The “New Creature”
The believer in Jesus, being created anew, has the likeness of God stamped upon him. In nature the child resembles the parent. There is no feature of the countenance of God the Father but is to be found in the feeblest child of grace. (2 Pet. 1:4.)
According to the new man, we crave the knowledge of God’s truth for the sake of obedience; but the flesh desires knowledge for the vain-glorious talk of the lips that tendeth to penury. (Prov. 14:23.)
As a vessel takes its shape from the mould, so should our will be formed in the mould of the will of God: then shall we have everything our own way. (John 15:7.)
Christ had no will but the will of His Father, and in His delight to do that will we see His perfect holiness: for what is holiness but “Thy will be done”?
As the weakness of the old man lies in its vain conceit of its strength; so the strength of the new man lies in its true sense of perfect weakness.
God is no respecter of persons; but He will honour them that honour Him, whereas they that despise Him shall be lightly esteemed. (1 Sam. 2:30.) He honours us for His own grace in us, and corrects us for our evil ways.