◄ A New Creation ►

If any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new. But all things are of God. (2 Corinthians 5:17,18 ASV)

The all-inclusive rule of thenew creation is that "all things are of (out from)God." Concerning this fact the Apostle Paul uses the word"but" "But all things are of God"as though he would anticipate, intercept, or arrest an impulseto rush away and attempt life or service upon an old creationbasis, or with old creation resource. The great question then is: Whatdoes it mean that all things in this new creation are out fromGod? What kind of a life will such a life be? To answer thatquestion adequately would be a very comprehensive task and themost revolutionary thing conceivable.

To begin with, we should have tobe settled regarding the difference between the old andthe new creations, and then as to how far-reaching thatdifference is. In addition, we should need to see that God hasput these two creations asunder, utterly and forever, and howevergracious and forbearing He may be with us in our ignorance andslowness of apprehension, He never accepts the overlapping orintertwining of the two. Then there would be the further need ofan inward, intelligent judgment and power by which we are madeaware of the Divine veto upon the one and energy toward theother....

It is not what is done for God that will last, but what isdone by God. The measure of spiritual value is determined by the measure inwhich God promotes it, not the measure of human activitiesaccording to human judgments and energies in the name of God.