9.5 Your new man is created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness

Yesterday, we said that when Christ resurrected, we were also resurrected into newness of life. The new life that we have is now wrapped up in Christ. The Bible says that your new man is created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

(Eph 4:24)
…and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

This is truly astounding because under the Old Covenant of law, no one truly attained to righteousness and holiness. Not a single person kept the demands of the law perfectly. When the law gave its verdict, all had fallen short of the glory of God.

But what man failed to attain to, Christ has given it as a free gift under the New Covenant. He purchased it for us on the cross. And by receiving Jesus, our old man has died with Him and we have been resurrected into newness of life. This is truly by the grace of God.

The truth is so amazing that Christians still find it hard to truly believe what has happened on the cross. Many Christians still see themselves as poor old sinners – as the old man before the cross. That is why Eph 4:24 says that we should put on the new man – to be conscious of the reality. God wants us to live in the reality of our new identity in Christ, and Christ is us. This is the promise of the New Covenant.