Today we are able to put on the new man because of God’s grace. The Bible says that it’s not because of our righteousness, but because men are evil and men cannot save themselves. We do not have the ability to save ourselves. Since we are sinners who cannot redeem ourselves, we need to learn to rely on Jesus to become a new man.

We mentioned how we become a new man after baptism. But we still have a sinful nature within us. This is why we need to constantly pursue denying our earthly desires — this is how we become a new person and transform from glory to glory. If we’re unwilling to make a change in our lives, we cannot be considered to be a new man. In fact, a person who doesn’t wish to change to become a new person is someone who doesn’t wish to see the face of God. If we don’t see the face of God, how are we going to meet Him?

To put on a new man, we need to make everyday changes. This is not pertaining to a change of appearance but rather an inner change — From someone who gives in to his flesh and earthly desires to one who submits to God and is spiritual.

The believers then misunderstood what it meant to be a new man. They didn’t make changes in their lives according to the teachings of God. They thought that they’d obtain the blessings of God by making external changes. Read Galatians 6:15;

‘For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.’

At that time, some were teaching the Galatians to perform circumcision. They were teaching that they’d be imperfect if they were to not perform circumcision. But Paul denied such a practice and reminded them that to obtain the pleasure of God would not be through external works.

In the New Testament, we obtain the pleasures of God through internal changes in our lives — this is the new creation God is pleased with. As for the Jews then who had their biases, they tightly held on to the practices of the Old Testament. They couldn’t see the new way of salvation which Jesus had established — Jesus had used baptism to replace circumcision and lived out the spirit of the Lord rather than the matters of the Lord.

To be a new creation, on one hand, this person relies on the grace of the Lord Jesus. On the other hand, he responds to the grace of God and lives out His words.

In the Christendom are 2 extremes:

1. Emphasises grace

Holds on to the belief of, “Once saved, always saved”.
No matter the sin, in the end, the Lord Jesus’ grace will be sufficient to save you. This is to say that your salvation is entirely achieved by the Lord Jesus and there’s nothing you can or cannot do. Even if you constantly give in to the flesh, you’ll still be saved. It is as though once you believe in Jesus, you are immune to judgement where there is not such a thing as sin unto death. No matter the sin you commit, you’ll never lose your salvation. This is a wrong teaching.

2. You have you perform all the works of the Lord to achieve salvation

You have to rely on your behaviour and work to achieve salvation. We understand that in our weaknesses, if not for the help of our Lord Jesus, it is very difficult for our lives to change. We are not subscribed to the idea of ‘once saved always saved’

In the Old Testament, the Word of God was already told to the Israelites that their redemption and salvation was accredited to Internal change. Turn to Jeremiah 4:4;

‘Circumcise yourselves to the Lord , And take away the foreskins of your hearts, You men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, Lest My fury come forth like fire, And burn so that no one can quench it, Because of the evil of your doings.”’

Here, the Lord wanted the Israelites to circumcise themselves; to circumcise the foreskins (filth) of their hearts. After establishing the covenant of circumcision, the Israelites became people of God and thought they would hence receive grace. But they didn’t change and instead boasted in their external works. What did God have to say with regards to this? Read Jeremiah 9:25-26;

25 ‘“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord , “that I will punish all who are circumcised with the uncircumcised— 26 Egypt, Judah, Edom, the people of Ammon, Moab, and all who are in the farthest corners, who dwell in the wilderness. For all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart.”’

Here, God says that He would punish all the circumcised because they were actually uncircumcised. The “uncircumcision” here refers to their unchanged parts. Even in the Old Testament, we see that God esteemed the change in the hearts of men — this is the manifestation of a changed man who believes in the Lord. Just like us, we’re not here to perform external works to manifest external changes. Rather, we need a change within our lives.

Paul tells us in Colossians 2:10-13;

10 ‘and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. 11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, ‘

This is to say that everything we have is received by the reliance of God. In baptism, we were buried with Him and sins were forgiven. This is something we cannot achieve by relying on the works of men.

What about living out the life of a new creation?
We need to rely on God to live out the words of God. Some criticise our church, “You rely on rituals to be saved!” because we believe that baptism has to do with salvation. The question is: is baptism just a work? It is not! The Bible tells us clearly that baptism is necessary and baptism is not a ‘good behaviour’ or ‘good work’ but rather the belief in the method of God + obedience to the matter of God. We submit to His instructions for how men should be saved. When we submit to His way, there is the testimony of the Holy Spirit in the water. Through the washing of the blood of Jesus, our sins are forgiven. Yes, we are relying on the Word of God but we are not doing away with His words when we claim that we are made righteous. If we think that we can do away with the Word of God when we are made righteous or that we rely on God’s grace and do away with His instructions, this is misunderstanding the Word of God. This is changing God’s words.

The Lord Jesus said this, “I came not to judge but the words which I speak will judge men.” When we obey the words of God and carry them out, this is a manifestation of our faith in God’s words. This is why James said, “Abraham because of his obedience to God was accounted righteous.” Therefore the New Testament does not do away with the commands God gives us.

