A New Creation
Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:11-21
We were driving west on Interstate 40 through a desert area of New Mexico when I noticed a ramshackle building along the south side of the highway. At one time, it was a filling station/motel/restaurant/gift shop. Now, it is run-down, abandoned, and a dwelling place for mice and snakes. At some time in the past, that building was a part of someone’s dreams. Years ago it was brand new, the shelves were stocked with goodies, the paint was fresh, and the owners were excited about the future. Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, those dreams all died.
It could have been the construction of the Interstate that did it in. Maybe it ruined the traffic flow in and out and that kept customers away. It wasn’t a convenient stop anymore. Or it may have been a change in consumer habits that did it. Possibly ownership changed and the new management wasn’t up to the task. No matter the reason, the fact of the matter is what is left standing is a deteriorating building that serves no useful purpose anymore.
It is a good metaphor for humanity. Man still retains the basic structure or shape he was given at creation. We still have that stamp of God on us, the imago Dei. Nevertheless, we are not what we were meant to be. Sin brought about the spiritual and moral demise of everyone. The difference between what we were meant to be and what we are is vast. And what is left standing is tragic and sad.
There is also a difference between that old building and humanity. That building is never going to be rebuilt. It is beyond hope. It will continue to rot until it falls into a heap or a bulldozer quickens the work of its eventual end. People, on the other hand, can be restored. No matter how far they have fallen, they can be restored and renewed. They can be made new through Jesus Christ. That is what Paul is saying in 2 Corinthians 5. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away, behold the new has come.
Jesus is the Master of renovation.