Metamorphosis

 “. . . Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new . . .” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Recalling a slow-motion video I watched many years ago, I can still visualize that ugly caterpillar crawling on a leaf. It was doing what its Creator made it to do: hang upside down and engulf itself with a chrysalis (cocoon) and wait. At the appointed time, it struggled in its wrappings and broke free as a new creation, a beautiful butterfly.

The Bible says that all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory, unable to righteously live according to His standards on our own (Romans 3:23). Our ugly sin separated us from Holy God, who loves us. But the good news is God sent His only Son, Jesus, to pay the price for our sin, a debt we could never pay ourselves (John 3:16–17), supplying the way to live according to His standards. When we receive what Jesus did for us, His blood cleanses us from all our sin, and God wraps us in His righteousness.

Unlike the butterfly, for us, there is no waiting time or struggle to free us from wrappings for the metamorphosis; we are at once a new creation: “Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold all things are become new” (v. 17). This transformation ushers us into God’s family as the Holy Spirit takes up residence within us. Unlike the butterfly that lives only a short while, we have eternal life with our Father.

Our changed life is a gift from God, who brought us back to Himself through the blood of His Son’s sacrifice. As a new creation, He gives us the task as His ambassador to tell others how they can be right with God through Christ. Ambassadorship is a lifetime assignment, ending when He calls us home.