all is a gift

"But behold God gives a new soul (for it was cleansed), and a new body, a new worship, promises new, and testament, life, table, dress, and all things new absolutely. For instead of the Jerusalem below, we have received that mother city which is above (Gal 4:26). Instead of a material temple, we have seen a spiritual temple (1Co 5:1). Instead of tables of stone, fleshly ones (2Co 3:3); instead of circumcision, baptism (Col 2:11-12); instead of the manna, the Lord's body; instead of water from a rock, blood from His side (Jn 19:34); instead of Moses' or Aaron's rod, the Cross; instead of the promised land, the kingdom of heaven; instead of a thousand priests, one High Priest; instead of an unreasoning lamb, a spiritual Lamb. With these and such things in his thought he said, 'all things are new' (2Co 5:17). But 'all' these 'things are from God,' by Christ, and His free gift."


John Chrysostom, Homilies on 2 Corinthians, 11.4