The new creation is a concept found in the New Testament, related to the new life and new man but with reference also to the Genesis "old creation."
In the letters of Paul
The language of a new creation is not limited to the two verses in the KJV that include that actual phrase. Other passages, such as Galatians 6:12-16, 2 Corinthians 5:14-19, Ephesians 2:11-22, Ephesians 4:17-24, and Colossians 3:1-11 present new creation teaching also, without that exact phrase. Other references to the concept include the languageEphesians 2:10, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." The old, Adamic creation could not be said to be in any sense "in Christ," so this must therefore be speaking of new creation. Often the themes of the Genesis creation and new creation are contrasted, as, per N. T. Wright, in Colossians chapter 1, where the old creation and new creation in Christ are compared with the new creation
Other New Testament references
The first words of Matthew may also be an allusion to the idea of a new creation, with a double entendre in Matthew's word genesis between the meanings of "origin", "Genesis" and "genealogy":
There are also allusions of new creation in the Gospel of John including:
John starts with the words "In the beginning was the word," mirroring the beginning of Genesis
Jesus' final words in John are "it is finished" John 19:30, mirroring the words of "completed" in Genesis 2:1
Emphasising twice that the resurrection events occurred on "the first day of the week" John 20:1,19
The resurrection of Jesus being the implied eighth sign after seven signs in the Gospel of John, indicating a week of creation and then a new creation beginning with the resurrection.
The resurrection of Jesus takes place from within a garden tomb and, upon encountering the risen Jesus, Mary Magdalene initially thinks him to be "the gardener". This emphasis on the garden and Jesus being the gardener, may be an allusion to Eden, the garden God planted to which the first humans were sent to be gardeners.
Jesus breathes on the disciples, saying "receive the Holy Spirit" John 20:22, mirroring God breathing into Adam in Genesis 2:7.
References in the other Gospels include:
The story of the two disciples and Luke stating that "their eyes were opened," 24:31, mirroring Genesis 3:7.
