BEGINNING

Paul now turns his attention from the vastness of all creation to the church which is His body. Starting with And he is’, the apostle points out that the One of whom he speaks in verses 15-17 is the same One who is the subject of verse 18.

Our attention today is upon the One who is the ‘beginning’. As He was the source, energy, and originator of the first creation so He is the source, energy, and originator of the new creation in Christ Jesus, 2 Cor. 5.17.

The first creation was ruined by sin. As a result of Adam’s sin, the creation groans, sin reigns, death persists, and man is under the condemnation of God. Paul’s solemn declaration sounds the death knell, ‘in Adam all die’, 1 Cor. 15. 22.

The law was given to make sin exceedingly sinful, causing us to realize we needed to look away from ourselves to the One who died in our place. But, alas, the Jewish religion, together with all religions today, seeks to find righteousness by the law based on man’s own efforts.

When the Lord Jesus was here, a Pharisee came to Him by night to ask questions concerning His teaching. The Lord told him he had to be born again, that he needed a new beginning. This new beginning would be in looking away to One who would be lifted up, just as the serpent had been in the wilderness. God loved the world so much that He gave His Son to the death of the cross and those that believe on Him would be saved from the just punishment due on account of their sins.

This One would be the beginning, the originator; the source of a new race of people no longer in Adam but now in Christ Jesus. All in Christ would have eternal life - the life of the Son. All in Christ would be translated from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of His Son and would receive the forgiveness of sins.

Thus, all He is to the first creation He is to the new creation. But there is a real distinction between these two creations. The second one cannot fail for it is secured by the Spirit of God Himself. One day this new creation will be manifested to all creation to the glory of the riches of His grace, Eph. 2. 7.