Ecclesiastes 1:9 "The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun."
New Year's Day brings thoughts of new beginnings and new things happening, but God's word tells us that there is nothing new under the sun. As the summer and winter, heat and cold, rain and drought remain the same, so does the philosophical and historical. One has said that to neglect the lessons of history is to be doomed to repeat the same mistakes. Another has said that the only thing men learn from history is that men never learn anything from history. Let's look at some things that are not going to be new this New Year.
Sin will not be new. It will still be wrong and will still separate from God. Sin separates the lost eternally. Romans 5:12 "wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned". Matthew 25:41 "Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels". Sin separates the saved from fellowship. Isaiah 59:2 "But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear". Imagine the sun shining on your face, warm and comforting. Now imagine a cloud moving in and blocking the sun's rays. Did the sun move or stop shining? No, it was simply something in between the sun and you. Sin is the same way for the child of God. Our Lord never moves and never wants that separation, but we allow the sin to come in between us and God. Psalm 66:18 "if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me". We are not to have respect for sin or enjoy what we know to be wrong. Our prayers can be hindered because of our sin.
Society will not be new this new year. It will still be against God and us, if we live for God. First John 2:15-16 tells us to "love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world". The lust and pride of this world is not of God, but is glorified by society. Jesus warns that "if the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you" (John 15:18).
Sinners will not be new. They will still be condemned and will still need Jesus. John 3:18 tells us that "he that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God". We are all born sinners and born condemned because of our sin nature, inherited from our first parents, Adam and Eve. Belief in Jesus Christ, and his payment for our sin on the cross is the only thing that can remove the condemnation. Romans 8:1 "there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus". Jesus told a man named Nicodemus that in order to see the kingdom of God, he must be born again. After questioning Jesus how these things can be, Jesus gave him the ultimate answer: John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life".
The Saints of God will not be new. We will still have the responsibility to present our bodies a living sacrifice. Romans 12:1 states that to offer ourselves as a living sacrifice is our reasonable service, holy and acceptable unto the Lord. All other things in life will fall into place if we keep that as our goal this new year. We are to strive to be accepted of the Lord and not of man.
Satan will not be new this year. He will still be our enemy and will still seek to devour us. First Peter 5:8 tells us to "be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour". He never gets full or satisfied. The only thing he does after someone gets saved is to change tactics. Before salvation his only goal is to prevent someone from coming to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. After someone gets saved his only goal is to stop them from serving their Lord. He never gives up, gives in, or gives out.
Our Saviour will not be new. He will still be drawing men to Himself and will still be able to save them. John 3:14 "and as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the son of man be lifted up". John 12:32-33 "and I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This he said, signifying what death he should die." Jesus promised that if He died on the cross to pay for our sins, then He would draw all men unto Himself for salvation. Not everyone will respond to the drawing of the Lord, but God doesn't quit offering salvation freely to all through Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us that "the Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9).
Salvation will not be new. It will still be free to 'whosoever will' and it will still be by the blood of the Lamb. There will be no new gospel or new road to heaven other than that which has been provided through Jesus Christ. Romans 6:23 "for the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord". The Bible promises that "whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13).
There are many things that are not going to be new this New Year because there is nothing new under the sun. But it could be a New Year for you if you accept something that is not under the sun. If you are not saved, the Bible says you can be a new creature in Christ. Second 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". If you are saved, this can be a New Year by surrendering totally to the Holy Spirit and living for God like never before.
Don't just make a resolution, get resolved to serve the Saviour!
New Year's Day brings thoughts of new beginnings and new things happening, but God's word tells us that there is nothing new under the sun. As the summer and winter, heat and cold, rain and drought remain the same, so does the philosophical and historical. One has said that to neglect the lessons of history is to be doomed to repeat the same mistakes. Another has said that the only thing men learn from history is that men never learn anything from history. Let's look at some things that are not going to be new this New Year.
Sin will not be new. It will still be wrong and will still separate from God. Sin separates the lost eternally. Romans 5:12 "wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned". Matthew 25:41 "Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels". Sin separates the saved from fellowship. Isaiah 59:2 "But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear". Imagine the sun shining on your face, warm and comforting. Now imagine a cloud moving in and blocking the sun's rays. Did the sun move or stop shining? No, it was simply something in between the sun and you. Sin is the same way for the child of God. Our Lord never moves and never wants that separation, but we allow the sin to come in between us and God. Psalm 66:18 "if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me". We are not to have respect for sin or enjoy what we know to be wrong. Our prayers can be hindered because of our sin.
Society will not be new this new year. It will still be against God and us, if we live for God. First John 2:15-16 tells us to "love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world". The lust and pride of this world is not of God, but is glorified by society. Jesus warns that "if the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you" (John 15:18).
Sinners will not be new. They will still be condemned and will still need Jesus. John 3:18 tells us that "he that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God". We are all born sinners and born condemned because of our sin nature, inherited from our first parents, Adam and Eve. Belief in Jesus Christ, and his payment for our sin on the cross is the only thing that can remove the condemnation. Romans 8:1 "there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus". Jesus told a man named Nicodemus that in order to see the kingdom of God, he must be born again. After questioning Jesus how these things can be, Jesus gave him the ultimate answer: John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life".
The Saints of God will not be new. We will still have the responsibility to present our bodies a living sacrifice. Romans 12:1 states that to offer ourselves as a living sacrifice is our reasonable service, holy and acceptable unto the Lord. All other things in life will fall into place if we keep that as our goal this new year. We are to strive to be accepted of the Lord and not of man.
Satan will not be new this year. He will still be our enemy and will still seek to devour us. First Peter 5:8 tells us to "be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour". He never gets full or satisfied. The only thing he does after someone gets saved is to change tactics. Before salvation his only goal is to prevent someone from coming to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. After someone gets saved his only goal is to stop them from serving their Lord. He never gives up, gives in, or gives out.
Our Saviour will not be new. He will still be drawing men to Himself and will still be able to save them. John 3:14 "and as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the son of man be lifted up". John 12:32-33 "and I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This he said, signifying what death he should die." Jesus promised that if He died on the cross to pay for our sins, then He would draw all men unto Himself for salvation. Not everyone will respond to the drawing of the Lord, but God doesn't quit offering salvation freely to all through Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us that "the Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9).
Salvation will not be new. It will still be free to 'whosoever will' and it will still be by the blood of the Lamb. There will be no new gospel or new road to heaven other than that which has been provided through Jesus Christ. Romans 6:23 "for the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord". The Bible promises that "whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13).
There are many things that are not going to be new this New Year because there is nothing new under the sun. But it could be a New Year for you if you accept something that is not under the sun. If you are not saved, the Bible says you can be a new creature in Christ. Second 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". If you are saved, this can be a New Year by surrendering totally to the Holy Spirit and living for God like never before.
Don't just make a resolution, get resolved to serve the Saviour!
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