• Benny Nalkara, CMI

“So if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!” (2 Corinthians 5:16–17) To describe the profound change that has happened to those who are made authentic and integrated through the work of Christ, Paul introduces the concept of the ‘new’ (kainos) as the characteristic note of the new situation. In Greek, the word “newness” has got two equivalent words, but with different nuances. The word, “neos” means “new in time” and the word, “kainos” means “new in nature and structure.” What Paul introduces here, is the newness in nature and structure, especially in the context of the life in the Risen Christ. If we say that the life of the Risen Jesus and of those who believe is the new one, it means it’s a life of new nature and structure.
Jeremiah and Ezekile had already introduced this concept of “newness” in connection with the new covenant with its qualities of interiority and inter-personalism (Jer 31:31-34). Ezekiel 36:26 says “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. Paul states along the same lines: A new humanity is constituted (kainos anthropos) (Eph 2:15) consisting of Jews and Gentiles by breaking down the walls of hostility. He speaks about a new creation (kaine ktisis) comes into existence (2 Cor 5:17). Being born again or a new creation shows the depth of change in a believer’s life after coming to Christ. It is not a superficial change. It is not as simple as turning over a new leaf.
In this passage, in the Second Letter to Corinthians, which is known as the “Letter of Reconciliation,” Paul refers to the change that has taken place in the life of believer after coming to Christ or Christ coming to his or her life. Paul goes on to the moving motive of the whole Christian life. Christ died for all. He has reconciled the world with God. To Paul the Christian is, in his favourite phrase, in Christ, and therefore the old self of the Christian died in that death and he arose a new human, as new as if s/he had been freshly created by the hands of God. In this newness of life, s/he has acquired a new set of standards. S/he no longer judges things by the standards the world uses. There was a time when Paul had judged Christ by human standards and had set out to eliminate the Christian faith from the world. But not now. Now his standards are different.
Paul also refers to the new covenant (kaine diatheke) community which has to unfold its inner characteristics (2 Cor 3:3-6). In this connection Paul refers to the ‘old’ covenant (2 Cor 3:14) and its poor performance (3:14-17). It is the only time the word ‘old’ is used for the covenant of Sinai and its record in the Pentateuch. Paul is thoroughly taken up by the challenge of the new situation and he invites all to enjoy it.
The most important fact about this newness is that it is not an apocalyptic newness, based on the idea of the destruction of the present world order (haholam hazzeh) and the creation of a new world order (haholam habbah). Rather here it is a newness which is effected through inner conversion, inner transformation, faith and baptism. It is a continuation of the message of Jesus himself where he spoke about the need of an inner conversion (metanoia) as the requirement for the accepting the offer of the kingdom of God. Inner conversion and transformation are more difficult to effect and also to keep up. There is the basic need of keeping up this freshness of the Christian newness. There are more chances of getting used to things. In the second part of his many letters, Paul dwells on this point very often. It is a question of responding to what God has done.
In the new (kainos) life, God regenerates our hearts, giving us a heart of flesh. As a result, we should have new nature. Our old value systems, priorities, goals, motivations, and desires are to be replaced with new ones in line with our relationship with Christ. Love that overpowers hatred, openness to accept the changes, determination to abandon our bad habits, the heart-fullness to think beyond barriers and divisions should become part of this newness. This newness should be characterized by new outlook in our thoughts and actions. This newness should be reflected our taking care of the nature and earth through creative involvement and responsible management of the nature. Moreover, this newness (kainos) should help us to create a new society marked by all-inclusiveness, mutual respect and cooperation.