The promise of 2 Corinthians 5:17 is one of the most profound truths in Scripture. It declares that through faith in Christ, we are not merely improved or reformed—we are made entirely new. This verse offers hope and encouragement to anyone longing for a fresh start, reminding us that God’s transformative power can renew every aspect of our lives.
2 Corinthians 5:17 The New International Version
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
A New Creation in Christ
What does it mean to be a “new creation”? The Greek word for “new” in this verse, kainos, signifies something fresh and unprecedented—a complete transformation rather than a mere modification. When we accept Christ, our old selves, marked by sin and separation from God, are replaced with a new identity rooted in His grace and love.
This transformation is not just external but deeply internal. It’s a spiritual rebirth that changes our hearts, minds, and priorities. As Paul writes in Romans 6:4, through Christ, we are raised to “walk in newness of life.” This new life is characterized by freedom from sin’s power, a renewed sense of purpose, and an intimate relationship with God.
Being a new creation means that our past no longer defines us. The mistakes we’ve made and the burdens we’ve carried are washed away by the blood of Jesus. We are given a clean slate—a chance to live out our true identity as beloved children of God.
Leaving the Old Behind
One of the most liberating aspects of this promise is the assurance that “the old has passed away.” This includes:
- Past Sins: No matter how heavy our burdens or how deep our mistakes, they are forgiven and forgotten by God (Isaiah 43:25). We no longer need to carry guilt or shame because Christ’s sacrifice has made us clean.
- Old Habits: The patterns of behaviour that once defined us no longer have control over us. Through the Holy Spirit, we are empowered to break free from destructive cycles and live in alignment with God’s will.
- Worldly Identity: Our value is no longer tied to our past achievements or failures but is rooted in our identity as children of God (Galatians 3:26).
Embracing this truth allows us to step into the freedom and joy that comes from knowing we are fully accepted and loved by God.
Embracing the New
When we step into this new life, we are called to actively embrace the transformation God has initiated:
- Renew Your Mind: Transformation begins with a change in thinking. Romans 12:2 urges us to renew our minds through Scripture so that we can discern God’s will and live according to His purposes.
- Live by Faith: Being a new creation means walking by faith and trusting God’s promises, even when circumstances seem uncertain (2 Corinthians 5:7). Faith allows us to see ourselves through God’s eyes—as redeemed and loved.
- Reflect Christ’s Love: As new creations, our lives should reflect Christ’s character. This includes showing love, forgiveness, humility, and compassion in our interactions with others (Ephesians 4:24).
- Pursue Spiritual Growth: Becoming a new creation is just the beginning of a lifelong journey of sanctification. Through prayer, fellowship with other believers, and obedience to God’s Word, we grow closer to Him each day.
Living as a new creation involves daily surrendering to God’s transformative work within us. It’s about allowing His Spirit to guide us as we navigate life’s challenges and opportunities.
Read More About This Devotional
Words of Wisdom: Embrace the New: A Journey of Faith and Renewal
Quote of the Day: “The Lord brings into existence that which does not exist to bless you”
Hope for Those Struggling
If you’re feeling stuck in old patterns or overwhelmed by past mistakes, take heart—God specializes in making all things new. The transformation promised in 2 Corinthians 5:17 is not dependent on your strength but on His grace. Philippians 1:6 assures us that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.
Even when change feels slow or incomplete, trust that God is at work within you. Sanctification is an ongoing process that requires patience and perseverance. Celebrate small victories along the way and remember that His power is made perfect in your weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).
God’s promise of renewal extends beyond individual transformation; it encompasses His entire creation. As believers, we have the privilege of participating in His redemptive work—bringing hope and healing to a broken world.
Scripture Reading for the Day
Psalms 78 The New International Version
A maskil of Asaph.
1 My people, hear my teaching;
listen to the words of my mouth.
2 I will open my mouth with a parable;
I will utter hidden things, things from of old—
3 things we have heard and known,
things our ancestors have told us.
4 We will not hide them from their descendants;
we will tell the next generation
the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord,
his power, and the wonders he has done.
5 He decreed statutes for Jacob
and established the law in Israel,
which he commanded our ancestors
to teach their children,
6 so the next generation would know them,
even the children yet to be born,
and they in turn would tell their children.
7 Then they would put their trust in God
and would not forget his deeds
but would keep his commands.
8 They would not be like their ancestors—
a stubborn and rebellious generation,
whose hearts were not loyal to God,
whose spirits were not faithful to him.9 The men of Ephraim, though armed with bows,
turned back on the day of battle;
10 they did not keep God’s covenant
and refused to live by his law.
11 They forgot what he had done,
the wonders he had shown them.
