And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. (Revelation 21:1)

As a new year begins, men and women customarily turn over a “new leaf” and make “new resolutions” for improving their behavior. For the Christian, however, the new year—indeed a whole new life—begins when he or she accepts Christ. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

He receives from Christ a “new commandment . . . that ye love one another” (John 13:34). He has come to “Jesus the mediator of the new covenant” (Hebrews 12:24), and, in a sense, he lives in a whole new world.

The ultimate new year is yet to come, however, when Christ returns—perhaps this year, perhaps today! He will surely keep His promise, and “we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness” (2 Peter 3:13). Peter looked for this world to come, and so do we, but John—translated in time by the Holy Spirit—actually saw the new heaven and new earth, and so shall we someday! In fact, as Isaiah prophesied, when God finally does “create new heavens and a new earth . . . the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind,” so glorious will be that new world (Isaiah 65:17).

Then we shall have “a new name written” by Christ Himself, sing “a new song” with new voices, and live in that “holy city, New Jerusalem” (Revelation 2:17; 5:9; 21:2). We shall have new bodies, new homes, new ministries, new lives, forever. In fact, the Lord Jesus assured John: “Behold, I make all things new, . . . These words are true and faithful” (Revelation 21:5). All things will be eternally new in that great new year soon approaching.

* Dr. Morris (1918-2006) was Founder of the Institute for Creation Research.

This article was originally published in Days of Praise on January 1, 1997.