty was paid by Christ and righteousness was credited to the person who is in Christ. As new creatures in Christ, when God looks upon us, He no longer sees the guilt of sin! He sees the righteousness of Jesus! ANOTHER OF THE OLD THINGS THAT'S PASSED AWAY IS OUR SLAVERY TO SIN! This doesn't mean that, once we become new creatures in Christ, we won't ever sin again. How many of you have already figured that out? But, we're no longer slaves to obey sin! Once, we could not choose but to sin, but in Christ, we're free to choose not to sin! ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT OF THE NEW THINGS THAT HAVE COME IS PEACE WITH GOD! Our sin means that outside of Christ, we're enemies of God. Romans 5:1 says, "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." God has declared Himself to be at war with every human being because of sin. The awesome result of being in Christ is that our war with God is ended forever! It's a wonderful thing to longer be an enemy of God! It's a wonderful thing to no longer be hostile toward God! It's a wonderful thing to no longer be a hater of God! Some of you may be thinking, "I've never hated God!" But in faithfulness to the Scriptures, I must say that if you feel that those words are too harsh, you have not yet come to know your own heart in the sight of God! Paul told the church at Colossae, "And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind" (Colossians 1:21). The Greek word for "hostile" means "hateful!" Take God up on His new creation offer!