Hello ,

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” — 2 Corinthians 5:17

In 1922, a young archaeologist named Howard Carter made one of the most famous discoveries in modern history. After years of searching in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings, Carter finally uncovered the tomb of Tutankhamun. When a small hole was opened in the sealed doorway, Carter was asked what he could see inside. His famous reply was simple: “Wonderful things.”

What changed that moment was not the objects themselves — they had been sitting there for thousands of years. What changed was that someone finally opened the door.

Something similar happens when a person begins a real relationship with Jesus Christ.

For many people, faith begins as information. We learn about God. We hear sermons. We read Scripture. But when Christ truly enters a person’s life, something deeper happens. It is not merely learning new ideas — it is the opening of a door inside the heart.

And once that door opens, change begins.

The apostle Paul describes this transformation clearly in 2 Corinthians 5:17: anyone who is in Christ becomes a new creation. Notice what he does not say. He does not say that a person becomes slightly improved or morally adjusted. Scripture describes something much more profound — a new life taking root.

That change does not usually happen overnight. Just as a seed slowly pushes through soil before becoming a tree, the character of Christ grows within a person over time. Old habits begin to lose their grip. New desires begin to form. The things that once defined us no longer carry the same authority.

A relationship with Christ reshapes the way we think, the way we speak, and the way we treat other people.

Where pride once ruled, humility begins to grow.
 

Where bitterness once lived, forgiveness begins to appear.
 

Where anxiety once dominated, trust slowly takes its place.

This transformation is not something we manufacture through willpower. It is the natural result of walking with Christ. When a person spends time in His presence — through prayer, Scripture, and daily surrender — His character begins to shape their life.

Just as opening a sealed tomb revealed “wonderful things,” opening the heart to Christ reveals something even greater: a new life that reflects the character of the One who created us.

Faith is not merely believing something about Jesus.

It is allowing Him to change us.

Have a great day and God bless!

Pastor Mike / The Open Word