New

Here we go – it’s brand new, unstained, cleansed. No. I’m not talking about the new year.

And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: (Colossians 3:10)

I’m talking about the new us.

Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. (Ephesians 4:19-24)

How can that be? Is that any harder than cleansing leprosy?

And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. (Matthew 8:2-3)

Or, harder than anything in this list?

Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. (Luke 7:22)

Poor? Preached only to the poor? I believe that connects to

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3)

We could hold the world’s wealth (which some appear to do) and without God, we are not just poor in spirit, we lack it entirely. When we are new, poor in spirit, we still have the kingdom of heaven.

God has given us instructions in His word. Yet the same question from two thousand years ago is asked today – and the answer remains the same, too:

Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. (John 10:24-25)

Midnight tonight begins a new year, as with each day with Christ:

Therefore 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)