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

In Christ…

• You have redemption through His blood 

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,” (Eph. 1:7 ESV)

• You have been brought to fullness 

“For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.” (Col. 2:9-10 NIV)

• You are His righteousness

“God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Cor. 5:21)

• You are blessed with every spiritual blessing 

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.” (Eph. 1:3-6 ESV)

• You are seated in heavenly places

“And raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” (Eph. 2:6 ESV)

• You are created for good works 

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Eph. 2:10 ESV)

 Therefore…

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Rom. 8:1 ESV)

 Quote:

“Outside of Christ, I am weak; Inside of Christ I am strong.” -  Watchman Nee

“Show proper respect to everyone.” (1 Peter 2:17 NIV)

Respect: esteem for or a sense of the worth or excellence of a person, a personal quality or ability, or something considered as a manifestation of a personal quality or ability. 

Give respect to whom respect is owed 

“Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.” (Rom. 13:7 ESV)

Give respect to those who labor among you 

“We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.” (1 Thess. 5:12-13 ESV)

Let a wife respect her husband 

“However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

Show respect while defending your faith

“But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3:15 ESV) 

Therefore…

“Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?” (Heb. 12:9 ESV)

Quotes:

“Treat everyone with kindness and respect, even those who are rude to you – not because they are nice, but because you are.” - Anonymous

“A child who is allowed to be disrespectful to his parents will not have true respect for anyone.” Billy Graham

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Cor. 4:18 NIV)

Jesus is the image of the invisible God 

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities — all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (Col. 1:15-17 ESV)

Jesus explains Him

“No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.” (John 1;18)

God’s invisible attributes are clearly perceived 

“For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools.” (Rom. 1:20-22)

Faith is the conviction of things not seen

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Heb. 11:1)

 We wrestle invisible forces 

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Eph. 6:12 ESV)

Therefore…

“Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Tim. 1:17)

Quote:

“Faith is like radar that sees through the fog — the reality of things at a distance that the human eye cannot see.” - Corrie Ten Boom

“Then the Lord said to me, “A conspiracy has been found among the men of Judah and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem.” (Jer. 11:9)

Conspiracy: An agreement to perform together an illegal, wrongful, or subversive act. 

A conspiracy is a negative covenant

“For they have conspired together with one mind; Against You they make a covenant.” (Psalm 83:5)

Conspiracies devour lives

“There is a conspiracy of her prophets in her midst like a roaring lion tearing the prey. They have devoured lives; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows in the midst of her.” (Eze. 22:25)

Religious leaders conspired against Jesus 

“But the Pharisees went out and conspired against Him, as to how they might destroy Him.” (Matt. 12:14 ESV)

“Then the chief priests and the elders of the people were gathered together in the court of the high priest, named Caiaphas; and they plotted together to seize Jesus by stealth and kill Him.” (Matt. 26:3-4)

The Jews conspired against Paul

“When it was day, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul.” (Acts 23:12)

They conspired against God’s people

“They make shrewd plans against Your people, And conspire together against Your treasured ones.” (Psalm 83:3)

“All of them conspired together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause a disturbance in it.” (Neh. 4:8 ESV)

Do not fear or dread

“You are not to say, ‘It is a conspiracy!’ In regard to all that this people call a conspiracy, And you are not to fear what they fear or be in dread of it.” (Isa. 18:12)

Therefore…

“Hide me from the secret counsel of evildoers, From the tumult of those who do iniquity.” (Psalm 64:2)

“You hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the conspiracies of man; You keep them secretly in a shelter from the strife of tongues.” (Psalm 31:20)

“The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the Lord tests hearts.” (Prov. 17:3 ESV)

 Be happy when tested

 “My brothers and sisters, be very happy when you are tested in different ways. You know that such testing of your faith produces endurance. Endure until your testing is over. Then you will be mature and complete, and you won’t need anything.” (James 1:2-4 GW)

 Endure and be blessed 

“Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” (James 1:12)

Therefore…

“These little troubles are getting us ready for an eternal glory that will make all of our troubles seem like nothing.” (2 Cor. 4:17 CEV)

“So that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:7 ESV)

 Quotes:

“God has a purpose for trials and testings.” - Warren Wiersbe

“As I look back over fifty years of ministry, I recall innumerable tests, trials and times of crushing pain. But through it all, the Lord has proven faithful, loving, and totally true to all his promises.” - David Wilkerson

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Eph. 6:12 ESV) 

God fights for you

“… ‘for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.’” (Deut. 20:4)

God equips you with strength for the battle

“For you equipped me with strength for the battle; you made those who rise against me sink under me.” (Psalm 18:39 ESV)

Fight the good fight of faith

“Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” (1 Tim. 6:12)

Therefore…

“Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch forth Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, And Your right hand will save me.” (Psalm 138:7)

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.” (2 Cor. 10:3-4)

 Quote: 

“Fight the good fight of faith, and God will give you spiritual mercies.” - George Whitefield

“The merciful man does himself good, But the cruel man does himself harm.” (Prov. 11:17 NASB)

God desires mercy

“Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Matt. 9:13 ESV)

Mercy triumphs over judgement 

“Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” (James 2:12-13 NIV)

Therefore…

“Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.” (Luke 6:36 ESV)

“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Eph. 4:31-32 ESV)

“Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Amen)” (Eph. 5:1-2 NIV)

Quote:

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” – Jesus (Matt. 5:7)

“The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously.” (Psalm 37:21 NIV)

God loves a cheerful giver

“Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Cor. 9:7 NIV)

Give and it will be given to you 

“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Luke 6:38 NIV)

“A generous person will prosper;
whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” (Prov. 11:25 NIV)

Do not withhold good when it is in your power to act

“Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.” (Prov. 3:27 NIV)

Therefore…

“Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops.” (Prov. 3:9 ESV)

“You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” (2 Cor. 9:11 NIV)

“For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.” (2 Cor. 8:12 NIV)

“But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.” (1 Cor. 29:14 NIV)

Quote:

“In all of my years of service to my Lord, I have discovered a truth that has never failed and has never been compromised. That truth is that it is beyond the realm of possibilities that one has the ability to out give God. Even if I give the whole of my worth to Him, He will find a way to give back to me much more than I gave.” - Charles Spurgeon

“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.” (Matt. 5:13 ESV)

Impurities can cause flavor loss 

“Jesus taught His followers to be careful not to lose the flavor of their Creator. Most of the salt used in Israel came from the Dead Sea, which contained impurities. Impurities can cause flavor loss. Right before this verse, in the conclusion of the Beatitudes, Jesus proclaimed blessings over those who are persecuted, not only for living in sake of righteousness but for living for Him. He described His followers, and believers today, as salt and light, clearly called to influence, improve and make the world a better place.” (The Moody Bible Commentary).

Don’t lose your saltiness 

“Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored?” (Luke 14:34 ESV)

“For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.” (Mark 9:49-50 ESV)

Therefore…

“Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” (Col. 4:6 NIV)

Quotes:

“We should not ask, ‘What is wrong with the world?’ for that diagnosis has already been given. Rather we should ask, “What has happened to salt and light?” – John Stott 

“Salt is a preservative and is tasty. The Christian’s conversation is to be wholesome and helpful.” - NIV Study Bible Notes