2
Corinthians 5:17
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has
gone, the new is here!” (NIV)
SITREP:
What does it take for a warrior to believe he’s not bound to the man he was
before? You are not bound to your past. In Christ, you are made new—with a
fresh start and a life filled with purpose.
Paul wrote
this to the believers in Corinth, a rough-around-the-edges group of people who
didn’t have the cleanest resumes. They were former idol worshipers, adulterers,
thieves, drunkards—men and women carrying serious baggage. Paul knew something
about that himself. He wasn’t just some preacher—he had blood on his hands. He
hunted Christians before he became one. But through the power of Christ, his
story was rewritten.
This verse
isn’t about making bad people better. It’s about making dead people alive. It
doesn’t offer a second chance—it offers a brand-new identity. One where the
past no longer has the final word.
Breaking
Down the Verse:
- “If anyone is in Christ…” – This isn’t limited to a select
few. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done or what was done to you. If you
belong to Christ, this promise is yours.
- “The new creation has come…” – Not pending. Not someday. If
you’re in Christ, it’s already happened. You’re not in transition—you’ve
been transformed.
- “The old has gone…” – That guilt you can’t shake?
That shame that stalks you? God doesn’t see it anymore. He sees His Son in
you.
- “The new is here!” – This is a declaration, not a
wish. You’ve been reassigned, redefined, and reborn.
How This
Reclaims a Soldier’s Faith:
Combat
changes people. It toughens the body and leaves its mark on the soul. You’ve
been through things others wouldn’t understand unless they stood beside you in
the dirt. And maybe, like many warriors, you’ve asked yourself:
- Can I be forgiven for what I had
to do?
- Can I be whole again after all
I’ve seen?
- Can someone like me really be
used by God?
Here’s your
answer: Yes.
- The man who made the call under
fire? Forgiven.
- The soul that came back tired,
angry, and uncertain? Restored.
- The identity you buried under
guilt or regret? Replaced with one God Himself designed.
You might
remember the details of your past, but in Christ, your past doesn’t get to
define you anymore. Your scars might remain, but now they tell a different
story—a story of grace.
Being made
new doesn’t erase your experience—it redeems it. God doesn't waste pain. He
turns warriors into witnesses. Soldiers into servants. He gives your journey
purpose beyond survival.
ENDEX:
You are not who you were. 2 Corinthians 5:17 is your battlefield
declaration. In Christ, the old has died—and the new has fully arrived. You’re
not dragging a broken identity forward anymore. You’re walking in new orders,
with a new name, and a new mission.
The slate is
clean. The past is buried. The new has come.
AAR (After
Action Review):
Have you experienced a shift in identity since coming to faith—one that changed
how you saw your past, your purpose, or your future? Share that transformation.
Your story could help another warrior realize they don’t have to stay stuck in
who they were. They've already been made new.
Make your voice count—share what you’ve lived.
Share your experiences in the comments below. Your words could encourage someone else walking a similar path.
If you're comfortable, include as much or as little personal detail as you’d like. We suggest:
- Name
- Veteran, Retired, Family Member etc.
- Service Branch
- Years of Service (or Deployment Dates and Locations)
Every story matters—and yours might be exactly what someone else needs to hear.
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