Metamorphosis: Flesh To Spirit
Fallen man, vile, base an abomination to God, he who has eyes that see not, ear’s that hear not, the sons’ and daughters’ of disobedience: This is mankind in the flesh.
To be like Christ: To be transformed to kings and priests; whole in body and spirit; leaders of the spiritually blind and deaf; loved of the Father, true sons’ and daughters’ of God.
When we are changed, we shall have the mind of Christ, found worthy, blameless, children of the Light, counted as faithful and honorable. those worthy to rule and reign with Jesus Christ in His kingdom.
We are told to take on the form of God, this through the hearing and reading of the Word. The Bible is God’s instruction book on how to fix those who, “Sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron.” The Holy Spirit is that which will guide in this fixing of broken vessels.
So what is broken in all of us? It’s our moral and spiritual lives that need fixing. How can this be done? We must first be transformed in our minds, in our hearts and actions.
Romans 12:2, “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.”
This is a type of metamorphosis, a change of heart toward God, in order to become a new person in Christ.
The Greek word “morphosis” means form. It is our English word metamorphosis. It is to go through a change of form or shape; a transformation; particularly, a change in the form of being. The caterpillar changing into the beautiful winged creature we call the butterfly, this is an example of physical change in a creature.
These changes are external. What this article is about is the change that takes place inside, moral changes, changes in mind and heart.
To you lovely ladies: you paint your fingernails, your toe-nails, go for the newest in hair styles, and who run out to buy the newest in clothing fads such as low cut jeans, jackets, blouses and shoes, beware! To you men who desire to be seen in a new SUV, sport or luxury car or lay a stone pad in the back yard with the newest in grills setting there, like a beacon to your success. beware! To you young men desiring to have the newest in pants that look as if their falling down around their knees, beware! It is not a matter of the inside that needs changing, it’s the inside.
Men and women are forever seeking to change their outward appearance by various means. There are the extremes of plastic surgery, lipo-suction, nose, eyes, ears and other facial features, the most extreme, sex changes and implants of every sort. Today we have a rise in the cult practice of tattooing and piercing of the body. We have become a walking, living, breathing picture show.
These procedures are empty attempts to leave the old physical you behind and become a new type of repaired vessel. To take on a new look, this is mans’ feeble attempt to become renewed in the flesh.
Does it work? “NO.”
The problem; our old nature remains. What we are before surgery is what you are after surgery.
Let’s say you have a large nose, so you get it chopped down to look normal. This may make you feel better temporally. Ask yourself, “What has changed? The change is external only? Inside its the same old Joe or Jane.
Transforming the external, but leaving the internal unchanged. After any type of external surgery, we may look in the mirror and see a different person, but the mind and heart remain. But your thinking, your habits, your approach to people and jobs, your attitude toward life, family, friends, desires, all remain, unchanged.
There may be a few temporary changes in the way people look at you on the outside, but once they get to know you, they will respond to you as they always have, because the old you is still inside.
Transformed means to change the form, shape, or appearance of something or someone, but, in the Christian way of thinking it means to change the natural disposition and temper of people from a state of enmity = (hostility) toward God and His law, into the image of His Son and take on the disposition, temper and will of God.
“The renewing of you mind.” This is the desired effect needed.
There are two forms of transformation available to us. God knows the nature of men. He gives to us the freedom to choose one or the other.
2 Corinthians 11:13-14-15, “False apostles = (followers of Satan) deceitful workers transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore, it is no great thing if his ministers = (false teachers) also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.”
Most retain the old nature, the sinful nature that they are born with. Therefore, they are workers of iniquity, false apostles, doing the work of their father, the devil. They learn and teach of the works of men, his science, technologies, impressions, the things of pleasure and material gain. Civilization has made rapid advancements in many areas of our daily life, but never do they consider God’s hand in any part of it.
Men are looking for the Garden of Eden in their own back yard.
Following are but a few of the false teachings that reach the ears of millions daily.
1. There is no God.
2. The earth is very, very old.
3. From nothing came all things.
3. The Bible was written by men; therefore flawed.
4. Jesus is not the Son of God, because there is no God.
5. Jesus is only a good religious teacher.
6. Jesus had a physical father no one knows who he was.
7. There is no such thing as a resurrection.
8. There is no heaven or hell.
9. Jesus is dead, never to return.
10. One religion is as good as the next.
11. The Bible is an old book and has nothing to do with us today.
These are the teachings taught by the apostles of Satan. There are those who pretend to be workers in the kingdom of God, but in truth, they are anti-Christ’s seeking gain only for themselves and their master.
