Youch! It’s been too long since I’ve posted anything on this site. If you’ve checked in occasionally and found nothing new, I apologize. I’m resolving to publish more frequently, even if the whole chapter doesn’t get written.
Transform v. 1. To change markedly in form or appearance. 2. To change in nature or condition; convert. (The American Heritage Dictionary, 1983)
My oldest son enjoys playing with transformers. It’s pretty cool how he can change them from a robot-looking guy into an airplane or army tank or something. I can’t figure them out, myself. I could look at the instructions all day long but never seem to make it work. My son doesn’t need the instructions. He just starts twisting and turning the figure around until it miraculously becomes an altogether different toy.
This is what God does with those who believe in Christ Jesus. He changes us – not in outward form or appearance, but from the inside out. He transforms our nature. He transforms our thoughts. He transforms our minds. He transforms our attitudes. He transforms our desires. He transforms our ambitions. He transforms us until we become an altogether different person. “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Cor. 5:17).
It doesn’t always happen overnight. Though we are made new in Christ – born again – the process of transformation takes time. I gave my life to the Lord at the tender age of six. No, I didn’t have the book of Romans memorized, nor did I fully understand the doctrines of election, regeneration, justification or sanctification. I’m still working on some of these things. But I knew that I was a sinner. I knew that God loved me so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for my sins. I knew that if I believe in Him that I would have everlasting life. So, with my mother guiding me, I received Jesus as my Savior and Lord.
That doesn’t mean that I became sinless. Yes, I was saved. Yes, I was in Christ. Yes, I became a new creation. Yes, I was born again. But the process of transformation was only beginning. The Lord is still transforming me into His own likeness with ever-increasing glory (2 Cor. 3:18). He’s making me more and more to reflect His glory in this world.
On our family vacation in August we experienced the trial of having a flat tire on our van. There was a day when I would have been very irritated at the situation. I would have been upset at the delay. I would have been angry at the expense of repair. I would have probably have been miserable for the rest of the trip, and taken my family down with me. But because the Lord is in the process of transforming my thoughts and attitudes and words and behaviors, He enabled me to respond graciously in this situation. Even miraculously, in order to demonstrate His grace, the Lord provided for our needs. That afternoon before we left on our trip, one of the members of the church gave us $200 to help with our expenses. The bill for two new tires totaled $200.21.
As followers of Christ we must live according to the Spirit. “Those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires…the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace” (Rom. 8:5-6). God’s Holy Spirit dwelling in the life of a believer in Christ transforms us as we live in Him and are led by Him. He produces in us “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Gal. 5:22-23).
We are powerless to make the transformation ourselves. We must remain in Him, keep trusting in Him, keep in step with the Spirit, and He will transform us into His own likeness – for our good and for His glory. He is the Ultimate Transformer. Not that He changes, but He changes us.
Jesus changed the life of the leper with the touch of His cleansing hand. He changed the life of the centurion’s servant with just a word of healing. He changed the lives of the demon-possessed men by driving out the legion of demons. He changed the life of the paralytic by forgiving his sins, then proved His authority to do so by raising him to walk again. He changed the life Jairus’ daughter when He raised her from death to life. He changed the life of the blind men when He restored their sight.
By His unfailing mercy demonstrated when He shed His blood on the cross for our sins, He changes the lives of all who come to Him through faith. “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners -” Paul wrote to Timothy, “of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on Him and receive eternal life” (1 Tim. 1:15-16). What a transformation the apostle Paul experienced!
If you’re still tracking with this and have never received the mercy of Jesus that alone can save you from the wages of sin, which is death (Rom. 6:23), then the good news of the gospel is for you this very moment. Cry out to Jesus for mercy, acknowledging your sin, receiving His forgiveness, and you will be transformed.
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will” (Rom. 12:1-2).
Transform v. 1. To change markedly in form or appearance. 2. To change in nature or condition; convert. (The American Heritage Dictionary, 1983)
My oldest son enjoys playing with transformers. It’s pretty cool how he can change them from a robot-looking guy into an airplane or army tank or something. I can’t figure them out, myself. I could look at the instructions all day long but never seem to make it work. My son doesn’t need the instructions. He just starts twisting and turning the figure around until it miraculously becomes an altogether different toy.
This is what God does with those who believe in Christ Jesus. He changes us – not in outward form or appearance, but from the inside out. He transforms our nature. He transforms our thoughts. He transforms our minds. He transforms our attitudes. He transforms our desires. He transforms our ambitions. He transforms us until we become an altogether different person. “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Cor. 5:17).
It doesn’t always happen overnight. Though we are made new in Christ – born again – the process of transformation takes time. I gave my life to the Lord at the tender age of six. No, I didn’t have the book of Romans memorized, nor did I fully understand the doctrines of election, regeneration, justification or sanctification. I’m still working on some of these things. But I knew that I was a sinner. I knew that God loved me so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for my sins. I knew that if I believe in Him that I would have everlasting life. So, with my mother guiding me, I received Jesus as my Savior and Lord.
That doesn’t mean that I became sinless. Yes, I was saved. Yes, I was in Christ. Yes, I became a new creation. Yes, I was born again. But the process of transformation was only beginning. The Lord is still transforming me into His own likeness with ever-increasing glory (2 Cor. 3:18). He’s making me more and more to reflect His glory in this world.
On our family vacation in August we experienced the trial of having a flat tire on our van. There was a day when I would have been very irritated at the situation. I would have been upset at the delay. I would have been angry at the expense of repair. I would have probably have been miserable for the rest of the trip, and taken my family down with me. But because the Lord is in the process of transforming my thoughts and attitudes and words and behaviors, He enabled me to respond graciously in this situation. Even miraculously, in order to demonstrate His grace, the Lord provided for our needs. That afternoon before we left on our trip, one of the members of the church gave us $200 to help with our expenses. The bill for two new tires totaled $200.21.
As followers of Christ we must live according to the Spirit. “Those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires…the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace” (Rom. 8:5-6). God’s Holy Spirit dwelling in the life of a believer in Christ transforms us as we live in Him and are led by Him. He produces in us “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Gal. 5:22-23).
We are powerless to make the transformation ourselves. We must remain in Him, keep trusting in Him, keep in step with the Spirit, and He will transform us into His own likeness – for our good and for His glory. He is the Ultimate Transformer. Not that He changes, but He changes us.
Jesus changed the life of the leper with the touch of His cleansing hand. He changed the life of the centurion’s servant with just a word of healing. He changed the lives of the demon-possessed men by driving out the legion of demons. He changed the life of the paralytic by forgiving his sins, then proved His authority to do so by raising him to walk again. He changed the life Jairus’ daughter when He raised her from death to life. He changed the life of the blind men when He restored their sight.
By His unfailing mercy demonstrated when He shed His blood on the cross for our sins, He changes the lives of all who come to Him through faith. “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners -” Paul wrote to Timothy, “of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on Him and receive eternal life” (1 Tim. 1:15-16). What a transformation the apostle Paul experienced!
If you’re still tracking with this and have never received the mercy of Jesus that alone can save you from the wages of sin, which is death (Rom. 6:23), then the good news of the gospel is for you this very moment. Cry out to Jesus for mercy, acknowledging your sin, receiving His forgiveness, and you will be transformed.
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will” (Rom. 12:1-2).
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