The title of this album stems from one particular song, but it aims to encapsulate the purpose and idea of the album as a whole. The title track, “Something New,” comes from Colossians 3, in which Paul discusses the idea of putting on the “new self.” He urges that our former selves, once lovers of the world and worshippers of false idols, must be put aside. Our entire life must be changed when we acknowledge Christ as Lord, meaning our goals, visions, purpose and direction must be radically transformed. In light of Christ’s sacrifice, our real life is hidden with Christ in God (3:3).
The album represents the crux of this realization; the exact moment when you realize that everything you are and have was given to you through an infinite grace that can never be fully understood, but causes us to live changed lives. This life is an unwarranted gift and only when we acknowledge that, do we give room for God to truly make us into something new. Our true joy and design rest in the worship of our creator. With this new self, we live in light of the fact that we are not our own. We are made in the image of the invisible God and must act like it.
In light of God’s grace to us, we understand that he is the creator and we are the created. He is the one who will “take us break, mold us, and make us into something new.” As Christians, this process is constant. When we fall back into old sins, or pick up new habits, it can be our prayer and deepest desire. This album focuses on the decision we must make in order to get to the point of praying in this way. Once we realize that all the things this world offers us are worthless compared to God’s grace, we are ready for new life. The cycle of God breaking and stripping us away from our old habits is not easy, but its ever so necessary. Through this pruning and transforming process, we are reminded of scriptural imagery like the potter’s clay. Here are a few of verses that spoke into our decision to run with this imagery throughout the album:
“Woe to those who quarrel with their Maker, those who are nothing but potsherds [broken fragments of clay] among the potsherds on the ground. Does the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you making?’ Does your work say, ‘The potter has no hands’?
Isaiah 45:9
“Yet you, LORD, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.”
Isaiah 64:8
“It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy…Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden. One of you will say to me: ‘Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?’ But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’ Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?
Romans 9:16-21
“This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: ‘Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.’ So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. Then the word of the LORD came to me. He said, ‘Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?’ declares the LORD. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel.”
Jeremiah 18:1-6
Our prayer is that the Holy Spirit would use this album to begin or continue the transformation process in you heart and mind. He longs for His children to follow after Him fervently, not desiring the distraction the world offers. They are worthless and He is worth everything.
-REVEAL-
“Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshipping the things of this world. Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech form your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him.”
Colossians 3:1-10
“Special thanks must be mentioned to Crossline’s Crux33 Staff. Thank you for your tireless effort in proclaiming these “crux” verses day after day. They are a much needed, constant reminder of where real life lies: with Christ in God. We are forever grateful for your passions to proclaim the gospel.”
