In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth and declared everything to be very good (Genesis 1:31). However, when mankind sinned, the state of God’s creation changed. The world was no longer “good.” From Genesis 3 through Revelation 20, the earth and its inhabitants experience the consequences of sin and death (Romans 5:12).
Yet, after the great white throne judgment, a transformation will occur. Once sin is judged eternally, God promises a new heaven and a new earth where suffering, pain, sin, and death will cease for all eternity. This future creation offers believers hope and influences our lives on earth as we eagerly await the fulfillment of this promise: “Behold, I make all things new” (Revelation 21:5, NASB).
In Revelation 21, John describes his vision of a new heaven and earth. He sees a magnificent Holy City, where God resides among His people. In this place, God promises to wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death, mourning, crying, or pain. Ultimately, all creation will be free from the influence and effects of sin. After witnessing this, John sees Jesus seated on the throne, declaring, “Behold, I make all things new.” This new heaven and earth are what believers, along with all creation, eagerly long for (see Romans 8:19).
When someone trusts God for salvation, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within them, and they become a new creation. As stated in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone; the new is here!” This means that the believer is no longer bound by sin. We become new creations, capable of pleasing God and living according to His ways.
Galatians 2:20 encapsulates this transformation beautifully: “I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” We no longer live for ourselves; instead, we live for the One who is life, as described in John 1:3–4. A significant transformation occurs in those who surrender to God, and it can be said of them, “Behold, I make all things new.”
I no longer celebrate the New Year burdened by its troubles; instead, I embrace the hopeful promise of the New creation. And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He *said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.” Revelation 21:5
In His Service,
Dr. Jeffery Parker
