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Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

2 Corinthians 5:17, LSB

One may look at a lot of church-going people and wonder what is different. Sadly, we may often find ourselves going back to worldly ways and, for those who have been raised in the faith, some who go to church may know no difference. Before we start wagging our fingers or feeling like this is a guilt-driven message, pause and reflect. In Christ, we are a new creation. What does that mean? Christ forgives us and the only difference between the sinners of the world and church-going Christians is Christians are redeemed sinners. We still have the sin sickness born within us. This does not excuse us to sin and continue to live in sin, but when confronted we can repent and let the Holy Spirit make change in us. He will bring about those “new things” that Paul says have come. We are not meant to walk in guilt and shame, but to be transformed in the realization of our forgiveness. We are forgiven! What does that mean? We are not excused by the adage, “Well, I was just born that way!” So. God does not want us to continue living and looking like everyone else. He wants our witness to be in our lives. He desires our lives to cause others to see something that is missing in their own lives and make them seek to find out why that is. We still won’t get it perfect, but in our walk we are being perfected by our God and, in this, we may find His peace.

Let us pray. I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, your dear Son, that you have kept me this night from all harm and danger, and I ask you to protect me this day also from sin and every evil, that in all I do today, I may please you. For into your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all that is mine. Let your holy angel watch over me, that the wicked foe have no power over me. Amen.