1 Peter 2: 9-10 (NKJV) But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

The pastor mentioned last Sunday that there are benefits to being made new. If you are a believer—if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior—you have been made new.

Sometimes you have to look at the old things that have passed away to truly appreciate the new things that have come. Let’s look at what has passed away so we can better understand what it means to be made new.

1 Corinthians 6:9–11 (NKJV) — “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”

“And such were some of you.” That’s our story—some of us were those things. But something happened. There was a change. We were washed, sanctified, and justified.

We were washed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ, as the hymn says:

“What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.”

We were washed, sanctified—set apart for God’s use—and justified, declared righteous before God through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. That is salvation. That is what it means to be made new.

1 Peter 2:9–10 (NKJV) — “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.”

We must see ourselves as God sees us—chosen, royal, holy, and special. Once we were not His people, but now we are.

The benefits of being made new include deliverance from the penalty and power of sin.

Ephesians 1:7 (NKJV) — “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.”

Romans 6:6 (NKJV) — “Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.”

We have been redeemed, forgiven, and set free. We are no longer slaves to sin.

In the near future, we will be delivered even from the presence of sin. Oh, what a day of rejoicing that will be!

Ephesians 1:13–14 (NKJV) — “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.”

Hallelujah! We are sealed with the Holy Spirit—the guarantee of our redemption. God has given us this assurance that those who have the Spirit living in them will be redeemed.

John 10:27–28 (NKJV) — “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.”

Salvation guarantees eternal life with Jesus. That eternal life begins now for everyone who has been made new.

Galatians 3:26 (NKJV) — “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”

Romans 8:16–17 (NKJV) — “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.”

We are sons and daughters of God, heirs of His kingdom, and joint-heirs with Christ. Salvation brings us into the family of God and grants us access to every spiritual blessing.

Ephesians 1:3 (NKJV) — “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.”

Every blessing we need has already been provided in heaven. As we delight ourselves in the Lord and abide in Him, those blessings become manifest in our lives.

Colossians 3:8–10 (NKJV) — “But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him.”

Even though we have been made new, the old nature still tries to rise up. We must keep the old man off and put on the new man daily. Let the new creation be seen at all times.

God has also equipped us with spiritual armor to stand against the enemy. We can read about that in Ephesians 6.

As believers, we have great benefits in being made new. We are chosen, royal, holy, and special in God’s sight. He has done everything necessary for us to live as the people He has called us to be.

May we be conscientious in living the life God has called us to live, knowing that we will one day give an account for what we have done in the body. Let us walk as new creations, showing the world the love and light of Christ.

Father, we thank You for Your Word. Thank You for making us new through the blood of Jesus Christ.

Help us to walk as new creations—chosen, holy, and set apart for Your purpose. Let Your Spirit empower us to live righteously and to keep the old man off. May our lives reflect Your love and glory, and may others see in us the joy of being made new.

We thank You and praise You, O God, for all that You have done and all that You continue to do in us. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.