2CO 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

EPH 2:10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

RO 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.

In this the first Sunday of the year 2003, we need to remember that the apostle Paul declared that when we are in Christ, we have become new. This is because we are created by Christ to be new, to be able to do good works. So while our physical bodies continue to decay, our hearts should grow newer each day. This is one of the ways a Christian can live eternity while he is still on earth, so much so that we can still follow the LORD diligently even while we are old.

A person becomes new because his status had undergone a radical change. This status came from Christ Jesus. In the eyes of God, there are only 2 types of people: those who are in Christ, or those who are in Adam. As Christians, our task is primarily focused on bringing people from Adam to Christ, not simply to bring them into the church from the outside. This came about because we have this new status that others do not.

But how do we get this new status? Jesus gave the answer only to one person, the religious leader Nicodemus. He was near perfection, a model of piety, with faith and a high social status, respected by all. But Christ told him to be born again in order for him to see the kingdom of God. But the Israelites had looked forward to the coming of a triumphant kingdom for centuries, so the answer of Christ was strange to them. What they did not realise was that the kingdom of God does not come via earnest prayers, but by a repentant heart, which was why the first proclamation of the kingdom of God in the New Testament by John the Baptist demanded repentance as the first requirement for one to see the kingdom.

The Bible says that we are born of God (1 John 5:18), born of the Spirit (John 3:8), born of the Word of God (James 1:18), born of the gospel (1 Cor 4:15). Such an important message was preached to the best among the Israelites, which means that no one is ever good enough for God. The irony was that the person who understood the gospel first was the robber who was crucified with Christ. So while the first person Jesus spoke to about this great mystery was a highly educated and righteous person, the first person who truly understood was the greatest sinner. The sinner could be made righteous, more so than that righteous religious leader simply because in Christ, he is a new creation.

Once a person becomes saved, he would have a completely new view of the world and his own life. Dr Tong related how he first came to believe in the LORD at 6.15 pm, January 7th 1957. He was walking from the train station back home, and suddenly saw the tall war memorial at Surabaya. In the midst of the beauty of nature, he suddenly realised that Christ died for him, although he had heard the message dozens of time before. Suddenly, he felt that he is now a new person, the old Stephen Tong had passed away, and he suddenly felt that everyone walking on the street were walking straight towards destruction and hell. So he challenged the audience to ask themselves if they have been made new through Christ. If so, the next question is if we have a new vision?

Romans 12:2 tells us that we can have a new vision. Plato's philosophy of man stops at the stage where man is able to use his reason to direct his will, which in turn will direct his desires. But Plato cannot provide a breakthrough beyond that status. The Bible on the other hand, asks if we know who directs our reason. The answer is that the Holy Spirit is able to transform us as we reform our thoughts. We need be continually renewed all the time, and keep on transforming ourselves for the LORD. Once we allow God to enlighten us, we will always be new.

Many Christians behave in the same manner as non-Christians because while their status have been made new by Christ, their visions and thoughts are still old. They are still stuck in the past, wrong concepts and traditions, not able to breakout. The apostle Paul said that we can have a breakthrough through the renewal of our mind, and we should.

Jesus Christ proclaimed Himself to be the Way, the Truth and the Life. Our life needs the truth, and we need to find a way to the truth so that the truth can fill our life. When the truth fills our life, we will certainly change. Jesus Christ is all three things, way, truth and life. He also actively seeks us out, enabling us to change. We need to ask ourselves if we have received this truth, that feeds us and enables us to see a new purpose and a new vision.

Other than having a new vision, we need to find the new focal point in the will of God. When we are able to do that, we will be not afraid of difficulties and trials. Many Christians lead the same type of life day in day out, going around in circles, praying the same old prayers all the time, always praying for his own benefits. But Jesus Christ said that all we need will be added (not simply given, but added) to us if we seek first God's kingdom and His righteousness. So selfish prayers indicate that the person praying have no idea what God wants from us. We need to look beyond our little church and our own limitations, to see that God's Word and Way are so wide and deep. We need to ask that the LORD open up our vision and be able to understand the focal point of God's will.

Adding to understanding God's will, we need to ask for courage. All power is in the hands of God, and we are to seek His face and power. Dr Tong said that the church today has become a gathering of cowards. In the Bible, the prophets rebuked the kings boldly, John the Baptist stood up to King Herod, Jesus Christ challenged the religious leaders. Many people refer to Romans 13:1 to say that we need to submit to authorities because all authorities come from God. Dr Tong said that this also means that we need to remove authorities that are not of God, and are cruel and sinful. Dr Sun Yat San founded China based on that Christian principle. Boldness is seldom preached on, as everyone assumes that Christians should be meek and weak. But Dr Tong said that we should boldly do great things for the LORD. He used his own example in life to show that the only thing that he is ever concerned with is if the work is from God's will. When he is certain, he would labour with all his might boldly, and has done so for the past 46 years. In the recent 4 city musical concert tour of the Indonesian Oratorio Society led by Dr Tong, the expenses for the 92 participants came up to 100 million rupiah. Dr Tong said that he did not know if they will have enough money, but was clear that the LORD had impressed upon him to improve church music by leading the group around Asia. He was so sure that he was even prepared to sell his car and house to finance the ministry.

Another example he cited would be the Hebrews and Romans expository preaching series. When every one around him fears that his health would not permit him to finish the task, he insisted that the LORD wills this and carried on. Recent medical tests indicate that his major indicators are all normal, except for Gamma GT. So he is determined to finish the books and sessions the LORD started.

Dr Tong added another item to having a new courage: having a new image. We are to ask that the LORD help us to manifest the image of Christ more and more, and that of ourselves less and less. "Its no longer I that lived, but Christ that lives in me" ( Galatians 2:20) should be our guiding light for the new year. We are to imitate Christ so well that His righteousness, His holiness, His justice, His goodness and kindness, His compassion are all manifested through our life; so that people will see Christ in us.

The last item Dr Tong added for us in the new year is a new determination to strive harder. We should put everything into real action, working diligently and paying a new price for the new responsibilities. People often complain that it is difficult to keep up with Dr Tong in his ministry, as he moves so fast. But Dr Tong said that he has been dragged along by the Holy Spirit, who moves even faster. The difference is that he seldom grumble, and almost never complained (this I testify to be true). So we need to do the same, and work diligently for the LORD.

The session ended with Dr Tong encouraging all to set a new status, a new vision, a new focal point, a new boldness, a new image and a new striving.

Disclaimer: This summary does NOT represent the official position of STEMI (Stephen Tong Evangelistic Ministry International), and is the personal opinion of the author, expressed without prejudice. Expressed opinions are meant for academic discussions only.