New Beginnings
As a new year begins it may for many be a time of new beginnings: new job, new school, new place to live, new adventures, new resolutions, new retirement.
Although we like to hold onto the ‘old’ at times, there can be joy in the ‘new’ – no more so than when a new life is born.
The Bible also speaks of new beginnings. Christ is the “beginning of God’s new creation” ( Revelation 3:14 NLT); it speaks of when the world will be “made new” ( Matthew 19:28, Revelation 21:5); and it speaks of ourselves having a new beginning, a time when we do away with our “old self” and take on a “new self”.
You can read about it in Romans chapter 6 which tells us about the true meaning of baptism – a burial in water – signifying that we die like Christ, are buried and rise again to a new life, our past mistakes forgiven.(verse 4)
What we used to be – our “old self” is gone and we start afresh, with sins forgiven. (verses 6 & 7).
God’s grace has set us free (verse 14). He has given us new life in His new creation.