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 the
new 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 impulse
to rush away and attempt life or service upon an old creation
basis, or with old creation resource. The great question then is: What
does it mean that all things in this new creation are out from
God? What kind of a life will such a life be? To answer that
question adequately would be a very comprehensive task and the
most revolutionary thing conceivable.
To begin with, we should have to
be settled regarding the difference between the old and
the new creations, and then as to how far-reaching that
difference is. In addition, we should need to see that God has
put these two creations asunder, utterly and forever, and however
gracious and forbearing He may be with us in our ignorance and
slowness of apprehension, He never accepts the overlapping or
intertwining of the two. Then there would be the further need of
an inward, intelligent judgment and power by which we are made
aware of the Divine veto upon the one and energy toward the
other....
It is not what is done for God that will last, but what is
done by God. The measure of spiritual value is determined by the measure in
which God promotes it, not the measure of human activities
according to human judgments and energies in the name of God.