It’s almost like a page out of a science fiction novel or a scene from a sci-fi movie… the grotesque creature steps into a chamber and someone adjusts a few dials and flips a switch… there is a whirling sound and what appears to be arches of electricity that fill the chamber with static… and presto, in a few moments out steps a transformed person from grotesque to stunning beauty! TRANSFORMATION!!!
But no! This is not the stuff of sci-fi … it’s Spiritual reality described in the Bible! It’s what the gospel can do! It’s the consequence of embracing the Savior, spending time in His presence, soaking up the Truth of His word, and experiencing the Holy Spirit – the power of God – transforming a life!
Here’s how Apostle Paul described the process – the miracle of life transformation through the gospel…
“When a person turns to the Lord, the veil is removed! Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another , for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” (II Corinthians 3:16-18)
So you see, a better analogy is NOT what happens in an imaginary sci-fi “force chamber” – The better analogy is probably a fledgling, delicate sapling that springs up from a seed in the soil of the forest, and because of the moisture and nutrients of the soil, and the warmth of the sun becomes a strong, beautiful, fruitful tree! Another image is that of the caterpillar, rather grotesque in appearance, who climbs the stalk of a bush, enters a cocoon, and emerges later transformed into a majestic butterfly. (After all, the Greek word used in this passage and translated “being transformed,” is “metamorpheo” … what does that tell you?)
The good news! God is in the business of transforming lives through Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit working within! The change is dramatic! From the ugliness of sin to the image of Christ produced in our lives. It’s progressive! It begins with what the Bible calls “new birth.” Then transformation begins, and day-by-day, week-by-week, year-by-year our lives are changed so we are more and more like Christ! And one day the process ends in heaven, when “we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him and He is!” (1 John 3:1-4)
Powerful stuff I tell you… Powerful stuff!
I realize there are risks when we seek to equate Israel as a nation – a theocracy – and the United States of America. Having acknowledged that, however, I think we would agree that there are evident Judeo-Christian roots within our history as a nation, our legal system, and our cultural background. The religious roots of many of our founding fathers, great spiritual and moral revivals, and the clear influence of Christianity upon our national life cannot be denied!
