It's time for transformation
Were you to be asked, “What is the greatest need of our day?” how would you answer?
A case could be made for many good answers. Perhaps you would take a social approach and call for the feeding, clothing and shelter of many. Maybe an economic angle is more your preference, and you would reallocate the wealth, ensuring all have enough and that all worthwhile projects have the funding they need. The list could go on of worthwhile unmet needs to be remedied: climate, psychological, equality, education, morality.
These answers, while hypothetical, play a significant role in dictating our actions and driving our emotions. When we catch a vision of a world freed from these problems, we plead for and pursue these changes by whatever means possible.
Is research needed? We’ll spend the time.
Advocacy? We’ll raise our voice.
Attention to the issue? We’ll rally the people.
Being convinced, at least to some degree, of the worthiness of these needs, we commit ourselves to the work of transformation. It is on this subject of transformation which I write to you today.
What is the greatest need of our day? Transformation. More specifically, the transformational nature of the Gospel.
Has the Gospel transformed you?
For those who have been born again, our transformation is designed to be our witness:
The rulers, elders, and scribes of the Sanhedrin, including Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, and as many as were of the family of the high priest (quite a guest list), call out this transformation in Peter and John, “Now when they saw the boldness…and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized they had been with Jesus.”
Paul teaches, “Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
Lest we think that this transformation is about our appearance before men, remember, this external transformation is only powerful when it bears witness to a new reality within. A ‘new spirit’ placed inside of us which cannot help but speak of Christ, spring forth purity, and bear good fruit:
“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
“Can both fresh and saltwater flow from the same spring?” James 3:11
“A good tree cannot bear bad fruit and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.” Matthew 7:18
In this way then the transformation is not a work but a gift, and an evidence of having received this gift. Paul describes our receiving of this gift in Colossians as, “joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the saints’ inheritance in the light. In Him we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
Inheritance. Light. Redemption. Forgiveness of sins. Here in two short sentences, Paul gives us already a handful of incredible words to describe this transformation. Open just about any page in the New Testament and you’ll get another handful more. The Christianity the early church demonstrated was not a system of morality, social change, or economic reform - it was a real transformation. A new life.
And it is this transformed new life, springing forth from redemption, that is to be our witness, our evidence of the hope which lives inside of us. This is absolute and pure power. Power over death, darkness, sin - some of the strongest forces which exist in our universe. This is the power living inside of us who have been redeemed.
Transformational power is the fruit of the normal Christian life.
Make no mistake, when we reduce Christianity down to a belief system, a place we attend, a social group or a box we check on a survey, it has no power.
When Christianity looks like social, economic or moral advocacy detached from the transformation of the Gospel, is has no power.
In the plainest of terms, this powerless version of ‘Christianity’ is no different than a CrossFit membership or a set of season tickets to the local sports team. These affiliations provide:
A euphoric, emotional experience when you attend
Inspirational stories from other participants
A system which creates a structure for habits and practices, and when you complete these activities, a temporary sense of satisfaction (i.e…game day coming up on Sunday, let’s get ready…leg day coming up on Sunday, let’s get ready)
And perhaps the most moving of all, a place to belong, a community.
Each of the above bullets feels spiritual, powerful, and in some ways they are. They provide a sense of purpose, some measure of results, a social group - yet they lack the transformational power of the Gospel, and thus they are no replacement for it.
Similar enough to pretend as a substitute, yes. Deceiving many into a complacency of ‘a form of godliness but denying the power,’ yes. Yet lacking in power none the less.
The cause of such watered-down powerlessness can be traced to a single source - a denial of the full truth of the Cross. (After all, is it not Christ, and Him crucified, which is our only message, our only source of hope, power, and life?)
Words such as justification, propitiation, atonement, sanctification and glorification sound little more like religious jargon to most. Questions like, “Why did Jesus have to die? Who killed Him? What does this death truly say about our condition?” are called confusing, deemed to be stirring up unnecessary conflict, or believed to be irrelevant to the real needs of people in our communities.
And with no understanding of the crucifixion, the flesh still reigns. The uncrucified life lacks the fruits of a transformational new life which is hid in Christ - permanent victory, constant joy, unending communion, peace everlasting, and on and on.
Pause for a moment and read that list again. Does this describe your normal Christian life?
These characteristics (some would call them ideals) seem so far-fetched, we’ve stopped believing they are possible. Instead, we make accommodation according to the reality we’re experiencing.
Rather than being united in ‘the likeness of our death…and the likeness of our resurrection,’ we find our common ground in, “Nobody’s perfect, we’re only human, hey, we’ve all made mistakes.” And in doing so, we are, in fact, excusing and exalting a non-transformed lifestyle.
As Paul warns in Romans 13, “Make no provision for the flesh.”
And even more clearly a few chapters previously:
For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be rendered powerless so that we may no longer be enslaved to sin, since a person who has died is freed from sin. (6:6-7)
This Christian life, the one freed from the power of sin, sharing the death and resurrection of Christ, begins to sound quite different than the gym membership example above.
The transformed Christian can now bear witness to a new reality, one previously impossible for them in their own strength:
“So that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him: bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, so that you may have great endurance and patience” Colossians 1:10-13
And as Peter encourages, our normal walk is designed to be one of increasing transformation (sanctification), “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 3:18
What is at stake in all this? Actually, just about everything. Whether it be times of trouble, moments of suffering, or simply flattering words meant to lead astray - many will be deceived and fall away. The remedy and our only hope of faithful endurance - those who have been transformed to know their God.
We just quoted 2 Peter 3:18 above. Go back one verse and you’ll find this qualifier to his encouragement for us to grow in grace and knowledge, “You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked.”
So then, with vigor, will you join me in this normal Christian life? Will you unite with me, not in our failings, but in the likeness of our death and the likeness of our resurrection?
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. 2 Corinthians 3:18
I pray, let us truly be transformed into His image as we grow in our grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
In love,
Derek