What is it about NEW you don’t understand?

Luke 23:33–43  33 And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.  34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” And they divided His garments and cast lots.

35 And the people stood looking on.  But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God.”  36 The soldiers also mocked Him, coming and offering Him sour wine, 37 and saying, “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself.”

38 And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

39 Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him (blasphemeo – speak in a disrespectful way that demeans, denigrates, slanders His Name and reputation), saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.”  

There is a powerful clue here!  The enemy, speaking through the rulers, the soldiers, and even this criminal, is focusing his attack on the most important target in spiritual warfare—GOD IDENTITY!  Satan cannot defeat you as long as you know WHO YOU ARE and WHOSE YOU ARE!  If you allow him to bring doubt and distraction concerning your IDENTITY, he then leads you to sin by trying to PROVE your IDENTITY with powerless works of the flesh.  You move from BEING who God says you are (the RIGHTEOUSNESS of God in Christ Jesus) to DOING unrighteous acts outside of Christ which are sinful, since they distract you and cause you to “miss the mark” of DOING God’s righteous will.

40 But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?  41 And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.”  42 Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”  

43 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” (NKJV)

Luke recorded what has become a well-known story, but what actually happened that day?  There were three men sentenced to death.  Jesus was innocent, but there is nothing in Luke’s Gospel that would indicate anything other than the two criminals were guilty of serious crimes.  Yet, why would Jesus declare that one would be with Him in paradise and not the other?  Do you think one was less of a sinner, so Jesus gave him a free pass?  The Bible is clear, there are NO SINNERS in Heaven and NO SINNERS who are and ever will be part of the congregation of the righteous or will inherit the Kingdom of God (Psa.1:5, 1Cor.6:9-10, 1Cor.15:50, Gal.5:19-21, Eph.5:5).  Then, perhaps Jesus arbitrarily chose one over the other?  The Bible is clear that God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34), so He could not just pick one at random.

Yet, something amazing happened inside the heart of one sinner that changed him and qualified him to forever be with Jesus.  FAITH CAME!  He believed in Jesus and called Him Kurios—LORD.  In an instant, this man died to his old Adamic life and nature and received a NEW life and a NEW IDENTITY in Christ!

Christ is the END of DOING and the BEGINNING of BEING—NEW!

Romans 10:1–13  1 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.  2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.  3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.  4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.   

5 For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, “The man who does those things shall live by them” (or die for not doing them).  6 But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down from above) 7 or “‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).  8 But what does it say?  “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved (sozo).  10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.  

11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”  12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him.  13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved (sozo).” (NKJV)

In Christ—You’re a NEW Creation!

2 Corinthians 5:17–21  17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a NEW creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become NEW.  18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.  21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (NKJV)

“I make all things NEW!”

Revelation 21:5–8  5 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

6 And He said to me, “It is done!  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts.  7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.  8 But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” (NKJV)

Your NEW LIFE Begins with being BORN AGAIN!

John 3:1–7  1 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.  2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”  

3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”  4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old?  Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”  

5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.  6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ (NKJV)