30th March 2025

‘Out with the old, in with the new’ is a phrase most commonly associated with the changeover to a new year. It means leaving old ideas, past problems, and outmoded behaviours behind and starting afresh. Inevitably, of course, our feeble attempts at change fall flat on their face and we have to abandon our hoped for self-transformation.

This is nothing like Paul is talking about in this week’s header scripture. Paul’s declaration in chapter 5 of his second letter to the Corinthians goes way beyond a mere calendar change. He’s talking about a whole new world – a new creation. And get this – he is talking as though it has already happened. For Christians, the new creation has come: the old is gone, the new is here! How exciting is that?!

This new world has a new king and the king has ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20). As followers of Christ, we are those ambassadors, his representatives sent with a message to the world (vv.18-19). What is the message? ‘We implore you on Christ’s behalf: be reconciled to God.’ (v. 20).

Paul concludes the passage by sharing the whole gospel in a nutshell: ‘For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.’ (2 Corinthians 5:21 NLT). We who are in Christ have been made new, made right with God – a statement that is incredible, but true. Let us be inspired by Paul’s visionary writing to take what we have, and pass it on. As Christ’s representatives, let us take Paul’s gospel message to a dying world, so that all those who are perishing can be made new too.

Local congregation:
Grace Communion International Central Glasgow 
Garnethill Room
Conference Suite
St Andrews West
260 Bath Street
Glasgow
G2 4JP

Meeting time:
Sunday 11:15 am

Local congregational contact:   
Peter Mill
Email: edinburgh@gracecom.church

Word of Life contact:
wordoflife@gracecom.church