Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Cor. 5:17)

THERE’S NOTHING LIKE BRAND NEW. The smell, the feel, and the look of being brand new is like none other. Whether it’s a new car, some clothing, or the latest gadget, being new is exciting. Being old is just the opposite. The car is undependable, the clothes are out of style, the gadget is obsolete. New is near perfect; old is flawed.

We have all come to appreciate and find great value in the new, so we understand the significance of Christ’s making us brand new. His Word tells us that if we are in Christ we are indeed a new creation. Think about that. Your flaws can be removed, your blemishes wiped clean, and bad choices can be forgiven and forgotten through our Savior Jesus Christ. We all have something that holds us back—a wound, habit, or problem that haunts us. It could be a label we’ve been given, an addiction, or a bad attitude. These things have flawed us and have left us feeling beaten up and at times scared. Scripture teaches us that we don’t have to hold on to those hurts, habits, or problems. We can let them go. We are a new creation and can put off the old self that we once were.

Before Christ we were a mess, but now Christ has taken our mess and renewed us. We no longer have to let our past tie us down. We are reconciled to God, and He sees us as a beautiful creation. It’s about time we see ourselves in the same light.

Let go of your old life and see the beautiful creation you are in Christ Jesus.

Scott Simmons is the author of the youth discipleship series iFollow (Wesleyan Publishing House) and the youth ministry movement director for The Wesleyan Church.