"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" (II 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" (II 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: and 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. HMM