The world’s definition of “new”

Hebrews 13:8 states: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today and forever.”

With that statement of truth, I’m a little confounded as to why Pope Francis (and I’m not Catholic nor have anything against the Catholic faith) would say, in relation to the church’s stance toward homosexuality and divorce, “God is not afraid of new things.” (see the article: Pope Francis: ‘God is not afraid of new things’)

Throughout the Bible, God was never in support of either, but since this is a fallen world, it has, does and will continue to happen. If HE proclaimed that HE doesn’t change, then what the Pope said would portray God as a fraud.

God knew this kind of thing would happen, not only from the secular, but also from within. I’m no Biblical scholar, but Hebrews 13:9 does say, “Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings.” We are here to be His hands and feet, to proclaim His message, not to change it.

But, there is also some truth in what the Pope said (though I doubt he was talking about the following at that moment). In 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV), Paul wrote: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

God “is not afraid” to make chicken salad out of our chicken crap.

He is also “not afraid” of “a new heaven and a new earth” (Revelation 21:1, NIV) He created for His kids. He “is not afraid” to “give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you” (Ezekiel 36:26, NIV). He “is not afraid” to pour “new wine…into new wineskins” (Luke 5:38, NIV).

God “is not afraid” of anything (when you defeat death, you can say that), but He steadfastly rejects the “new things” of this world that directly oppose His eternal truths!