Spiritual Metamorphosis

When a person who has reached the age of accountability sins by breaking God's laws, he or she enters into a sad and tragic condition. The sinner is described in the Bible as being in spiritual darkness (Ephesians 5:8). He is like a pig wallowing in muck and mire, or a sick dog (2 Peter 2:22). He is spiritually blind (Romans 2:19). He is like a lost sheep (Luke 15:4). He is like a captive caught in a trap (2 Timothy 2:26). He is like a slave serving a master (Romans 6:16). He is like a sick person who has a disease (1 Corinthians 11:30). It's as if he is asleep or even dead (1 Thessalonians 5:6; Colossians 2:13).

These thoughts of a person under the influence of sin and Satan are not pretty. If a person chooses to live his life doing bad things, and rejects God's will for his life, he will spend the afterlife in torment away from God (Matthew 23:33).

So what should we do? What can people do to avoid being spiritually sick, lost, enslaved, asleep, or dead? What must the sinner do to regain a right relationship with God? Answer: A transformation must take place—a spiritual metamorphosis. This change begins when the non-Christian hears the Word of God. Hearing of God's great love for every person, the sinner can choose to obey the gospel plan of salvation in order to be transformed by the blood of Christ into a New Testament Christian. To obey the Gospel, one must believe, repent of sin, confess Christ, and be immersed in water for the remission of sins. As Paul explained to the Colossians: "He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins" (1:13-14).

That spiritual metamorphosis then proceeds as the Christian daily makes the effort to become more like Christ. As Paul reminded the Romans: "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed (from the Greek word, metamorpousthe) by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God" (12:2). How's your spiritual metamorphosis coming?

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