Revelation 21:1 speaks about “a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away.” Recent posts looked at the path from the created earth to this new earth. This new earth, the site of New Jerusalem, combined with the new heaven, is a new creation.
We eagerly await to this new creation but should realize that it is already present spiritually. “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17). This new creation is the result of the death and resurrection of Christ (5:14-15). We do not make ourselves new, but by faith God has put us into Christ. In Him we partake of the accomplishments of His death and resurrection.
In Christ, our old man has been crucified (Rom. 6:6) and our spirit has been regenerated in resurrection (1 Peter 1:3). This makes us a new creation inwardly, even though we still need much renewing throughout our Christian life, as presented in Romans 12:2, 2 Corinthians 4:16, Ephesians 4:23, and Titus 3:5.
The new creation in the center of our being and our daily renewing are a foretaste of the full new creation with New Jerusalem. First the Lord wants to make us new in every way. Then He will carry out His promise “Behold, I make all things new” (Rev. 21:5).
On one hand, we expect the new creation and New Jerusalem revealed in Revelation 21 to be a very big change. On the other hand, we need to realize that the new creation and New Jerusalem is already present in a limited way in everyone who believes in Jesus Christ. We can pray, Lord, thank You for the renewing of the Holy Spirit in me; grant me more cooperation!
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New Jerusalem - the Consummation 
Fred B Northrup
/ December 13, 2017Thank you Lord for your renewing! Grant me more cooperation!
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Don
/ December 13, 2017Yes, Lord, grant us cooperation with You.
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