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being born again, dark night of the soul, darkness, eyes of the heart, God's love, joy, new creation, pain, the new self, the old self, the promised land, true faith
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Cor 5:17 ESV)
Have you ever realized that the new creation we are to be can only be found IN Him? I read that passage and others which speak about being IN Him over and over, but I felt there was still something missing regarding my interpretation of these Scriptures so that I could write about it more clearly. Although I have been feeling Christ IN me since 2008 without interruption – and sometimes before too – those periods of having been IN Him were always transient in nature. However, I hoped and believed that one day my life would be changed into a “24/7 experience” of being IN Him as well. Or in other words, what I am speaking of here is entering into His rest, entering the promised land, that means, being able to see the kingdom of God everywhere, having our spiritual senses that belong to our new heart completely opened. Being IN Christ is a condition where our perception of God and the world is completely changed. We perceive everything around us in a new light that can be both seen inside of us and outside of us in every created thing. To put it briefly, we are enabled to see God wherever we might be and whatever we might look at.
Matthew Henry writes in his Commentary about 2 Corinthians 5,
Verses 16-21 The renewed man acts upon new principles, by new rules, with new ends, and in new company. The believer is created anew; his heart is not merely set right, but a new heart is given him. He is the workmanship of God, created in Christ Jesus unto good works. Though the same as a man, he is changed in his character and conduct. These words must and do mean more than an outward reformation. The man who formerly saw no beauty in the Saviour that he should desire him, now loves him above all things. […]
Before God takes us into that blissful condition of beholding His beauty, there must happen something before. We read in 2 Cor 5:17 that “the old has passed away”. The Pulpit Commentary describes the “Old things; literally, the ancient things,” as “all that belongs to the old Adam.”
It is not a mere moment of dying to our fallen nature (i.e., old self), it is a process as I know from my own experience. And it is the same with the dawning of the new creation. Step by step, the old man looses his grip on that being which we used to call ME and the new man who has been born from above comes to light, more and more every day. The new creation is not an improved old self, it is a completely new self with divine features – only. The new man is not selfish, he loves everyone unconditionally and he is always patient and kind, not because it ought to be so, no – the new creation is in its very essence love, just as God is love.
Yesterday while biking in the afternoon, I had an astonishing experience. Having been a perfectionist all my life, I always had great difficulties when I made a mistake, blaming myself for it, over and over again. Although I realized how crazy that habit was – because all human beings make mistakes – I could not get free from feeling that way. Sitting on my bike, watching the gray sky and some people passing by, listening to the birds that were already twittering as if it was springtime, I suddenly began to grin. Indeed, I realized that I had made a mistake, that is, I had intentionally passed a danger sign on the biking trail that said, “High Water”. Of course, I only dared to do so because I knew that the high water had already been gone two days ago. Others might say, “Wherein lies the mistake if there is no high water? Someone forgot to remove the sign!” And that is true, for sure. But you don’t live in Germany where almost all things are forbidden and even if a sign makes no sense, you ought to “obey”. 😉 By the way, we have so many bad – and sometimes contradicting – traffic signs in Germany that many people decide to ignore them, but they have a bad conscience after doing so.
Well, where was that bad conscience to which I had been used to yesterday? At first I thought I felt it a bit as a little girl who had been watching me asked her mother why it was forbidden to pass there. But lo and behold, I suddenly sensed that the pain of self-reproach had been removed from my heart. The only thing I could think at that moment was, “Law is over, you live under grace.”
I began to smile as I felt that the old self of which I had thought it was ME began to say “Good Bye, Susanne.” Actually, it was not the only situation since yesterday where I felt the Lord has been drawing me gradually out of myself into Himself. Despite feeling dying pains of self, still, I also feel His love as pure as I never felt it before. I also wonder why I suddenly have faith where before was none. Why I suddenly can trust Him like a little child, even in areas of life where I recently had to realize that I had no faith and where I had been leery of God – I don’t know. Meanwhile the Lord also helped me to accept any pain that recently had still made me run away from Him.
Dear reader, it seems to me that God does miracles in the midst of pain and suffering, without us realizing it as long as all we perceive is darkness. But when He begins to lift the veil, we begin to see with those new eyes He gave us.
“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” (1 Cor 2:9 KJV)
Michael said:
Great Blog article, Susanne. These two verses came to mind as I read it….
Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
(John 8:35-36 NIV)
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
(Galatians 5:1 NIV)
We are Father’s sons and daughters if we are IN Christ and as we abide in HIM we are free of the yoke of the law.
