Metamorphosis!

I was thinking back over this last weekend of how my life took a totally different path than that of my brother and sister… when… to the initial concern of my family… I began to attend a Protestant church (and, come to think of it, concern from Piper’s parents as well… because of my Catholic up brining!). 

I had always had a heart, or I guess you might say an interest in the activities of the church and in God Himself.  With that in mind… being raised in a devout Catholic family and attending the majority of my elementary years in Catholic schools… I naturally considered entering the priesthood at one point in my young life.

My parents were very involved in the churches we attended and had become good friends with one of the parish priests.  He was a frequent guest at gatherings my folks would hold at our house and I had the pleasure of getting to know him on a personal level… therefore, I got to see the priesthood not only from the school and church point of view, but also in the community and as a friend.

I even got to visit a Catholic Seminary, but somewhere along the line I had a difficult time understanding the theology that as a priest… I could never get married, have children and enjoy the full and rich family life that I had been raised with.

Well, that initial personal experience in my quest for seeking meaning for the things of God in my life stuck with me for years.  Then if you were to fast forward almost ten years, you’d find me in a wonderful relationship with a lovely young Christian gal who introduced me to God through a very personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  It was through her that I finally felt the hunger for the things of God in my life coming into a sense of deep satisfaction.

The writer of the Biblical book of Hebrews wrote to the early church, as recorded in Hebrews 3:14 saying,

“We have become partakers of Christ’s character if we hold firmly till the end to the confidence we initially had in the truth about God, revealed by Christ.” (The Remedy)

In this portion of scripture, the author explains to his readers, that in order to be a regular partaker of Christ’s character, they need to stay excited about and growing in their individual knowledge of the truth of God in, for and through their daily lives.  He encourages them to remember the initial, life changing experiences they had with God, to hold firmly to the truths that spoke to their hearts and to keep growing in their personal faith from there!

Like I said above, I often time recall my early times in seeking meaning for God in my life as a young elementary student in Catholic school, but the two initial experiences that became a firm foundation for my Christian walk, happened years later as I dove head first into the Christian faith with my girlfriend and then fiancée.  The first remembrance occurred one night in our Junior College days, after being at a church event with Piper, when I returned home to my parent’s house, excitedly closed my bedroom door, got on my knees and… as I explained to the Lord that night… just to be sure… asked Jesus into my life as my personal Savior and Lord.*  It was a wonderful night… one that I’ll never forget.

The second came a year or two later following our time at Chico State, a few months before our wedding date, when I had, once again, just returned home to my parent’s house from another church event with Piper.  I had no sooner closed the door to my room and plopped down on the bed, when I felt the incredible presence of the Lord fill my room.  And while I didn’t see any tangible evidence of what was going on… the feeling of His sweet presence seemed to engulf the room and I could hardly move!

I don’t remember how long it lasted, but I do recall that it was overwhelming to me.  I felt like I could physically reach out and touch Him!  But all I could do was smile and praise the Lord!  I don’t think that I slept much that night, but after work the next day… I couldn’t hardly wait to go pick up Piper and tell her all about it!

So yeah, I often think back on those two initial experiences that made a permanent mark on my young heart… but I have also learned of the need to continually build upon those initial experiences and stay a student of the life-changing and ever fresh, new and dynamic truths I regularly find in the Word of God. 

Hebrews 3:14 encourages us to hold firmly to the confidence we have in the truth that we know about God as we’ve learned through His Word.  And how does one do that?  Well, Paul tells us in Romans 12:2 to,

“Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (KJV)

When we confess Jesus as Lord and personal Savior of our lives, our dead spirits are born again… but not our minds.  Therefore, we have to teach our minds how to think and act as our newly found faith in God and the truth of His Word commands us to… and that doesn’t happen overnight, but takes a continual, firm and dedicate effort that will span the rest of our lives on this earth!  But don’t take me wrong here… if your anything like me… it is actually a very rewarding, fun and exciting experience that Piper and I always like to refer to as our Adventures in Faith!

This verse tells us to not be CONFORMED to this world, with CONFORMED translated in the Greek as “to fashion one’s self in accordance to something or someone.”  And in this case, it refers to someone fashioning themselves to be like and/or acceptable in the world’s eyes.  In today’s terminology, one might say to be considered as to be WOKE.

Whereas on the other hand, Christians are directed to be “TRANSFORMED” by the renewing of your mind.   The actual Greek word being “metamorphoō” which is where we get our English word “Metamorphose” which describes the physical process of metamorphosis.  In the original Greek, the word is defined as “to change into another form” and/or “to undergo a spiritual transformation.” (Thayer’s and Mounce)

I guess you could say that while to CONFORM is of the head… to TRANSFORM is a permanent change of the heart.  2 Corinthians 5:17 informs us that,

“Whoever is a believer in Christ is a new creation. The old way of living has disappeared. A new way of living has come into existence.” (God’s Word ©)**

According to the Word of God, when we become Christians, the process of metamorphosis begins and we become a new creature but, like any other newborn, we have to nourish ourselves in order to grow up in the faith and “prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect (or mature) will of God.”***

So… What are some of the initial experiences in your life that are foundational to your Christian walk today?  It’s always important to remember those special times that marked our lives… but even more important to keep building on the foundation that you have established in the past.

Have a great week ahead… and as you do… Keep EXPECTING God’s BEST… and then pass it on to others!

 

*See: Romans 10:9

**See: 2 Corinthians 5:17 – KJV

**Romans 12:2