Transformed from Glory to Glory

As a young girl watching the movie Cinderella, I saw a “plain, yellow pumpkin” become a “golden carriage,” and a “plain country bumpkin” and a prince were “joined in marriage”. And of course, like many little girls, I wanted to be transformed into a princess, too! Naturally that hope faded as I grew up. Instead it appeared that I was destined to become…I had no idea what.

Then in my mid-teens, I began to read the Bible and my self-image began to form in my mind as I took God’s Word to heart. I absorbed the gospels and my desire grew to be a follower of the Lord Jesus, kind, loving, humble, and giving—and very protective of the poor and cast down. But my efforts were thwarted by my own sinful nature.

Even as a born-again believer, I did not learn how I could transform into the woman I desired to be until I read the book of Romans. And here was the answer, written to those who had already received the gift of holy spirit in the new birth (Romans 10:9,10).

Romans 12:2:
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed [metamorphoō] by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

This verse declares that as you renew your mind, a “transformation” is taking place. One of the most beautiful transformations in God’s creation is the metamorphosis of the butterfly. Our friend Debbie has a butterfly habitat on her back porch. Through the netting, we saw tiny eggs, as well as caterpillars emerging and then molting and eventually forming a chrysalis around themselves.

We even watched as a new butterfly broke through the chrysalis to stand shakily on a flower stem. After a few heaves of its little body to pump fluid into the wings and some time to dry off, the butterfly sailed out of the net habitat and off to find flowers to feed on.

I’d like you to notice two things about this process: 1) the creature itself had its own work to do, and 2) God set in nature the resulting transformation from egg to butterfly. We can see that it is the same in our own transformation process.

Look here in Colossians 3 to see the first principle, that I have my own work: 1) to put off my old self, and 2) to put on my new self.

Colossians 3:9,10 [ESV]:
Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices
and have put on the new self, which is being renewed [anakainoō] in knowledge after the image of its creator.

My transformation is brought about as I “put off” worldly thoughts and practices which include lying. I then direct my thinking to “put on” right and true spiritual thoughts, thoughts of God’s Word, “after the image of my Creator,” which is holy spirit (John 6:63).

Here are a few more scriptures detailing what we are responsible to do with our thoughts, the seeds of our words and deeds.

Put on the New Man

Jesus Christ’s life on this earth is THE example to us of how to live a right, true, and holy life. With Christ in us, we have the power to walk by the spirit of the risen Christ that God has created within us.

Romans 13:14:
But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

Galatians 3:27:
For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Ephesians 4:22-24:
That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Colossians 3:10:
And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.

Put on Your Armor

We are lights in a dark world. Put on your armor of light and keep it on so you can stand for God, shining for Him.

Romans 13:12:
The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

Ephesians 6:11:
Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Ephesians 6:14:
Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having [put] on the breastplate of righteousness.

I Thessalonians 5:8:
But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

Put on Charity Above All

And above all, put on the love of God!

Colossians 3:12-14:
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

Transformed from Glory to Glory

Like the butterfly, we are transformed into a new and more glorious image. The butterfly had its work to do: as a caterpillar, it had to eat plenty of green leaves, and form a chrysalis around itself by shedding its skin; as a butterfly, it had to climb out of the chrysalis, expand and dry off its wings, get rid of the meconium (waste accumulated during its time in the chrysalis), clean all its sensory organs so it can find food, and put together its proboscis (drinking tube). Then fly, fly, fly!

And how wonderful is our own transformation as we put on all in the above scriptures, becoming more like Christ, changing into his image by the spirit of the Lord from one degree of glory to another? This is what I had always dreamed of becoming, a glorious daughter of God, shining for Him.

II Corinthians 3:18 [ESV]:
And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed [metamorphoō] into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Every day, every one of us is getting older and our physical bodies will not last forever. But we can take heart knowing that as we continue to put on those things of the spirit including the new man, our armor, and charity, we will continue to be transformed into the glory of the Lord.

II Corinthians 4:16 [ESV]:
So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed [anakainoō] day by day.

Now that’s a glory brighter than any prince or princess could ever imagine. And a transformation that is worth more than any earthly treasure!