The whole law is summed up in “Love God with your whole heart and love your neighbor as yourself,” If what we are doing does not violate love, we are free in our actions.
God bless you, my dear sister!
Michael
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Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
Thanks so much for the encouragement, my dear brother, and for your confirmation of my experience. The Scriptures nail it, too! 🙂
May God bless you, too, immensely!!!
Love,
Susanne
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kenneth dawson said:
yes I like the way you put it–its a prosses and we learn it by our daily experiences
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Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
Amen, Kenneth, well said. Glad you commented on here again! 🙂
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Herbert Orr said:
I know now how busy you are. I am overwhelmed with e-mails. So, I am content to just comment on your messages.
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jacqui said:
I saw your link and followed it Michael …. I remember reading this some time back…. I shall have to go back and refresh myself. I wanted also to thank you for your prayers they mean a lot to me. This writing of mine at the moment has took a whole new turn completely. Each section and writing by the Holy Spirit and as one layer is laid down then fresh light comes to other things trapped…. only this morning I’ve had new flash backs but this time I know the LORD is bringing me just enough to cope with and His strength is amazing at this time. I’m glad you are being blessed by it …. strangely enough so am I! I say this because it is like I’ve been a stranger to myself forever. Bless you Michael and thank you! x
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Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
Just praying for you that the Lord keeps you in His loving grip while you have to deal with the results of those flashbacks. Not easy, I know, dear Jacqui. ❤
Love,
Susanne XXX
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jacqui said:
No …. but now I know it really did happen … something I have had a hard time coming to grips with. I know because Jesus was the one who showed me and He is the Way, the Truth and the Life …. what better hands am I in? …. Bless you Susanne isn’t God good providing all these friends here online! xx
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Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
Amen, He is the best “provider”. So thankful that you are here (online), my sister! 🙂
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Michael said:
Dear Jacqui,
You wrote that you have been a stranger to yourself forever. I relate. I was rejected at one year old by my father and went on to be the “odd duck” among all my peers as I grew up. I really identified with your story about your school years and the bullies. We moved about every two years and in each new school and neighborhood there was a new set of bullies who picked on me. I was the original “90 pound weakling” and an only child for many years and that made me an easy target for them. As a result I grew up hating myself for all the rejection I seemed to attract. It was like I had a sign that was always before my eyes that said, “You Are Not Supposed to Be Here!”
I identify with what you are experiencing while you write out your story. I had the same thing happen. For some reason writing helps organize our scrambled thoughts and fractured memories about the past so that they take on some coherent form that we can see and present to God and ask Him to heal us. Writing my own story (in that link I sent) and piece by piece on my blog has been a catharsis for me as it has been for you as you do the same. One time God showed me that He was opening me up one petal (healing) at a time like a rose so that He could finally pollinate me to bring forth new life In His Son and writing has been part of that unwrapping.
You continue to be in my heart and prayers, dear sister.
Michael
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Pat Orr said:
Susanne, thank you for the messages. I am challenged at times to know what is the old man, and what is the new man. So, I want to know the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit so well that I will know the new man and encourage him. I also want to recognize the old man and participate in killing him. I want the Lord to find pleasure in the new man. Is it scriptural to also enjoy the new man in ourselves, and also the new man in others. I am refreshed by the new man. Love in Him, Pat Orr
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Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
Oh Pat, I am sooooo very glad to see you back on here with one of your wise and thoughtful comments!!! 🙂
Yes, indeed, it is anything but easy to discern what is the new man and the old man. What I found out lately was that I observed the new man is the one who is doing (automatically) what is right and without thinking about it, he loves everyone. The old man instead lives more in his head than in his heart and thinks he MUST love which NEVER works when we are confronted with unlovable people.
We may enjoy the new man through loving God and others and ourselves with a God given love (Rom 5:5) that somehow makes all those “loves” flow together into ONE LOVE.
As for killing the old man, meanwhile I have seen it is easier than I thought before. Whenever I find myself not being able to love someone, I know it’s the old man and I surrender my will to God, asking Him to give me that love which I do not have yet. And He does that. Not always immediately and thus I keep on knocking until He eventually hears me. But I can tell you, my dear sister,
“HE HEARS US – ALWAYS!” 🙂
Love you in Him ❤
Susanne
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Pat Orr said:
Susanne, your reply to my reply is very helpful. Thank you.
Love in Him, Pat Orr
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Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
Thanks for letting me know, Pat. Am encouraged! 🙂
Love in Him
Susanne
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