12 He did miracles in the sight of their ancestors
in the land of Egypt, in the region of Zoan.
13 He divided the sea and led them through;
he made the water stand up like a wall.
14 He guided them with the cloud by day
and with light from the fire all night.
15 He split the rocks in the wilderness
and gave them water as abundant as the seas;
16 he brought streams out of a rocky crag
and made water flow down like rivers.17 But they continued to sin against him,
rebelling in the wilderness against the Most High.
18 They willfully put God to the test
by demanding the food they craved.
19 They spoke against God;
they said, “Can God really
spread a table in the wilderness?
20 True, he struck the rock,
and water gushed out,
streams flowed abundantly,
but can he also give us bread?
Can he supply meat for his people?”
21 When the Lord heard them, he was furious;
his fire broke out against Jacob,
and his wrath rose against Israel,
22 for they did not believe in God
or trust in his deliverance.
23 Yet he gave a command to the skies above
and opened the doors of the heavens;
24 he rained down manna for the people to eat,
he gave them the grain of heaven.
25 Human beings ate the bread of angels;
he sent them all the food they could eat.
26 He let loose the east wind from the heavens
and by his power made the south wind blow.
27 He rained meat down on them like dust,
birds like sand on the seashore.
28 He made them come down inside their camp,
all around their tents.
29 They ate till they were gorged—
he had given them what they craved.
30 But before they turned from what they craved,
even while the food was still in their mouths,
31 God’s anger rose against them;
he put to death the sturdiest among them,
cutting down the young men of Israel.32 In spite of all this, they kept on sinning;
in spite of his wonders, they did not believe.
33 So he ended their days in futility
and their years in terror.
34 Whenever God slew them, they would seek him;
they eagerly turned to him again.
35 They remembered that God was their Rock,
that God Most High was their Redeemer.
36 But then they would flatter him with their mouths,
lying to him with their tongues;
37 their hearts were not loyal to him,
they were not faithful to his covenant.
38 Yet he was merciful;
he forgave their iniquities
and did not destroy them.
Time after time he restrained his anger
and did not stir up his full wrath.
39 He remembered that they were but flesh,
a passing breeze that does not return.40 How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness
and grieved him in the wasteland!
41 Again and again they put God to the test;
they vexed the Holy One of Israel.
42 They did not remember his power—
the day he redeemed them from the oppressor,
43 the day he displayed his signs in Egypt,
his wonders in the region of Zoan.
44 He turned their river into blood;
they could not drink from their streams.
45 He sent swarms of flies that devoured them,
and frogs that devastated them.
46 He gave their crops to the grasshopper,
their produce to the locust.
47 He destroyed their vines with hail
and their sycamore-figs with sleet.
48 He gave over their cattle to the hail,
their livestock to bolts of lightning.
49 He unleashed against them his hot anger,
his wrath, indignation and hostility—
a band of destroying angels.
50 He prepared a path for his anger;
he did not spare them from death
but gave them over to the plague.
51 He struck down all the firstborn of Egypt,
the firstfruits of manhood in the tents of Ham.
52 But he brought his people out like a flock;
he led them like sheep through the wilderness.
53 He guided them safely, so they were unafraid;
but the sea engulfed their enemies.
54 And so he brought them to the border of his holy land,
to the hill country his right hand had taken.
55 He drove out nations before them
and allotted their lands to them as an inheritance;
he settled the tribes of Israel in their homes.56 But they put God to the test
and rebelled against the Most High;
they did not keep his statutes.
57 Like their ancestors they were disloyal and faithless,
as unreliable as a faulty bow.
58 They angered him with their high places;
they aroused his jealousy with their idols.
59 When God heard them, he was furious;
he rejected Israel completely.
60 He abandoned the tabernacle of Shiloh,
the tent he had set up among humans.
61 He sent the ark of his might into captivity,
his splendor into the hands of the enemy.
62 He gave his people over to the sword;
he was furious with his inheritance.
63 Fire consumed their young men,
and their young women had no wedding songs;
64 their priests were put to the sword,
and their widows could not weep.65 Then the Lord awoke as from sleep,
as a warrior wakes from the stupor of wine.
66 He beat back his enemies;
he put them to everlasting shame.
67 Then he rejected the tents of Joseph,
he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim;
68 but he chose the tribe of Judah,
Mount Zion, which he loved.
69 He built his sanctuary like the heights,
like the earth that he established forever.
70 He chose David his servant
and took him from the sheep pens;
71 from tending the sheep he brought him
to be the shepherd of his people Jacob,
of Israel his inheritance.
72 And David shepherded them with integrity of heart;
with skillful hands he led them.
