What does the new life look like day to day?
The new life is a new direction more than an instant perfection: it is daily abiding in Christ, walking by the Spirit, feeding on the Word, praying, belonging to the church, and getting back up when we fall. It looks like a life that is being renewed, not a life that has already arrived.
This question arose from studying What does it mean to be born again? and What is the difference between being born again and being baptized?.
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Go into the Word
Not a summary of these passages: the passages themselves. Read them, then come back to the study below.
The study
What the Scripture says
A new direction, not instant perfection
Paul does not promise that a believer wakes up flawless. He says that in Christ you are a new creation: the old things have passed away, and in Christ they have truly become new, and are being renewed day by day. He who began a good work in you will carry it on, and even Paul himself said, 'Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect; but I press on.'
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new.
Don’t lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old man with his doings, and have put on the new man, who is being renewed in knowledge after the image of his Creator,
being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.
Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect; but I press on, if it is so that I may take hold of that for which also I was taken hold of by Christ Jesus.
The daily secret is abiding
Jesus gave the whole new life in one picture: remain in Him, and He in you, for He said, 'apart from me you can do nothing.' The branch does not strain to make fruit; it stays joined to the vine. So the daily walk is not grim effort but remaining in Christ and walking by His Spirit, even as the flesh pulls the other way.
Remain in me, and I in you. As the branch can’t bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you, unless you remain in me. I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me, and I in him, the same bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
“In this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit; and so you will be my disciples.
You didn’t choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatever you will ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you won’t fulfill the lust of the flesh.
For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, that you may not do the things that you desire.
It feeds on the Word and renews the mind
The new life is shaped from the inside. Paul tells us to set our minds on the things that are above, and to be transformed by the renewing of the mind. The word of Christ is meant to dwell in us richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom. What fills the mind day by day slowly becomes what fills the life.
If then you were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are on the earth.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your heart to the Lord.
Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God.
It keeps the practices that feed the flame
The new life is lived in ordinary, repeatable habits. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in everything. Do not neglect meeting together, but stir one another to love and good works. Seek first His kingdom, and present your body as a living sacrifice. These are not the fuel of salvation; they are the steady breathing of a life that already belongs to God.
Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you.
Let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good works, not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as you see the Day approaching.
But seek first God’s Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well.
Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service. Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God.
It is dressed in Christ's character, and it gets back up
Paul names the new clothes: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and, over them all, love. He puts away bitterness and slander, and he both receives and gives forgiveness: 'as Christ forgave you, so you also do.' And when a believer falls, the new life does not end: he who confesses is forgiven and cleansed. A righteous man falls seven times and rises again, and every morning God's mercies are new.
Put on therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, if any man has a complaint against any; even as Christ forgave you, so you also do. Above all these things, walk in love, which is the bond of perfection.
Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but such as is good for building up as the need may be, that it may give grace to those who hear.
Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, outcry, and slander, be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you.
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
for a righteous man falls seven times, and rises up again; but the wicked are overthrown by calamity.
It is because of Yahweh’s loving kindnesses that we are not consumed, because his compassion doesn’t fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
As you read, you may wonder…
Scripture raises the next question
Studying the Word naturally opens more of it. Follow what you just read: it leads somewhere.
Continue this trail
How do I know the Spirit's witness from my own feelings?→“The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God;”Does God use our failures for our good?→“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save many people alive.”Where does temptation come from?→“Let no man say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God,” for God can’t be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each one is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. Then the lust, when it has conceived, bears sin; and the sin, when it is full grown, produces death.”What is the new heart that God promised?→“I will also give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and you shall keep my ordinances, and do them.”What does it mean to be a child of God?→“But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become God’s children, to those who believe in his name:”What does it mean to be sealed with the Holy Spirit?→“in whom you also, having heard the word of the truth, the Good News of your salvation—in whom, having also believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is a pledge of our inheritance, to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of his glory.”Can God's grace really cover my worst sins?→“The saying is faithful and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.”How do I share my faith with others?→“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts; and always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, with humility and fear:”What is the difference between testing and temptation?→“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you fall into various temptations, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.”What is sanctification, and how does it happen?→“For this is the will of God: your sanctification, that you abstain from sexual immorality,”What is the difference between assurance and presumption?→“These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.”How do trials make us more like Christ?→“Not only this, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering works perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope: and hope doesn’t disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”Why should I keep enduring, if I can't lose my salvation?→“I give eternal life to them. They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.”Who can forgive sins?→“But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic—”What does the Bible mean by being 'holy'?→““Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘You shall be holy; for I, Yahweh your God, am holy.”What if I keep repeating the same sin?→“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”How does God actually change me?→“I will also give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.”How does being a child of God change how I live?→“See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! For this cause the world doesn’t know us, because it didn’t know him.”What role does prayer play in sharing the gospel?→“praying together for us also, that God may open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds; that I may reveal it as I ought to speak.”Hold onto these
Verses to meditate on
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new.
Remain in me, and I in you. As the branch can’t bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you, unless you remain in me. I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me, and I in him, the same bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
Put on therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, if any man has a complaint against any; even as Christ forgave you, so you also do. Above all these things, walk in love, which is the bond of perfection.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you won’t fulfill the lust of the flesh.
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