Jesus Makes Things New

"Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful."

Revelation 21:5

Since we live under the constraints of time on earth, new things can only be temporarily so.  Once we receive or use a thing, it is no longer new.  The moment a "new" car is driven off the lot, it becomes "pre-owned" and typically loses thousands of dollars of value.  The smell of a new car dissipates over time, and what is new always grows old.  A new thing may become old to us before very long when it does not meet our expectations.  A new job can quickly become monotonous and dull.  A new haircut or hair colour may never look as good as it did on the first day.

Jesus says to us in Revelation 21:5 that He makes all things new.  Hebrews 10:20 tells us Jesus Christ has made a new and living way for us to approach God in relationship by what He accomplished through His atoning death on Calvary, and we can boldly draw near to Him with a clean conscience by faith in Jesus.  Our thoughts of heaven and present spiritual realities can be difficult to grasp because our perspective can be hampered by our experience on earth where things quickly grow old.  We cannot imagine something that is new that remains new.  Our excitement ought never wane over the new heavens and new earth God will fashion, the new and living way God has made for us to approach Him in holiness by faith, and concerning what 2 Corinthians 5:17 says truly:  "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."  Because we are new creations by faith in Jesus, the "same old same old" is miraculously new without ever growing old.

Just yesterday I considered the passage in Ephesians 2:14-17:  "For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, ¹⁵ having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, ¹⁶ and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. ¹⁷ And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near."  Jesus came to seek and save the lost, Jews and Gentiles alike, creating in Himself one new man from the two--joining us together as one in the Body of Christ the church.  We might see the church as an ancient institution, but the reality is the church is as new as His mercies which are new every morning (Lamentations 3:23).  The new body of believers and the new heart He has given us by His grace is a delight and not a drudgery.

This newness of life for the Christian was foreshadowed in God's promise to His people in Ezekiel 36:26-27:  "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. ²⁷ I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them."  Because we live in a body of flesh influenced by all sorts of things that are not God, it is possible for what God makes new to feel old.  This can happen when we look for satisfaction in experiences, accomplishments or acquiring things when it is found in God alone.  The remarkable thing is when we realise everything under the sun is meaningless, it draws us to God to discover the satisfaction, purpose and rest in our LORD Jesus.  Once what is passing away is put in the proper place and perspective as God's gracious gift, and we discover gratitude and joy before God in even little things.  Our God who makes us and all things new by the Gospel sanctifies a whole new way of life that is fulfilling, satisfying and delightful in His presence.