The Metamorphosis
We, too, are changed into new creatures through faith in Christ.
Butterflies are beautiful creatures. From the design on their wings to all the colors they display, they are spectacular. Before any butterfly can be a magnificent creature, however, it must begin its life as a caterpillar, which is quite ugly.
Caterpillars transform into butterflies through a process called metamorphosis. Their old nature passes away, and they turn into a completely new creature. Just as caterpillars are changed into butterflies, we, too, are changed into new creatures through faith in Christ. We transform from ugly sinners to beautiful saints.
Read 2 Corinthians 5:16-17
What does it mean to "regard no one according to the flesh"? (It means that we don't think of someone from the world's point of view, but rather, from Christ's point of view.)
What are we "in Christ"? (We are new creations with new identity rooted in him.)
What has passed away "in Christ"? (Our old identity apart from Christ.)
Prayer
Have everyone in your family memorize 2 Corinthians 5:16-17.
II Corinthians 5:16-17 NKJV
16 Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Ok.. I want to take this farther than the author of this guide did.. if the scripture was read just a little bit more it kind of self explains itself.
ReplyDelete2 Corr 5:16-19 NLT
16So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now!
17This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
18And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him.
19For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.
Remember anyone can chime in anytime..