Spiritual Transformation

What is “spiritual transformation?” The definition of transformation suggests that something is transformed when it has “completely changed”. Do we need that kind of change in our lives? Yes—and the Scriptures confront us with that reality. Jesus called on us to experience radical, transforming change when He said “You must be born again.” (John 3:3). To be born again is to be changed by the power of God from a condemned sinner into a saved person who has been forgiven from sin and granted eternal life. Apart from this level of personal transformation, which only God can bring about in our lives, we will not see God. (John 3:5).

            I like to think about salvation as God changing the “working material” of our lives. That’s fundamental! Think of a farm—it either has good soil or bad soil. It is true that you can fertilize and top dress soil to try and improve farmland, but if a farm is rocky, with thin soil, no amount of human effort can ever fully overcome those characteristics. God put the rocks, etc. in the soil, and they stay there until He does something about it.

            That being true about farm life, what about in our lives? Can we really change by His power? Yes. Salvation is a matter of a wholesale change in our lives—by which our ownership is changed, our direction is changed, and our eternal destiny is changed.

            We can think of salvation in these terms: justification happens when we are made right with God the Father through the grace of Jesus Christ; sanctification is when we are made holy by the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives, and set apart for God’s service; glorification is when at Christ’s return, we are given a new body that is fit to be with God forever in heaven. A way to put this in every day English is “I was saved (justified), I’m being saved (sanctified), and I will be saved (glorified).”

            After our salvation, the need for change is not completely ended, however. The call for transformation goes on after our justification. In Romans 12:1-2, the Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans (who were already Christians) “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”  (English Standard Version, (c) 2001, Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.)

The word for “transformed” in the Greek is metamorphoo. It is easy to see that this word is close to one of our English words, namely, metamorphosis. That word means “a change of shape or form.” Paul urged the Romans to experience a “metamorphosis” through the power of God.

 

 

 

 

Hickory Horned Devil

 

You might think of something from nature to illustrate what is meant here. A caterpillar undergoes a metamorphosis when it “turns into” a butterfly or moth. It is the same organism, but it has undergone a profound transformation. We might further reflect that while the caterpillar is not particularly attractive (many of them are ugly by Divine design to warn off predators!), the butterfly or moth is a thing of beauty. The Hickory Horned Devil becomes the Regal Moth. A real transformation takes place!

Through the power of God, our Christian character is shaped, molded and fashioned according to His will. Transformation can take place. H.C.G. Moule, an English clergyman, wrote that the key to understanding spiritual transformation is to remember that it is a matter of surrender to service. (Thoughts for Sunday, 359) Doing the will of God in the life of the believer is of utmost concern. As believers, God calls on us to make doing His will both our pleasure and our ambition. Moule wrote, “what peace, energy, and dignity comes into a life which is consciously and deliberately thus surrendered!” (Thoughts, 360.)

            As a closing thought, consider Paul’s words to the Corinthians as a perfect example of the kind of transformation we are talking about: I Corinthians 6:9-11 “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” Paul makes a point to remind them that once they were like the world…but now, things are different. No longer do they belong to the world, and no longer are they to live like the world. He reminds them,  “ye are washed, ye are sanctified, ye are justified.” (KJV) So, they are not like they once were, and they are called on to live a transformed, different life. How wonderful it is to know that by God’s grace and through His power, we CAN be transformed!

 

(c) Baptist Parson, 2008