The question now is that in present Christendom, they’re struggling to find a standard to say how a person is a new creation; is it reliant on grace or works? We are relying on God’s grace but at the same time carrying God’s words and carrying them out. This is what it means to perform the work of God and is a new creation. Though we cannot rely on our own behaviours to be saved, we have the Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit to help us to change in our hearts to become a new creation. This sounds very dogmatic but if we’re not careful to this, we may turn to the extreme.

What is the manifestation of one who’s a new creation?
Paul tells us of an example in Philippians 3:8-9;

8 ‘Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; ‘

When a person has changed, he has changed in his mindset and values. What Paul deemed in the past to be most helpful to him was no longer pursued when he believed in the Lord Jesus. His value system changed and regarded knowing the Lord Jesus as the most precious. He could put aside everything he once treated as treasure for the sake of the Lord Jesus so that he could be diligent in pursuing and gaining Christ.

Why are many Christians unable to make Christ the most important in our lives?
Many times, our value system doesn’t place Jesus as the most important. Many things ensnare us.

The Lord Jesus spoke of the parable of the sower.
When seeds enter our hearts, sometimes they’re stuck and are unable to grow. Our desires prevent the Lord Jesus from becoming the most important. We see how their value system entirely changes when they know the Lord Jesus. A Christian who knows the Lord Jesus will put on the new man’s thinking because our thinking influences our behaviour. Read 1 John 2:15-17;

15 ‘Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.’

Why did elder John have to tell the believers not to love the world and it’s things?
Because these cause us to be unable to love the things of God wholeheartedly. Today if we think of the world as most important, we’re unable to change in our mindset. We still cling on to the things of this world as the most precious. It’s not that we don’t know these things. But when we live in this life, we treat the things we can see as the most important. The things that we can’t see, we treat them as things for later. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 4:18;

‘while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.’

Why is it that Paul could see the Lord Jesus as the most precious? Why did he treat everything else as rubbish? Because he could see differently the things that we see— he saw what was eternal and refused to see the things that are temporary. He knew that these things were but for a while.

When we read 2 Corinthians 5, we see how Paul makes this contrast between what’s temporary and eternal. The question is this: we know these things, but what do we place our minds on? One day, no matter how precious the things we’ve built on this earth come to be, when our lives come to an end, all things come to an end. If we’re Christians only for hope in this life and our thinking and thoughts are still the same, the Bible tells us that we’re more pitiful than the unbelievers. Because of our wrong value system, we’re unable to change our mindsets and receive salvation. One day, we’ll have no home to return to.

Downstairs where the speaker lives (on the 3rd floor), he heard a car driving past. Someone then cried out, “Ah gong! We’re home! This is Hougang Street… unit number… Ah gong, ah gong, we’re home!” The speaker was curious and thought if this ah gong was deaf. The person was shouting so loudly that even one who resided on the third floor could hear. When the speaker looked down, the person had indeed reached home. He was carried home in a body bag. They thought that this dead body could return home. They carried the body all the way back to where he lived. After the funeral proceedings, the body would still be cremated. If we think about all these unbelievers, at the end of their lives, if they do not put on the image of Christ, where then is their home?

We live in a society full of pressures. Even in church, our believers who because of seeking a better life and home, migrate. They keep working for their livelihood.

There is a family who constantly migrates all over the world to make a living for themselves. Each of the family members don’t see each other more than once annually. They only meet when someone among them passes away. Whenever they gather, they have sourness and misgiving in their hearts. Whatever they work for, they don’t necessarily receive content. In the end, they lose their faith in the midst of their hard work. This is very bitter.

The Lord Jesus describes the people of the end days as this. In Luke 21, Jesus warns us that people of this life will be weighed down by the cares of the world. This is in Luke 21:34;

‘“But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. ‘

Some may keep migrating to find a better life.
The speaker visits members (locals/overseas) and finds out the extent they work for the sake of their livelihood. Sometimes, it’s not that they don’t have but because they want to search for a better life. They put their entire lives into pursuing things of this life. When we studied the books of wisdom, did they not tell us that all the labour under the sun is in vain?

Perhaps we’re only believing in the Lord Jesus for the sake of a full stomach but we’re unable to change our minds that the Lord Jesus is the most important. We may fail to change our lives but we can also not receive life. At the end, we will lose this precious salvation.

Many people while striving in this world, suffer much in the midst of their struggles. At the end, sometimes it’s for nothing. Sometimes when the speaker visits members overseas, he realises that they have no time to keep the Sabbath. Why do they have no time to keep the Sabbath? They have 2 houses and are striving for the third. The only time for them to ballot for their house is on the Sabbath. They say that it’s very exciting to ballot for houses because there are also others trying to bid for the house. In the end, they lose their faith. Their perception of value is the house.

In Hebrews 11:16;

‘But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.’

When the author of Hebrews talked about the heroes of faith, what they set their hearts on was not on their earthly homes. Rather, they set their homes on their heavenly homes. If you do not come before the Lord, how are you going to receive Him? Every time we are ensnared by the things of this world, it is impossible for our spiritual self to put on this new man.

