“New Year, New You” is a popular saying in American culture today. The meaning behind the phrase is that once the new year starts, you can be a new you. While this is an interesting topic, we often wonder if it is biblical. It is important to weigh any saying/concept against the truth of Scripture.
If you’re debating if “New Year, New You” holds any biblical truth, this is the article for you.
While the saying “New Year, New Year” has honorable merit, it is not found in the Bible. Instead of finding a fresh start in the new year, the Bible tells us we have a new start in Christ. From the moment we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, we are made new. The Apostle Paul tells us, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Once we know Jesus, we are given freedom, a new life, and eternal life. We don’t need a new year to have a new start.
A fresh start is found in Christ alone. The concept of having a new you is more aligned with modern culture. An obsession with weight loss, changing oneself to appear more aligned with society’s standard, and working on “betterment” of self is normally tied together with the saying “New Year, New You.” Sadly, most people don’t work on their relationship with Christ as a New Years' resolution. Instead, they choose things of the world to “improve” or change. Our focus needs to be on Christ and growing in Him. This is the greatest improvement we could have because it will benefit us not only now but for our whole lives.
The Bible says, “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come” (1 Timothy 4:8). If we are honest, New Year's resolutions from a worldly perspective are focused on physical goals, pushing aside spiritual resolutions. While trying to be healthy is a good thing, not all weight loss can be healthy. Many people lose weight in a myriad of unhealthy ways, such as eating disorders, grief, or depression. Simply because a person has lost weight doesn’t mean it is a “good thing.” In the same way, the idea that weight loss will cause you to become a “New You” needs to be extinguished. A joyful life will only be found in Christ—it will not be obtained by achieving the “perfect body.”
Similarly, many individuals use “New Year, New You” to achieve other goals, like becoming more wealthy or rich. While there is nothing wrong with working hard and making money, we should not idolize it. It is all too common for individuals to allow money to become their god. They believe that with the new year, they can become a new person by making tons of money and buying things they couldn’t afford before. This, again, is a faulty view of what will bring happiness. The only thing that will bring lasting joy in our hearts is a relationship with Christ.
Biblical truth is not found in the saying “New Year, New You” because nothing in the Bible tells us that we will become a new person at the beginning of the year. As previously mentioned, we are a new person when we accept Jesus. We are washed of our sins and given a new life in Him. If you want a fresh start for the new year, it is not found in pop culture websites or tabloid magazines. Rather, a new you can only be found in Christ. If you have not yet accepted Jesus as your Savior and Lord, you can use this year to get to know Him better and see where it leads you. When you feel ready to accept Jesus by believing that He died for your sins, was buried, and rose again, then you have truly become a new person in Christ.
On the other hand, if you have already accepted Christ and are already a new person through Jesus, you can still start trying to live more intentionally for God. If you find you have been living in sin, rebelling, and disobeying God, you can have a fresh start and become “new,” but it doesn’t have to strictly be at the start of the new year. You can decide anytime to rededicate your life to the Lord and truly start living for Him. It can be easy to be persuaded by the things of the world and drift after the world's teachings rather than the teachings of God in the Bible. If this has happened to you, you can have a fresh start by turning back to God today, regardless of the calendar.
The Lord never turns anyone away. He wants all people to come to know Him and accept Him. In the same way, all people can become new through Christ. No matter what your past holds, you are forgiven in Christ. At the moment of salvation, the Father forgives all of your sins because of Jesus. We are no longer defined by our past, but rather we are now defined by Christ. In Christ, we have a new life—a life of love, peace, and joy. The worldly system and false religions/cults cannot offer the new life God gives us. The promises the Father gives us are fulfilled in Christ and one day, we will be with Him in paradise.
Therefore, the concept of “New Year, New You” is not found in the Bible, nor does it contain biblical truth. However, we do become a new person the moment we accept Jesus as our Savior and Lord. As new people, we are now part of God’s family and our place in God’s family will never disappear. As for the teachings of the world, the concept of having a “New You” is found in weight loss fads, plastic surgery, and riches. None of these things will cause an actual change of heart because only through Jesus can we experience true change. In other words, nobody can become a “New You” apart from knowing Jesus.
If you are looking for a fresh start this year or you have grown up with the saying “New Year, New You,” know that nothing in this world can bring you more joy and fulfillment than knowing Jesus as your Savior and Lord. A “New You” is found in Christ—you don’t have to have a new year to have a fresh start. It should be noted that if you are trying to change the way you look or the status of your bank account to be a “New You,” God says you are beautiful and desired just as you are (Psalm 139:13-16). You are a wonderful creation of God and He loves you just as you are. Do not feel pressured to conform to the modern world's definition of beauty and wealth. The Bible tells us that beauty and true riches come from the inside (1 Peter 3:4). Thus, a fresh, new start is only found in our amazing Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
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