Happy New Year!!! I am sure for you will hear those advertisements saying "New Year, New You," which talks about a fresh start in 2014. Many people long for a fresh start in the new year whether it is losing weight, doing something new, or kicking a bad habit.
Many Christians have even adopted the "New Year, New You" mentality because God's mercies are new every morning (see Lamentations 3:22-23), which is true. Some Christians will say this is the year to read the Bible, witness to the lost, or even give the church, which is something they should have been doing along since the Holy Spirit is regenerating their hearts if they are a true believer in Christ. Yes, this is a new year but for Christians it is not a new you.
Your "New You" came when you trusted Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." For those in Christ, everything has become new including yourself. You have been given a new nature to follow God and love what He loves. Paul told us we are to put off our old self and put on our new self which is "created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness" (Ephesians 4:24).
Your "New You" started at the moment of conversion. Paul writes, "(God) saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life" (Titus 3:5-7). This does not happen every new year, it happened when you put your faith and trust in Jesus.
I know you may have goals for the new year and there is nothing wrong with that. I have goals for the new year, but my "New You" already happened. Christian, rejoice because you are a new creation in Christ and you are being conformed to the likeness of Jesus everyday.
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