"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2Cor5:17
One of God's most fascinating creations is the Monarch Butterfly. What starts out as an egg no bigger than the period at the end of this sentence matures in just three days into an incredibly tiny caterpillar. The caterpillar eats its own weight in food each day; three weeks later the caterpillar reaches its full size and starts its chrysalis (cocoon) stage. About 8 days later a fully formed, beautifully colored butterfly will emerge from this cocoon. The old has gone, the new has come! We call this 'metamorphosis'. It is from the Greek and means: a transformation; a marked change in appearance, character, condition or function.
I think the Apostle Paul had this meaning in mind when he wrote that in Christ we are new creations. He would write to the Ephesians: "You were taught...to put off your old self...and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." And again, he wrote to the Colossians to take off "...your old self with its practices and put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator." And his beautiful urging in Romans that, "...in view of God's mercy, 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 (i.e., 'metamorphoso') by the renewing of your mind."
I wonder if Paul made this point over and over again because he knew it could be difficult to live on this old earth as a new creation; to give up the practices of our old nature and to embrace life in Christ as a new creation. Maybe you don't struggle with your old nature but I do. And I don't like to struggle. Sometimes I almost think that life back in the cocoon might not be so bad. But deep down I know that would be settling for being something less than I was meant to be. So I've learned to embrace the struggle because its part of the wonderful process of metamorphosis
You see, for the Monarch butterfly struggling to emerge from the cocoon is essential. As it does so, muscles are developed and body fluids are pushed into the wings so they can expand. Without that struggle, the butterfly never flies. Struggle is simply part of the process. Because of metamorphosis something that crawls transforms into something that flies; because of metamorphosis something ordinary becomes something glorious and delightful!
So I continue to struggle. I think I must be in good company because I'm reminded of Paul's words in Romans 7 and 8 about his own struggle and the hope we have (if its been awhile, you should take some time and read these chapters again). And finally I am reminded of his words in Philippians: "I can do everything through Him Who gives me strength." Hallelujah, because I am 'In Christ' I have His strength in my struggle to continue to live as a new creation in this old world. Not easy for sure, but worth it. We were meant to fly.
I think the Apostle Paul had this meaning in mind when he wrote that in Christ we are new creations. He would write to the Ephesians: "You were taught...to put off your old self...and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." And again, he wrote to the Colossians to take off "...your old self with its practices and put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator." And his beautiful urging in Romans that, "...in view of God's mercy, 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 (i.e., 'metamorphoso') by the renewing of your mind."
I wonder if Paul made this point over and over again because he knew it could be difficult to live on this old earth as a new creation; to give up the practices of our old nature and to embrace life in Christ as a new creation. Maybe you don't struggle with your old nature but I do. And I don't like to struggle. Sometimes I almost think that life back in the cocoon might not be so bad. But deep down I know that would be settling for being something less than I was meant to be. So I've learned to embrace the struggle because its part of the wonderful process of metamorphosis
You see, for the Monarch butterfly struggling to emerge from the cocoon is essential. As it does so, muscles are developed and body fluids are pushed into the wings so they can expand. Without that struggle, the butterfly never flies. Struggle is simply part of the process. Because of metamorphosis something that crawls transforms into something that flies; because of metamorphosis something ordinary becomes something glorious and delightful!
So I continue to struggle. I think I must be in good company because I'm reminded of Paul's words in Romans 7 and 8 about his own struggle and the hope we have (if its been awhile, you should take some time and read these chapters again). And finally I am reminded of his words in Philippians: "I can do everything through Him Who gives me strength." Hallelujah, because I am 'In Christ' I have His strength in my struggle to continue to live as a new creation in this old world. Not easy for sure, but worth it. We were meant to fly.
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