Behold the New Has Come | Baptism & The New Creation

The Christian life begins with a funeral—but it doesn’t end there.

When Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “The old has passed away; behold, the new has come,” he is proclaiming the miracle of resurrection life. The Gospel is not only about death to sin—it is about new life in Christ. And that new life is not private. It is public. It is visible. It is transformative.

In this final article of our series, we turn our eyes to the second half of this powerful verse: “Behold, the new has come.” Here we explore the spiritual realities of the new birth, the life that flows from it, and the ongoing significance of baptism as a testimony of resurrection life.


I. “Behold”: See What God Has Done
Paul does not say this casually. He commands attention: “Behold!” This is the language of astonishment, of unveiling. The Christian life is not merely a private belief system—it is a visible miracle.

In the original Greek, the verb is in the aorist tense. It declares a completed act with ongoing results. The new has come—and continues to come. The moment you are united to Christ, your new life begins, and its fruit continues to unfold.

John MacArthur explains:

“The Christian life is not about self-improvement—it’s about divine transformation. We are literally new people, with new desires, new direction, and new power to live in holiness.”¹

This is why baptism is such a serious, joyful act. It testifies to a real change. It is not a mere symbol of private faith—it is a public confession of a new creation.


II. The Power of the New Birth
Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:3:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

The Gospel is not about improving your natural life. It’s about receiving a supernatural one. Theologians call this regeneration—the sovereign act of God where the Holy Spirit gives spiritual life to a spiritually dead sinner.

Paul speaks to this in Titus 3:5:

“He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.”

William Perkins said:

“In regeneration, the heart of stone is turned into a heart of flesh. Not by moral persuasion alone, but by the almighty power of God, changing the nature itself.”²

This new life is the life of Christ in us. It produces repentance, love for God, hunger for His Word, and the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23). And it compels us to declare: I have been made new.


III. Baptism: The Public Declaration of New Life
If regeneration is the spiritual reality, baptism is the visible testimony. As we saw in Romans 6:4:

“Just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”

Baptism is not only about what we turn from—it is about what we are raised into.

Matthew Henry notes:

“Baptism is not only a symbol of cleansing, but of resurrection. It is a profession of death unto sin and a rising again unto righteousness.”³

The one who comes out of the water is not saying, “I’ve arrived.” He is saying, “God has made me new—and I now walk in that newness.”

This is why baptism is not optional. It is obedience. It is your public statement of allegiance to Jesus Christ. It’s where your walk in the light begins visibly before others.


IV. What the “New” Life Looks Like
To be a new creation is not just a positional truth—it changes how we live.

1. New Desires
   • We now desire holiness, purity, and fellowship with Christ. 1 Peter 2:2 says, “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk.” The new birth produces new hunger.
2. New Direction
   • Our path changes. Colossians 3:1–2 says, “Seek the things that are above… Set your minds on things above.” We walk in obedience, not as a burden, but as a joy.
3. New Allegiance
   • We live no longer for ourselves, but for Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:15: “He died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him…”
4. New Power
   • The Spirit now indwells us, helping us overcome sin and empowering us to live in righteousness (Romans 8:11–13). We don’t strive in our own strength—we walk by the Spirit.
5. New Community
   • We belong to the Church—the body of Christ. The new life is not lived in isolation but in fellowship with other believers.
   • Martyn Lloyd-Jones writes: “To be a Christian is not simply to believe certain truths—it is to be part of a new humanity. A new race born from above, destined for glory, and already walking in it.”⁴

V. Perseverance in the New Life
The new life does not mean an easy life. Baptism does not eliminate temptation. It marks the beginning of the fight.

Paul says in Philippians 3:12–14 that he presses on toward the upward call. The Christian life is a daily walk of obedience, sanctification, and dependence on grace.

Perkins rightly reminds us:

“Sanctification follows regeneration as the day follows the sunrise. It is not perfect in this life, but it is real. The new man grows stronger, even as the old man withers.”⁵

So we must not mistake the new life for sinlessness—but we must never deny that it is a changed life. Baptism marks the beginning of a life of repentance and faith, joy and trial, victory and growth.


VI. Remembering Your Baptism
If you’ve been baptized, remember what it proclaimed:

• You are in Christ.
• The old has died.
• The new has come.

Romans 6:11 says:

“So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.”

Remember what God has done in you. Walk in it.


VII. An Invitation to the Unbaptized
If you are in Christ, but have not yet been baptized, Scripture is clear: baptism is not a graduation—it is the starting line.

It is not something we “get around to.” It is a step of obedience, not a suggestion.

Peter preached in Acts 10:48:

“And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.”

Commanded. Not recommended.

It is the God-ordained way to publicly say: I belong to Christ.

Let me be pastoral: Delaying baptism often leads to spiritual complacency. Don’t postpone obedience. Don’t silence the very sermon God has called you to preach through your own life.


VIII. Final Thoughts: The Glory of New Creation
Paul’s language—“new creation”—is intentionally cosmic. It recalls Genesis and anticipates Revelation. The new creation that begins in us now is a preview of the new heavens and new earth that are coming.

2 Corinthians 4:6 says:

“For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts…”

We are the beginning of God’s cosmic restoration project. Every Christian is a testimony that the Creator is making all things new—starting with us.

Baptism is the shout: “The new has come!”

Let’s not reduce it to ritual. Let’s not silence its voice. Let’s rejoice in it!


Footnotes

1. John MacArthur, The Believer’s Life in Christ, Grace to You.
2. William Perkins, The Works of William Perkins, Vol. 2 (Reformation Heritage Books, 2014), p. 94.
3. Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible, Romans 6.
4. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Studies in the Sermon on the Mount (Eerdmans, 1971), p. 292.
5. William Perkins, Treatise on the Order of Causes, in Works, Vol. 4, p. 259.