When the apostle Paul declared that, “If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation,” he wasn’t merely referring to the outward actions we repute as a Christian. Rather, he was speaking of the inward transformation that now guides our lives. This new conversion changes who we are as a person - the core of who we are as a being. Our lives now have a new way of operating. Similar to how in contemporary culture we may install a new operating system in place of a ‘broken’ or corrupted one, God likewise installs a new operating system in broken people as His followers: Christ OS.
Like computers today, which constantly face threats from aggressive malware, people routinely face adversities from militant forces outside their control. Many devices are installed with software designed to prevent these threats from harming the product, but it often falls short due to the growing number of new attacks produced. If successful, this malware can harness the hard drive and even gain some, if not complete, control of the device rendering it useless. However, fortunately for followers of Christ, God’s “operating system” for our lives does not fall short of protecting us from new occurrences we face. This does not guarantee a trouble-free life, but it does promise God’s protection as we face adversity.
God gives us an active role in our protection, which is described in Ephesians 6. The apostle Paul outlines the “armor of God” (v.11), which includes the “belt of truth,” “breastplate of righteousness,” and the “helmet of salvation,” to name a few. Furthermore, he says “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (v.12). This is who we need to be on guard against. Similar to how we need to be cautious what sites and media we allow on our computer, we need to regularly filter media and influences in our life through the standards God sets for us, such as what Paul lists in Philippians 4:8.
One computer I owned was completely destroyed because of my ignorance of malware and its cleverness of hiding on my device. Not only was it initially hidden, but when I discovered it, I was unable to remove because of its strength and magnitude. Similarly, when we give sin and unrighteousness a place in our life, it takes root and corrupts what was once good and pure. However, this can be prevented, and even removed, with repentance and the power of Christ in our lives.
