Things in Life
In 2 Corinthians 5:17, Paul reminded his Christian friends that: “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” We use the word “thing” to describe all kinds of things from the tangible to the spiritual.
We refer to possessions as things, when we say: “The children packed their things and left for school.” New Christians have possessions they never had before. Those things include: a relationship with God, eternal life, forgiveness, and the gifts and fruit of the Holy Spirit.
We refer to the future, when we say: “He has great things to look forward to.” New Christians have a wonderful future ahead of them. The old future, which looked very bleak indeed, is replaced by a new future full of joy, pleasure, comfort, satisfaction, bliss, and more, to a degree we have only dreamed of.
We refer to the general state of affairs or prevailing conditions when we ask: “How are things with you?” New Christians have a new orientation which allows them to see things in a whole new way and affects how they perceive things - their general state of affairs.
We refer to the equipment needed for an activity or a special purpose, when we say: “Where are my gardening things?” God equips new Christians with everything they need to live for Him in this life and enjoy Him in eternity. Things like the work of the Holy Spirit, an appreciation of God’s word, the enjoyment and benefit of the company of other Christians come to mind.
We refer to a thought, a notion, or an utterance, when we say: “What a rotten thing to say!” New Christians often find themselves with a new vocabulary. Some are delivered from harsh, negative, and vulgar words, but all have new things to talk about. The tone and topics of conversations feel the impact of their becoming a new creature in Christ.
We refer to an end or objective when we say: “In playing sports, the thing is to win.” While you might disagree with that statement, feeling that “the thing is to enjoy yourself,” you still identify the goal or objective of playing sports as a thing. New Christians have new goals. In this life, their goal shifts from pleasing themselves to pleasing the Lord. The things they once lived for are replaced by a new thing that they had never even considered before.
We refer to an activity which is uniquely suitable and satisfying to one, when we say: “His thing is collecting model trains.” New Christians find a huge difference in what satisfies them. Many of the old things they once pursued lose their appeal. They increasingly find that intimacy in their relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ is the one thing they return to over and over. It is the one truly meaningful and satisfying thing in life.
So we can say with great conviction, when it comes to the things in life, there’s a world of difference between the things of the old life outside of Christ and those which become part of our new life in Him.
Ron Hughes
© September 2008
