When we respond to Jesus and accept him as Lord, we are changed into a new creation. Read 2 Corinthians 5:17. "Kainē ktisis" (καινη κτίσις) for "new creation," where "kainos" means something entirely new or fresh, not just improved. "Ktisis" refers to the act of creation or the created thing. When we think about becoming a Christian, we don’t think in terms of getting an upgrade from how we were previously. Being a Christian is not being a better version of yourself before you were a Christian. The Apostle Paul was emphasizing a profound transformation and a new identity in Christ, not merely a moral upgrade. The verse, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation," signifies a new beginning, where the old way of living has passed away and all things have become new. The mystery of this transformation is only possible by the power of the Holy Spirit. We have a new goal: to do God’s will. We have a new attitude: the attitude of Jesus. We have a new relationship because we have been reconciled with the Creator of the world. We are not just changing, we are being transformed. When a caterpillar is done eating leaves, it creates a cocoon. Inside the cocoon, the caterpillar transforms into something new. When it emerges from the cocoon, it is a butterfly. This metamorphosis is what is happening to us.

Holy God, transform me into the likeness of Jesus, my Lord and Savior. Through the mystery of the Holy Spirit living in me, make me a new creation. Amen.