What does it really mean to be made new in Christ? If you’ve spent any time around church, you’ve probably heard this phrase—especially after an invitation to follow Jesus. But like any familiar phrase, it can lose its impact as you hear it more and more.

And if you’ve never heard it before, don’t worry, you’re not alone. But here’s the truth: Jesus does make you new. What does that actually look like? Let’s talk about it.

How Does Jesus Make Me New?

You’re one of a kind, made by God with unique mannerisms, thoughts, behavior, looks—all of these things point to an Artist who’s in the business of making things beautiful. You’re unique, and that’s a good thing. It also means that there’s a specific purpose for your life.

When we hear that Jesus “makes us new,” we might worry that He’s going to change everything that makes us who we are. You might have heard it said that when God looks at you, He doesn’t even see you—He only sees His Son.

But, as Jesus said: don’t be afraid. That’s not His plan or intent. Scripture tells us what being “made new” really means. In Ephesians 2, Paul, a biblical author says:

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. Ephesians 2:5 NIV

The word for “made us alive with Christ” in Greek is syzōopoieō, which translates to “made alive together with.” It also translates to “reanimate conjointly.”

Think of it like a group project, where each person puts in effort. Jesus provides the way to be made new through His death and resurrection, and we trust in His sacrifice, following His way of living.

In 2 Corinthians 5 Paul writes:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV

The phrase for “new creation” here is kainos ktisis, which literally translates to “recently made thing or creature.” It can also be translated as meaning “fresh formation.”

When God makes you new, He invites you to take part in transforming your life into something that hasn’t been done yet. This process of transformation—or fresh spiritual formation—is what makes you new.

Being made new in Christ isn’t about erasing who you are—it’s about bringing you to life in a way you’ve never experienced before.

God doesn’t discard your uniqueness; He redeems and reshapes it, inviting you into a fresh spiritual formation. Through Jesus, you’re not just changed, you’re transformed, becoming the person He created you to be.

What Changes After Following Jesus?

Now, you might be wondering, what actually changes about your day-to-day life after you follow Jesus?

Well for starters: It’s not instantaneous. Instead, it’s a lifelong process.

While our choice to commit our lives to Jesus Christ happens in a moment, we get to enjoy the process of becoming who God created us to be.

I wish I could say that the moment you pray a salvation prayer you instantly break all your bad habits, exclusively show kindness toward others, and never experience hardship. Our old nature is hard to break, but God’s Holy Spirit is with us every step of the way.

Some changes might happen quickly. God’s power can do that; it sets us free. There are countless stories of radical transformation—marriages restored, addictions broken, murderers becoming saints. But for most of us, change doesn’t happen right away. It takes time.

A God-Given Growth Process

This process many Christians call “sanctification.”

You might have heard this phrase thrown around in church, but to put it simply, sanctification is the lifelong process of putting on our new self through becoming more like Jesus. It’s a decision we make every day to put God first and follow His ways, turn from our sin when we fall short, and trust that God’s way of life is better than our way.

But that’s easier said (or written) than done. Our human desire is to be in control. But sanctification calls us to surrender our old life. We have to remember that Jesus isn’t just interested in our eternal salvation. He also cares about how we live today.

What About When I Mess Up?

That’s a great question. When we mess up (which we will), God forgives us! This is what God says about Himself when someone asks Him what He’s like:

And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. …” Exodus 34:6-7 NIV

He doesn’t lead with “all-powerful, all-knowing, and judging.” He is, first and foremost, compassionate and gracious.

God isn’t shocked by our sins. He cares for us so much that He sent Jesus to die in our place to take the punishment for our sins. In the same passage from 2 Corinthians that we read earlier, we also read that:

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV

God saw our sins, but He loved us so much, He was willing to send His Son to die on our behalf. Because of Jesus’ death on the cross, we’re able to become the people God created us to be.

So, when we sin, remember that it cost Jesus His life to free us from that sin. Turn away from it and turn to God. While that can be hard, we can learn to walk in forgiveness and let go of guilt.

What if I’ve Never Felt ’Made New’?

If you’ve been a Christian for a while and never felt made new in Jesus Christ, I want to ask you a question. It might catch you off guard, but trust me.

Okay. Here it is:

Can you really say you’re the same person today who met Jesus all those years ago?

Now, take a minute or two and think back to when you met Jesus. Really sift through those memories. 

I can bet with near 100% certainty that you are not the same. You’re different. How do I know that?

Well, one, because life happens to all of us. Our stories are still being written, with new paragraphs and chapters each day. And two, God loves you too much to leave you where He found you. It’s who He is. 

Let me ask you another question. Again, it might surprise you, but trust me.

Are you stuck in a rut?

If your faith feels stagnant, what do you need to change?

If anything that helps you connect to God feels more like a checkbox than a passion project, it might be time to reevaluate your faith habits. Change it up. Read a different book of the Bible. Pray bigger prayers. Find a small group. 

Or maybe it’s time for you to start investing in others, either by leading the next generation or mentoring someone. God didn’t call you to keep all your faith to yourself. We’re supposed to give it away to others!

And if you don’t have any faith habits, then add some. I get it. Life gets busy, kids need attention, and jobs consume our every waking hour. But we make time for what we make time for. If you aren’t sure where to start, we put together a guide you can follow.

God Is Making You New

Wherever you are on your journey, you can be sure that God is with you. He is for you, not against you. I’ll leave you with another passage. Maybe write it on a sticky note and put it on your bathroom mirror, so you can be reminded of this promise every day: 

In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:4-6 NIV

God began the work when you said yes to Jesus. The rest is a journey that will take our whole lives until we meet Jesus face-to-face.

Grace and peace to you, friend. May you be blessed today.