Bible Study Course: Lesson 9 - The Transforming Power of God's Spirit
Introduction
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing
of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what
is good and acceptable and perfect." —The apostle Paul (Romans
12:2, New Revised Standard Version)
Few creatures can rival the beauty of the monarch butterfly. Its stunning
oranges and black are an astounding sight, a delight to the eye.
But the monarch doesn’t start out that way. Before it reaches maturity
it must undergo a series of remarkable transformations. Starting as a half-millimeter
egg, the butterfly-to-be grows inside the egg for several days before it reaches
the larval stage, when it begins a time as a bright-yellow-green striped caterpillar.
In this stage it repeatedly molts, adding a new skin and shedding the old
so it can continue to grow. It is then ready for the next stage of its life
as a chrysalis, or pupa.
In this stage the caterpillar hangs upside down, usually from a twig or branch,
and encases itself in a protective cocoon. Here, over about 10 to 14 days,
it undergoes yet another amazing transformation. At the end of this stage
its protective shell becomes transparent, and a majestic adult monarch butterfly
emerges.
Its metamorphosis complete, the butterfly starts its new life. The new creature
is vastly different from what we saw before. As it matured it changed in many
ways. It transformed into something far different. Its end result is far different
from its beginning.
Scripture tells us that we, too, need to undergo a transformation—a
change, with God’s help, from "the old man" to "the new
man," a human being "renewed in knowledge" and "created
according to God, in true righteousness and holiness" (Colossians 3:9-10;
Ephesians 4:22-24).
In this lesson we discuss this remarkable change, made possible by the transforming
power of God’s Spirit.
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