Transformation

 

Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary describes the word as follows: 1. The change of the soul into a divine substance, as among the mystics. 2. Transubstantiation.3. In theology, a change of heart in man, by which his disposition and temper are conformed to the divine image; a change from enmity to holiness and love.

The word indicates a change, meaning from one thing to another. It is a process, not instantaneous. Most of us do not relish change. We are creatures of habit. And yet the only thing I think we dislike more is remaining unchanged. There lies the tension. So what drives this transformation? And for what is its purpose?

The apostle Paul knew what transformation looked like. He experienced it firsthand. He said in his letter to the Corinthians ‘Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.’ 

That picture of freedom in the presence of the Holy Spirit is what changes us. It is not a change we designed, but rather submit to regularly. Paul also gave the church in Rome a test for this. ‘Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.’ This renewing of our mind also requires a submission. ‘The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.’

So in practical terms, our spirit, given life to dwell intimately with the Holy Spirit serves to guide our mind and ultimately our body to carry out the will of the one who created us. It is however a process. ‘Living sacrifices’ have the power to get up off the altar and walk away. And yet as long as we continue to ‘contemplate the Lord’s glory’ we can be assured change is happening. To the Philippians, Paul said ‘Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

Change is inevitable. The only question is am I changing into an eternal death or into an eternal life?

Forgiveness

 

Hurt people hurt people. So they say. We spend a lot of time in this life both wounding and being wounded. Sometimes we mean it, but other times it's just so much collateral damage that occurs every day of our lives.

We all deal with it differently. Some of us lash out, others go inward and create resentment and bitterness that grows anger in our hearts. Sometimes we try and ignore it or minimize it like it wasn't a big deal.

And yet none of this seems particularly healthy. We may self-medicate as a way to address our own hurts or to forget the mean and nasty stuff we've done. But even that creates a bigger hole of hurt that left untended can grow like a cancer.

Jesus seemed to know all of this very well. He made it clear that none of it is acceptable. What is more, He created a better way for us to take care of it. It's non-optional. In the economy of hurt, we either find ourselves in debt or as a lender. The coin of this realm is forgiveness.

He even draws this concept out in a story He tells His followers about a King who is cheated out of an enormous amount by one of his servants, who then falls on his knees and pleads for his debt to be forgiven. The King has mercy on the servant who then proceeds to choke another servant out for failing to pay him a much smaller amount. In the end, the King catches wind of this and throws the first servant in prison. 

It is amazing how relevant this story is 2000 years later. We all fail at times to recognize the King is on the throne and has offered us redemption, the forgiveness of all our sins. And in turn, we take the throne ourselves only to proceed to render our own human judgments. Sadly, it just puts us back in prison. 

"For if you forgive other people for their offenses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive other people, then your Father will not forgive your offenses." 

Matthew 6:14-15

Love

The Beatles were right. All you need is love. Love is all you need. But love not born of man. Born of God.

"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love."

1 John 4:7-8

God is love. He is the definition of Love. He is the author of Love. The source. The beginning and ending words in a love letter written to humanity. Delivered in the flesh through His son Jesus. A love demonstrated to us through his death, an atonement for all mankind.
And all those of us who have been born of that love now live in a new covenant with God. We now live this new life of love as Christ did, in obedience.

"I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love."

2 John 1:5-6

For because of Christ's obedience to the Father, He loved us. And we now born of that same love, through the power of a Holy Spirit, are tasked to do likewise without exception. Love for all. For all we need is LOVE.