The year 2016 has now passed and we have stepped into a new year, 2017. Many have made New Year’s resolutions, several of which might actually make it to April 1^st. Surely it is fitting that we make some Biblical “new” year’s resolutions to direct us into the future.

Let Us Resolve To Study Our New Testament. We live under the New Testament (Covenant) today.  Matthew 26:28, “For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” The reference to the New Testament is to the New Covenant which God had promised in the Old Testament He would establish. See Jeremiah 31:31-34. This indicates a change of His law. This New Testament is sealed by the precious blood of Christ. Since such a great sacrifice was made to bring about the New Covenant which we live under, and since it will be the standard of our Judgment (Romans 2:16) we should desire to be diligent students of the New Testament.

Let Us Remember As Christians We Are New Creatures. Upon our obedience to the Gospel we are new creatures. 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” When a person Hears the message of the New Testament (The Gospel), Believes that message, Repents of sin, Confesses the name of Jesus Christ, and is Baptized into Christ, that person is a new creature. See also Romans 6:3-6. That is, a new creature in Christ has been born again (John 3:3, 5), forgiven of sin (Ephesians 1:7), is focused on spiritual things (Colossians 3:1), and seeks to live right in this life (Titus 2:11-12). We are new in Christ; the old sinful self has been put to death (Romans 6:6), in Christ we are new people!

Let Us Look For The New Heavens And New Earth. 2 Peter 3:12-13, “Looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God, by reason of which the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” (ASV)  Learning the Plan of Salvation from the New Testament, obeying it, and living according to it, the faithful Christian can look forward to, the time when he or she will enter into the new heavens and new earth; that’s heaven my friend. “Peter speaks of the new heavens and new earth only in the sense of a new habitation for the saved, one prepared by the Lord and wherein dwells righteousness. It is a place new in quality, one that has never before been used by men. He does not intend that we think of this old sin-scarred earth with its millions of sinful memories, but tells of a special place that is new and fresh in quality, specially made and prepared by the Lord.” (Bob Winton, Commentary on 2 Peter)

As we begin this New Year, let us seek the “new”. “If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” Ephesians 4:21-24

-Jerry Sturgill