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We see in II Pet. 3: 13 reference to a new heaven and a new earth. In John 13: 34
our Lord said, "a new commandment I give unto you that ye love one another: as I have
loved you, that ye also love one another". See also I John 2: 8.
The apostle Paul, writing to the Corinthians, declares that God "hath made us able
ministers of the new testament (covenant)" (II Cor. 3: 6). He also writes about our being
reconciled to God by Jesus Christ and about the ministry of reconciliation. He states that
if we are in Christ, we are a new creation (A.V. creature); all things are become new:
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has
come!" (II Cor. 5: 17).
See also Gal. 6: 15.
To conclude, we have two further references in Ephesians:
"For He Himself is our peace, Who has made the two one and has destroyed the
barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in His flesh the law with its
commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in Himself one new man out
of the two, thus making peace" (Eph. 2: 14, 15, N.I.V.).
The first reference is in the `doctrinal' section of Ephesians, but the second is in the
`practical' section. It reads:
"You were taught ... to put off your old self ... to be made new (A.V. be renewed) in
the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self (A.V. the new man), created to be
like God in true righteousness and holiness" (Eph. 4: 22-24, N.I.V.).
Space does not permit us to enlarge on this important theme and we refer our readers
to Letters From Prison by Stuart Allen, pages 49-52 (the new man), and page 94 (put on
the new man).