God does not change(Jas 1:17).
His essence never changes(Mal 3:16).
His word never changes(Is 40:8; 1Pe 1:24-25), and
His glory never changes(Ps 104:31).
Faith is acknowledging Him and putting effort to be transformed by Him.
The life of this faith is totally transforming, as a caterpillar does and becomes a butterfly(Rm 12:2).
While the world and its civilization are all changing quickly,
There are things that never change:
Man's life, aging, illness and death, that is,
Returning to dust(Ge 3:19), and
Every inclination of man's thoughts being only evil all the time(Ge 6:5), and
This is all according to the word of God.
Deceived by the devil, Adam sinned and
All men became slaves of the devil, bound for hell with him(Mt 25:41; 2Pe 2:19).
After God sent Moses and
Delivered the Israelites out of their slavery of 430 years in Egypt:
They became God's people(Ex 6:7);
They received the Law;
A people without land was born(Eze 44:28)
Their status changed(servants of the pharaoh --> servants of God)(1Co 10:1-2);
Their action changed(serving the pharaoh --> servant the Lord God);
Their pride was in knowing the name of God, circumcision, the temple etc;
Their belonging changed(Egypt --> a kingdom of priests, a holy nation)(Ex 19:6); and
Their goal was to possess the Promised Land.
The tablets inside the ark
Reminded them of such transformation.
Jesus said, "Destroy this temple and I will raise it again in three days(Jn 2:19), because
Through the death and the resurrection of the temple of His body,
He would reveal that He is the unchanging God for
He is the very nature God(Php 2:6),
The incarnate Word from the beginning, the glory of the Only Begotten Son(Jn 1:1, Jn 1:14).
As He died, Jesus said, "It is finished(Jn 19:30), declaring that He:
Died according to the Father's word and testified that the Father alone is unchanging(Ge 2:17; Jn 10:17-18);
Condemned the corrupted angel(Is 14:12-15; 1Jn 3:8); and
With His blood redeemed those who by nature were objects of wrath so they could be transformed(Eph 2:3).
The resurrection of Jesus is the proof that
He is the God who is alive forever, who does not change or decay(Lk 24:39; Ac 13:37; Rev 1:18).
The Holy Spirit whom He sent
Comes to those whose souls have been transformed by the blood of Jesus and
Lets them continually be transformed.
Transformation occurs in two stages:
Born-again - one-time change - the change in essence - "changed - by the blood of Christ;
Sanctification - continuous change - physical change - "changing - by the word of Christ.
Paul's transformation is an excellent example:
Self-righteous --> sinner(Php 3:5-6);
Sinner --> justified(Rm 3:24);
Born-again --> his essence was changed(Jn 3:5);
His status changed(a persecutor of the gospel --> a witness of Jesus)(Ac 9:1-2, Ac 9:22);
His actions changed(a persecutor --> the persecuted)(2Co 4:8);
Pride changed(he was proud --> he became humble)(Php 1:20; 1Co 15:8);
His belonging changed(a descendent of Israel --> a citizen of heaven)(Php 3:5, Php 3:20);
The goal of his life changed(decaying glory --> resurrection)(Rm 8:21; Php 3:11).
The man of the Spirit,
Considers all he thought was gain as rubbish and
Presses on towards the goal of resurrection,
In order to be lifted up when the Lord Jesus returns to the air(Php 3:20-21; 1Th 4:15),
O Lord,
Though we are
By nature children of the devil and
By character less than a worm,
You give us a chance to be transformed - thank You!
We all want to fly away like butterflies when You return so
Help us be transformed. Amen.
