"If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17).

When we are saved, we become new persons. This is one of the wonderful things that accompanies the salvation which one receives from Christ. The believer in Jesus is converted and regenerated, which means he is changed and made new.

How does this change take place? The person is outwardly much the same but the change takes place inwardly and spiritually. It is seen in the conduct. God says: "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you … and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments and do them" (Ezekiel 36:26,27).

We become new creatures when He puts His Spirit within us and writes His laws into our hearts and minds (Hebrews 10:16). Then we are made "partakers of the divine nature" (2 Peter 1:4) and have the desire within us to do God's will and to please Him. The old nature of sin is still there (Romans 7:20-23) but the believer also has a new nature which loves God and hates sin.

Thus old things pass away and all things become new at conversion. The sinful desires, affections, and habits are now detested by this new nature, and are superseded by new desires and affections which rise up in the soul from the new, divine nature. Let us see to it then that our lives are practically displaying that we are new creatures.

If one says that he or she has become a Christian and there is no evidence of a change of heart and life, the reality of what is professed can only be doubted. If one really is a new creature and a possessor of salvation, there will be visible signs in our walk, our talk, and our ways.

—R.K. Campbell