There are many types of labour — the labour of this world and the burden of sin. These things struggle within us. If you have all these burdens but are unwilling to come before God, how can we change? If we don’t take a step to effectively change, these things don’t change effectively. In this pandemic, what did we esteem? Do we see coming to church as something most important and precious? Of course, we also attend services at home but let us be careful of how our value system changes. The message of the world today is that the things of this world are very important. There are so many advertisements and so many images were bombarded with everyday. All these line us to what is more beautiful. We can spend so much time browsing and shopping for what to buy, but are we as diligent at looking at the Bible and reading what’s in it? Why do we choose one over the other? Because of our value system. We don’t esteem the Word of God. A person who is a new creation ought to have a change internally.

Another aspect of this change is a change in behaviour. In 2 Corinthians 5:17;

‘Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. ‘

How do we achieve this? In 2 Corinthians 3:18;

‘But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.’

In this passage, there are some translations of the Bible which tell us: if you mirror the glory of the Lord OR you face the mirror and see the glory of the Lord, you become the same image of the Lord to be full of glory. This also translates to be done by the Lord for He is that spirit. That is to say that we constantly have to look upon this Lord and draw near to Him. Slowly, we will become like Him. Not every Christian who after believing in God becomes so. Many of us may still be of the same image as Adam and are unable to be of the same image as Jesus. This cannot please God. God created men in His own image. In Romans, Paul tells us that we are men appointed to emulate the image of His son. Read Romans 8:29;

‘For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. ‘

“He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son”
In the future in God’s kingdom when we’re before the Lord, God wills that everyone of us be the same image as His first born. Only as a new creation, will we please God. We give glory to God according to how much we are like the Lord Jesus. If we’re not like Jesus at all, how are we to be His children?

In Philippians, Paul tells us of another concept. In Philippians 3:13-14;

813 ‘Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.’*

Paul forgot what was behind and pressed on what was ahead. He pressed towards the goal. In his spiritual life, he diligently pursued what was ahead. Paul says to imitate him as he imitated Christ. Paul devoted his life to emulating Christ. He encouraged the Ephesians to grow up to the measure of the stature of fullness of Christ. How do we achieve it? This is an external manifestation but is an internal change. To allow the life of Christ to live, when the image of Christ is fully formed within you, naturally you will have the external stature of Christ.

Today let us be Christians who never change; we do not resemble God one bit. We mention that we put on Christ. To put on Christ, we are meant to manifest His glorious manifestation. Why is it that we do not resemble this glorious manifestation? The Chinese have an apt saying: though he wears a dragon robe, he does not have the stature of a crown prince. This means that this person’s manifestation and behaviour doesn’t suit his name. When people look at us, they’ll say, “How do you even resemble Christ?”

How did the name ‘Christian’ come about?
In Acts 11:23 onwards starts to talk about Barnabas;

‘When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord. ‘

V26;

‘And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.’

The believers were first called Christians at Antioch. Why were they called Christians? If we look at the great manifestation of Barnabas and the other believers, their good manifestation caused people to see that they were like Jesus. What is precious is that the name ‘Christian’ didn’t come from their name but from their manifestation and behaviours. Today, when we believe in Christ, people also call us Jesus. When we walk outside, will others think of us as Christlike?

It’s good to declare your faith but it’s sad that when you do so and others don’t think so. If we do not put on the image of Christ, no matter in our homes, workplace or society, we’re unable to manifest the likeness of Christ. Then, we will be someone who is not truly a Christian. In this spiritual meeting, let us seriously consider ourselves. It’s the end of the year. We can reflect on the year that past. In the past year, have our spiritual lives (at home, workplace, society) become more Christlike? Have we changed? Of course, our changes may not be immediate. Paul says this: our body is wasting away daily but the inner man is renewed day by day. Paul is not emphasising that you’re changed immediately in the blink of an eye but the important thing is that when we’re willing to change daily bit by bit, there’ll be a change to our inner lives. Then we’ll be more and more like Jesus. We are losing our lives day by day and that’s something you can’t change. But there is nothing stopping us from improving our spiritual lives. Our spiritual lives can be renewed day by day.

Realise this: your behaviour and values can improve day by day.
Is it possible for our flesh? Some scientists want to invent a way for men to live forever. We have electrical waves and they want to invent a way for them to live on. Our flesh may be wasted away but the consciousness may live forever. But no matter how much they try, this will not give us life. If you live in the world of the electronic reign, that’s more pitiful because you can’t move. What kind of life is that?

When our spiritual life is improving on the daily, we will have the life of Christ within us. Christ will raise us up.

As a conclusion, the first and second part of the sermon talks about becoming a person who is thankful for the grace of God and not receiving God’s grace in vain. We need to be sincere and not self-deceiving. We need to have endurance in our faith and constantly bear fruit. In this sermon we talked about the change in our values.

Secondly, in our behaviour we need to emulate the Lord Jesus. Then, we will become a new creation to achieve what God hopes we achieve.