Becoming a New Creation

When dealing with the mindset remember the thought that someone, some group or something provided/took/was given an opportunity to gain a mindspace and mindshare within us. All that I see, that I read, that I listen to, that has been placed in my mind is taking a mindspace and mindshare - producing a mindset. All that I was raised in or touched by - good & bad - had an affect on my mindset.

If it is not so good or maybe even bad - only Jesus can help my mindset.

Again looking at the Pilgrim in Pilgrim's Progress. The burden is sin. It is also everything that is wrapped up in our lives. In the third chapter of Pilgrim's Progress you will read the following words....

CHRISTIAN’S BURDEN ROLLED AWAY

Christian ran till he came to a hill; upon it stood a cross, and a little below was a tomb.

So I saw in my dream, that just as Christian came up to the cross, his burden loosed from off his shoulders, and fell from off his back, and began to tumble, and so continued to do till it came to the mouth of the tomb, where it fell in, and I saw it no more. Then said Christian with a happy heart, “He hath given me rest by His sorrow, and life by His death.” Then he stood still awhile to look and wonder; for it was very surprising to him that the sight of the cross should thus ease him of his burden. He looked, therefore, and looked again, even till the springs that were in his head sent the water down his cheeks.

Now, as he stood looking and weeping, behold, three Shining Ones came to him, and saluted him, with “Peace be to thee.” So the first said to him, “Thy sins be forgiven thee”; the second stripped him of his rags, and clothed him with a change of garments; the third also set a mark on his forehead, and gave him a roll with a seal upon it, which he bade him look on as he ran, and that he should give it in at the heavenly gate; so they went their way. Then Christian gave three leaps for joy, and went on, singing:

“Thus far did I come laden with my sin;
Nor could aught ease the grief that I was in,
Till I came hither; what a place it this!
Must here be the beginning of my bliss?

Must here the burden fall from off my back?
Must here the strings that bound it to me crack?
Blest cross! blest sepulchre! blest rather be
The Man that was there put to shame for me!”


WOW!
Does that describe what happens to us or what?

Jesus rolls the burden down the hill and into the open grave - for us to never see it again.

We can't run after it and take it back. Personally I don't want it anymore. I need to let it go.

The Bible says....
2 Corinthians 5:17-21

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.20 We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.(NIV)

This Easter - that is the power of our message and our lives -
"I am a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"

"Are we living as a new creation?" is the question that all of us live with now.

"Jesus, today I ask for an abundance of your Grace to help me understand how free I really am. Only you can help me. In your name I ask it. Amen."