A Whole New You!

One of the great marvels of God’s magnificent creation is the transformation of a common worm into a butterfly. Incredibly, the ugly worm spins itself into a cocoon from where it soon emerges as a beautiful butterfly.

Far more marvelous still is the ugly, sinful man who willingly presents himself as a lost, helpless sinner at the foot of the cross of Christ. From there, he pleads for mercy and grace available only through the blood of Jesus Christ. There, at the cross, an ugly, sinful worm emerges forth as a new creation, transformed by the power of the Spirit of God through the blood of the Savior, Jesus Christ.

Paul said: “If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come” (2 Corinthians 5:17 HCSB). In Christ, you become radically transformed into a totally new creature. Paul puts it this way: “We are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago” (Ephesians 2:10 NLT). You are not a reworking of the old but a completely brand new creation, created in the image and likeness of Jesus Christ.  

In Romans 12, Paul wrote this epic passage concerning the transformation of the heart and mind of sinful humanity. He said “Brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God” (vv. 1-2 HCSB). Non-conformity to the thought patterns of this world will assist you in becoming a transformed thinker which will further result in a radically-changed believer.

It is important that we recognize as believers that: “Our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform the body of our humble condition into the likeness of His glorious body, by the power that enables Him to subject everything to Himself” (Philippians 3:20-21). When He appears, every follower of Jesus Christ will undergo a further radical transformation taking on the likeness of His glorious body.

The life you live today in the flesh has a tremendous bearing upon your eternity. You must continue pressing on in the faith; living in obedience to the Lord’s commands in all you do and say; always reaching forward to what is yet promised so you may one day attain the reward He has promised to all who endure to the end.

Scripture Reading: “Not that I have already reached the goal or am already fully mature, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. Brothers, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus. Therefore, all who are mature should think this way. And if you think differently about anything, God will reveal this to you also. In any case, we should live up to whatever truth we have attained. Join in imitating me, brothers, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us. For I have often told you, and now say again with tears, that many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction; their god is their stomach; their glory is in their shame. They are focused on earthly things, but our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform the body of our humble condition into the likeness of His glorious body, by the power that enables Him to subject everything to Himself” (Philippians 3:12-21).

Prayer: Father, I thank You for sending Jesus to die on the cross that I may have eternal life. I thank You that You saw something special in this old sinful, creature and have transformed me into a beautiful new creature. I pray that my life, my actions, and my words would always reveal my love and commitment to You. I pray that others would see Jesus shining through me. Lord, I pray for Your strength in the hard times and Your wisdom when I need an answer. Help me in all things to glorify You! In Jesus’ name…AMEN!