Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. -2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV

We are new in Christ. Brand new.

When I was younger, we were able to go to a local tire store and buy ‘recap’ or re-treaded tires. New rubber treads were molded to old, worn casings. While the tires may have looked like new, they certainly were far from that. Often, especially on big trucks that logged a lot of highway mileage, the tread would fly off of the casing and be found littering the roadway. If the driver was lucky, they would not lose control of their vehicle and would simply put on another bargain-priced tire.

What would cause the destruction of the tire? Something new was molded onto an old, corrupted casing. The ‘inner man’ (casing) was corrupted from age and abuse and would collapse under the pressure and heat of the road.

Such it is with people. We labor in a fallen world under the burden of our sin. The longer down the road we travel, the more corrupt we become as we suffer the wear and tear of our separation from God. Often, we look for things to make us look good and feel good (temporarily). So we ‘put a new tread’ over our tired, worn-out lives. Perhaps the covering is a romantic relationship, job, a new car or place to live. Maybe it is gambling, drugs or alcohol. Whatever it is, if not from God, it is no more than a self-destructive covering on an old and worn casing that is bound to come off and reveal the corrupt and worn part that is our very being. More than that, the damage may be severe and permanent.

So what can we do? The answer is Jesus. He is the one who can renew our very being! Have you been reborn by the Holy Spirit? It’s as simple as asking the One who died for you to come into your life as your Savior. We cannot come to Christ on our own. It’s not a matter of being a ‘good guy’ or being a righteous Church member. Our righteousness is as “filthy rags” to God (Is. 64:6). We need Jesus. We need what He has to offer us: SALVATION. LOVE. A PLACE IN HIS FAMILY.