We are new creation in Christ

If we do not fully understand our identity and position in Christ, there is likely to believe that there is little distinction between ourselves and non-believers.

Paul describes who we were before we come to Christ in Ephesians 2:1-3 “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others”.

and as a born-again child of God what we are

2 Peter 1:4 the Bible says “by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust”.

Roman 8:9 “But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His”.

Ephesian 5:8 also says “You were formerly darkness but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light” 

Also 2 Corinthian 5:16-17 says “Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new”.

We are new creation after receiving salvation by grace but the flesh pattern are still present. These flesh patterns / learned habit patterns of thoughts and previous conditioned responses prompt us to focus us on our interests. But it is to be noted that we are not in flesh, as our old self was but we are now in Christ. Please note that we can still chose to live according to flesh (Roman 8:12-13). Paul did not identified believers based on their flesh patter or learned habit patterns.

We may struggle with some of those flesh pattern but that is not who we are.  New Testament explains who we were before being saved. At salvation our old self which was motivated to live independent of God and therefore characterized by sin, died (Roman 6:6) and new self-united with Christ came into life. 

Because our spirit /soul is in union with Christ by His grace and we are identified with Him: ---- 

1.In His death – Roman 6:3, Galatians 2:20

2.In His burial ---Roman 6:4

3.In His resurrection--- Roman 6:5,8,11

4.In His ascension---Ephesians 2:6

5.In His life     --Roman 5:10-11

6.In His power –Ephesian 1:19-20

7.In His inheritance ---Romans 8:16-17, Ephes.1-11-12

Your old self has to die in order to sever your relationship with sin, which dominated it. Being a saint or child of God doesn’t mean that you are sinless 1 John 1:8. But your old self has been crucified and buried with Christ, you no longer have to sin 1John 2:1.

We sin because we chose to believe the lie or act independently of God.

May God bless you