Text Acts 17:28 "For in him we live, and move ,and have our being; as certain of your poets have said, For we are also his offspring".
2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new".
2 Corinthians 13:11 "Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace be with you".
PREMISE
The Pulpit Commentary page 135 on 2 Cor.5:17 "The believer has died with Christ. Christ is his Substitute, has born his sins, has made complete satisfaction for his guilt. By faith he is so united to Christ that what Christ has done is imparted to him. He is thus new in relation to God. He was condemned; now he is justified, The believer partakes of the life of Christ. He is "risen with Christ"(Col.3:1).he has received the Spirit of Christ. having been justified, he is now being sanctified. The likeness of the Redeemer is being wrought upon and in him by the Holy Ghost. There is thus a "new creation". The old life was a life of sin, but the new life to which he has risen is a life of righteousness. The love of Christ constrains him, to live, not to himself, but to Christ".
In the believer's spirit; speech; character; acts; plans, purposes, desires, ect. " All things are become new". There is no part of the believer's life from which the newness should be absent. Whilst not yet perfect, manifestly a great change has taken place:"old things are passed away"
God wants His people, His creation to be distinctly and completely a work of His
An Imperative-- Is something that cannot be avoided, it expresses a command of a essential unavoidable nature.
To Be-- To have reality, exist or live. Being-- A state or condition of fully realized potentialities (possibilities of becoming). Becoming-- A coming into existence, a change from one state to another.
EXPOSITION
Point 1: God wants His people, His creation to be distinctly and completely a work of His or not a work of His from a spiritual standpoint, not a mixture.---- Rev.3:15-16 “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. (vs16) So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.”
Point 2: Three Issues in 2 Cor. 5:17 To Be What I Am Becoming:
A. Regeneration-- Eze.36:26-27 “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. (vs27) And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.”
B. Spiritual Renewal Through Transformation--- Romans 12:1-2 “I Beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. (vs2) And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
C. The New Man--- Eph.4:22-27 “That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; (vs23) And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;(vs24) And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.(vs25) Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man the truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another. (vs26) Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: (vs27) Neither give place to the devil.”
Point 3: Therefore I Must Be What I am Becoming By Being:
1. Holy-- 1 Peter 1:15-16 “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; (vs16) Because it is written,(Lev.11:44) Be ye holy; for I am holy.”
2.Perfect(spiritually mature)--- St. Matt. 5:48 “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”
3.Clean---- Isa. 52:11 “Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord.”
4. Separate--- 2 Cor.6:17-18 “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, (vs18) And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”
5.Sober--- 1 Peter 5:8-10 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: (vs9) Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.(vs10) But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.”
6. Filled--- Eph. 5:18-21 “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; (vs19) Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; (vs20) Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; (vs21) Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.”
7. Steadfast---1 Cor. 15:58 “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”
8. Humble---1 Peter5:6-7 “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: (vs7) Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”