A Few New Things

GENERALLY speaking, the "new" things in religion are not true and the true

things are not new. However, the Bible speaks of many new things. In this

study we want to direct attention to a few of these new things.

Hundreds of years before the New Testament was given God had promised

to make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.

"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with

the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah." (Jer. 31:31.) This language

is used by the writer of the Hebrew letter. (Heb. 8:8.) Why a new covenant?

"For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been

sought for the second." (Heb. 8:7.) "For the law having a shadow of good

things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those

sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers

thereunto perfect." (Heb. 10:1.)

We enter into the benefits of the new covenant by a new birth—that is,

a second birth. Christians are people who have been twice born. All of us

were born into the earthly family by a fleshly birth. To enter the divine family

we must have a spiritual birth. Jesus said: "Verily, verily, I say unto thee,

Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (John 3:3.)

And then in enlarging upon this thought he said: "Verily, verily. I say unto

thee. Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the

kingdom of God." (John 3:5.)

In the fleshly birth there is first a begetting and then a bringing forth. So

it is with the spiritual birth. We are begotten by the word of truth, and then

brought forth from the waters of baptism. Peter expressed it this way: "Being

born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God,

which liveth and abideth for ever." (1 Pet. 1:23.) And from James we have it

this way: "Of his own will begat he us with

the word of truth." (James 1:18.) And the peerless Paul wrote to the church

of God at Corinth after this manner: "For in Christ Jesus I have begotten you

through the gospel." (1 Cor. 4:15.)

When one is born again, he is thus a new creature— the old things have

passed away. "Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature: old

things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Cor. 5:17.)

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus,

who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." (Rom. 8:1.) "For in Christ

Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new

creature." (Gal. 6:15.)

When we enter the new covenant by a new birth, thus becoming new

creatures in Christ Jesus, we should have on new clothing. "And have put on

the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that

created him." (Col. 3:10.) "But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not

provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof." (Rom. 13:14.)

This new creature, or new man, requires new food. The food that the "old

man" feasted on will not now do. "Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all

guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all speakings, as newborn babes, desire

the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby." (1 Pet. 2:1,2.) This

sincere milk of the word will cause such rapid growth that it will not be long

until we can handle the meat of the word. Some never make this desired

growth. "For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one

teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are

become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat." (Heb. 5:12.) It is

no disgrace to be on a milk diet when we are babes, but it is a disgrace to

remain on one. The only time a full-grown men needs to be reduced to a milk

diet is when he is sick. There are entirely too many sickly among us. Jesus

said: "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth

out of the mouth of God." (Matt. 4:4.)The new creature in Christ has a new name awaiting him just as soon as

he is born into the family of Christ. This is a family name, belonging

exclusively to the family of Christ. We wear the name of the head of the

family. The earthly father is the head of the earthly family, and the children

born into his family take his name. Thus it is with the family of Christ. He is

the head of this family, and every one that is born into this family takes his

name.

Hundreds of years before there was a Christian on the earth God said this

through the prophet Isaiah: "And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and

all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth

of the Lord shall name." (Isa. 62:2.) God was going to give this new name

when the Gentiles saw his righteousness. Just as soon as the church had

Gentile members, this new name was given. Cornelius was the first Gentile

convert. We read of his conversion in Acts 10. In the very next chapter we

have this significant statement: "And the disciples were called Christians first

in Antioch." (Acts 11:26.)

After Paul had preached to King Agrippa, the king made use of this

language: "Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian." (Acts 26:28.) The

king knew that if he became obedient to the gospel that Paul preached, he

would be a Christian. Thus it is today. The gospel preached and obeyed makes

Christians only and only Christians. It takes something different from the

gospel of Christ to make anything different from a Christian.

This new creature, wearing new clothing, eating new food, and wearing

a new name, is now ready for new employment. He is ready to really work in

the Master's vineyard. He is now working out his own salvation with fear and

trembling. (Phil. 2:12.) He cannot afford to forget to be "stedfast, unmovable,

always abounding in the work of the Lord," knowing that his "labour is not in

vain in the Lord.'" (1 Cor. 15:58.) The blessed Christ said: "I must work the

works of him that sentme, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work." (John 9:4.)

Faithful Christians are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth

wherein dwelleth righteousness. "Nevertheless we, according to his promise,

look for new heavens and a new earth, where in dwelleth righteousness." (2

Pet. 3:13.) This old earth will pass away. "And I saw a new heaven and a new

earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was

no more sea." (Rev. 21:1.) May God help all of us to so live that we may enjoy

that new Jerusalem (Rev. 21:2) and be permitted to join in with the singing of

the new song (Rev. 14:3; 15:3.)