Or, you can be, “born again” in the spirit.
Romans 8:29, “For whom He = (God) did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, = (Jesus) that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”
What does it mean to be born again?
Jesus is the express image, and brightness of the Father’s glory. Therefore, a Christian is to be transformed first in their mind, and secondly in their nature. Because Jesus is that pattern, the Father’s likeness will be renewed in us, because the promise is, we are to be like Him.
2 Corinthians 3:18, “We all, with open face = (unveiled faces) beholding as in a glass = (mirror) the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
Upon our conversion, the veil is removed. The mirror is the Gospel, reflecting the glory of both the Father and Son. We will have taken on that image of the Father and Son, this accomplished through the work of the Holy Spirit.
1 John 3:2, “We know that, when He = (Jesus) shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.”
Philippians 3:21, “Who = (Jesus) shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself.”
Christ’s glorified body was identical externally in appearance with His pre-crucified body, so also will our resurrected bodies. Recognizable, but different, having a new and glorified spiritual quality about it, able to assent into heaven, or to remain on earth, but never again to fall into sin.
Psalms 17:15, “As for me, = (David) I will behold thy = (Jesus) face in righteousness, I shall be satisfied, when I awake = (resurrected from death to life), with thy likeness.”
1 Corinthians 15:21, “For since by man came death = (Adam), by man = (Jesus) came also the resurrection of the dead.”
The word “Form” means the shape or external appearance of a body; the figure, as defined by lines and angles; that manner of being peculiar to each body, which exhibits it to the eye as distinct from every other body. We speak of the form of a circle, the form of a square or triangle, the shape of the head, the body, a handsome form, an ugly form, a frightful form, many forms, but each different from the other.
Daniel 3:19, “Nebuchadnear (was) full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed = (He became full of fury, the expressions in both his face and body language changed.)
Mark 16:12, “After that He = (Jesus) appeared in another form = (glorified form) unto two to them, = (disciples).”
Form also means the manner of arranging particulars; as in the arranging of particular things such as a form of words or expressions. A Christian’s words and expressions, their thoughts and desires will go through a complete metamorphosis. Our thoughts and words should be toward the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We will dwell upon, long for, and wait for Christ’s second coming. The apostles were molded into Christ’s image, as will we who hold fast to the truth.
2 Timothy 1:13, “Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard from me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.”
Sound words will be sought after by those who have been transformed by the word of God. Your desires will be toward Christ’s work, Christian worship and the knowledge and understanding of the Gospel message.
Genesis 1:25, “God said, let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”
We all have two life histories. Our second life history will be built on either the ruins or blessings of the first. Jesus said, if a person is saved and becomes one of His, that person will be like Him.
The first stage of our development takes place on earth. We grow physically, mentally, gain in knowledge and apply understanding to that knowledge. But that most important thing lacking is spiritual growth. Mans spiritual growth in this life, is that which his second life’s history will be determined.
Upon our death, all that we have accumulated on earth will be turned over to others, either through inheritance, or sale. Nothing physical, no rewards, honors, diplomas, inventions, status symbols, no achievements, nothing physical, or earned will be on your person, nor will it have any determination on your judgment.
The thing that will take place in the transition between the two stages of our personal history is a wonderful transformation, first the flesh, our knowledge, our understanding, our consciences, emotions, and all other senses will pass again into the dust of the ground.
Luke 23:46, Moments before Jesus died, He cried out, “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, He gave up the ghost = (spirit).”
That which will continue into our second history is a spiritual creature that lives in us all. Like Jesus, we shall also give up our ghost upon death. Our spirit shall be a complete representative of who we were in this life. It represents the person we were when death occurred. Our spirits will be without flesh when we leave these physical bodies. It will go to one of two places.
If you are in the family of God, your spirit will assent into the bosom = (care of) Jesus. Upon our resurrection our spirit will be reunited with our renewed physical bodies.
Or, the spirit will be sent to a place call Sheol, also referred to as hell, Hades, grave, the pit, etc. There it will remain until it is reunited with its old body and brought before Jesus, who sits in judgment. From there the judge will say,
Matthew 22:13, “Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
That person will be condemned and sent to a place called the lake of fire. This is referred to as the second death, the final place for the ungodly.
As for me, I prefer to be with Christ and with my Christian brothers and sister. Only a fool will say there is no God.
Phillip LaSpino www.seekfirstwisdom.com