The Gift of New Beginnings: Transformed into His Image

If you’d like a shorter, pocket-sized version of this devotional series, I created a 7-day “Gifts of Jesus” guide that offers quick daily Scripture, reflection, and prayer prompts. It pairs beautifully with what you’re about to read – Day 7 “The Gift of New Beginnings.”

The Gifts That Lead to This Moment

Jesus’ work on the cross has provided so many blessings for those who trust in Him: freedom from our bondage of sin, complete forgiveness of our sins (past, present, future), adoption as beloved children of God, restored communication with God, covered in Christ’s righteousness. Each gift we’ve explored this week has been building toward this final, comprehensive reality—you are a brand new creation in Christ with a new identity.

This isn’t the culmination of the other gifts. This is their inevitable result. When Christ freed you, forgave you, adopted you, gave you access to God, and clothed you in His righteousness—He was making you new. Not improving the old you. Not refining your natural self. Creating something that didn’t exist before.

Not only have our old sins and bondage to our sinful nature been destroyed, but we have been given a new nature in Christ. The old you—the one dead in sin, enslaved to rebellion, a child of wrath—that person is gone. Dead. Buried with Christ (Romans 6:3-4). After Christ’s saving work, you become fundamentally different from who you were before salvation. You’re not the old self trying harder. You’re a new creation with a new nature that actually desires God.

The Image Restored

When God created all things, He created man in His image (Genesis 1:27). This was humanity’s original glory—bearing the image of the Creator, reflecting His character, designed for communion with Him. But the fall shattered that image. Sin distorted what we were meant to be. We still bore God’s image in a technical sense—we’re still human, still capable of reason and relationship—but the image was corrupted, defaced, broken.

Now, after redeeming us to Himself, He is working His miraculous transformation in our lives, becoming more like Christ each day of our lives. God isn’t just fixing what was broken. He’s restoring the image to something even more glorious than Eden knew. Adam bore God’s image. But you’re being conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29)—the perfect image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15).

This is progressive sanctification—the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit transforming you into Christ’s likeness. Throughout our Christian life, we are being transformed into His likeness, growing the fruits of the Spirit to have the same loves, compassion, and ultimately life’s purpose of God’s glory in all things we do (Galatians 5:22-23). This isn’t self-improvement or moral effort. This is supernatural transformation from the inside out.

The Spirit is producing in you what you could never manufacture yourself: love that isn’t self-seeking, joy that doesn’t depend on circumstances, peace that transcends understanding, patience with difficult people, kindness toward enemies, goodness that reflects God’s character, faithfulness that perseveres, gentleness that displays strength under control, self-control that resists temptation. These aren’t skills you develop—they’re fruit the Spirit that grows as you mature in Christ (John 15:4-5). For a more in-depth study of the Fruit of the Spirit, see my full devotional series here: Fruit of the Spirit series ->

The Transformation Is His Work

This transformative work will come to completion at the end of the believer’s life when they receive their renewed and glorified nature and body, free from sin, made in the holy image of God. But here’s what you must understand: God will complete what He started (Philippians 1:6). This isn’t conditional on your performance. This isn’t something you might achieve if you try hard enough. God who began the good work of making you new will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Yes, you do actively participate with this transformation. You put off the old self and put on the new (Ephesians 4:22-24). You pursue holiness. You fight sin. You renew your mind. But the power behind every bit of progress isn’t yours—it’s God’s. He’s the one working in you both to will and to do according to His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13). Your sanctification is as much His work as your justification was.

This should devastate your pride—you’re not making yourself holy through sheer willpower. But it should also establish your hope—the same God who saved you is transforming you, and He doesn’t leave His work unfinished. On your worst days when you feel like you’re not making progress, when you’re discouraged by repeated failures, when you wonder if you’ll ever really change—remember that God is committed to completing your transformation.

What New Creation Means Daily

So what does being a new creation mean for how you live today, on January 1st or any other day of the year?

You’re not defined by your past. The old is gone. The new has come. Stop identifying yourself by your past sins, your old patterns, your pre-conversion identity. That’s not who you are anymore. You’re a new creation in Christ.

You’re not limited by your old nature. Yes, you still sin. Yes, you still struggle. But sin is no longer your master, your nature, your identity. You’re not a sinner trying to be good. You’re a saint learning to live like one.

You’re not responsible for your own transformation. God is doing the work. Your job is to participate with what He’s doing—through the means of grace like Scripture, prayer, fellowship, and obedience. But the power, the progress, the perseverance—that’s all Him.

You’re not waiting for new beginnings on arbitrary dates. Every day is a new beginning in Christ. Every morning His mercies are new (Lamentations 3:22-23). Every moment is an opportunity to live according to the new nature God has given you. You don’t need New Year’s resolutions to start over with God. You need to remember who you already are in Christ and live accordingly.

The year ahead will bring struggles, failures, and setbacks. You’ll battle the same sins you battled last year. You’ll experience the same frustrations with slow progress. But remember this: you’re not the same person you were. You’re a new creation. And the God who made you new is committed to completing your transformation into the perfect image of His Son.

That’s not a New Year’s resolution. That’s God’s unchanging promise. And it’s the most certain new beginning you’ll ever experience.

Reflection Questions

1. Do you still define yourself by who you used to be, or are you embracing your identity as a new creation in Christ? How does understanding yourself as fundamentally new change how you approach the coming year?
2. In what areas are you frustrated by slow progress in sanctification? How does knowing that God is doing the transforming work—and that He will complete it—change your perspective on growth?
3. What would it look like this week to cooperate with the Spirit’s transforming work in your life rather than trying to change yourself through willpower?
4. How can you remind yourself daily that you’re not waiting for new beginnings—you already have a new nature and God’s power working in you?

Prayer

Consider the specific areas where you’re discouraged about change or progress. Thank God for making you a new creation and beginning the work of transforming you into Christ’s image. Ask Him to help you cooperate with what He’s doing rather than striving in your own strength.

If this devotional on the gift of new beginnings encouraged you and you’d like to find more like this, consider checking out the rest of this series: The Gifts of Jesus ->