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Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2Corinthians 5:17 If you have surrendered your life to the Lord Jesus Christ, as all seven tenets of the home page proclaim, then you are a New Creation! The Bible gives understanding of Why being forgiven by God through His Atonement makes you a New Creation.
The Caterpillar changed to the Butterfly represents God's change of your life. A caterpillar is born from an egg. It is physically, singularly constructed as a caterpillar. During it's lifetime, it is physically reconstructed to be totally different than it was when it began. The photo shows the chrysalis out from which the butterfly came. The transformation process occurs at the chrysalis stage, when a caterpillar forms itself into an exoskeleton or chrysalis. While from the outside it appears as if the caterpillar is just resting, the opposite is true - the caterpillar is rapidly changing. Within the paper shell, the old body parts of the caterpillar are undergoing metamorphosis to become a beautiful butterfly. All the tissues, limbs and organs of a caterpillar change completely by the time the butterfly emerges to the final stage of a butterfly’s life. Jesus, likewise, changes a person from darkness to light, from the power of satan to the power of God, changing us from being His enemy to His beloved children. "Then I asked, 'Who are you, Lord?' " 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,' the Lord replied. 'Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I will show you. I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.' Acts 26:15-18Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now He has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation— if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant. Colossians 1:21-23
You are a new creation: Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again....unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to the flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. John 3:3,5-6 Imagine a glass bowl containing a Caterpillar walking on leaves, dirt and pine needles. What does this creature use to move around? Legs, feet and it crawls What does it eat? Leaves and plants Where does it go? It climbs on trees, along the dirt of the ground,… What does it see? Just in front of itself. The ground, the dirt,… not far ahead,
Now when the caterpillar is changed, What does it change into? A Butterfly! What does a butterfly use to move? Its wings. It's legs. It flies. It moves with the wind, soars in the air, and floats. What does it eat? Nectar from flowers Where does it go? On trees, flowers, bushes, and it blows with the wind.... What does it see? It has a heavenly perspective, or viewpoint. It sees where it has been, it can see ahead, it can see far beyond itself, it can see from high above, and touch down to have an effect on what is below. It sees many more things, having "greater wisdom" with God's Eye's view.
Every person who has been invited God into their heart, confessed and repented of their sins to the God Almighty and surrendered their life to the Lord Jesus Christ is internally and eternally changed by God. Each person has moved from being a caterpillar to being transformed into a Butterfly, figuratively speaking. God did the changing of each of those persons, lest no man boast. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:8-10, Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His Name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. John 1:12-13
Each person who has been transformed into God's child is to live in obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ, for this is Love to God. (1 John 5:3) As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Now remain in My love. If you obey My commands, you will remain in My love, just as I have obeyed My Father's commands and remain in His love. I have told you this so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. John 15:1-17 No longer are we to live for ourselves, for that would harm us because of our earthly ignorance and because of our disobedience to God. Instead we are to live in gratitude for God and allow Him to live through us. That is represented by the life of a butterfly in comparison to a life as a caterpillar. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism. Col 3:23-25, 1 Corinthians 10:31 ~The Holy Spirit in the Believer, ~Righteous Life , ~Come to Me, ~Cast your Cares , ~Abiding in Christ What would happen if the butterfly decided to live like it used to, before it was changed? To live its old life again? For example, what if some of its old caterpillar friends called down to it saying, come on, be with us, spend time with us, live like us, don't bother with the good and lofty things …. What would happen to the butterfly? Its wings would get soiled. It's wings would break and tear and he would be unable to fly again. He would get discouraged and depressed that he wasn't living the life which he was created for. Would he still be a butterfly? Yes, but he would be incredibly sad, unfulfilled, and lonely by living out of the Presence of God. That is why we are not to live lives of our old sinful nature. Instead we are to be live lives spirit filled, moving in the Spirit of God's Wind, Breath. (John 3) We are not to live in our old patterns, the ones we used to live before we gave our sin to Jesus Christ and were filled with His Holy Spirit. We are not to live a life of lying and sinning. Since we are a new creatures, we are to live the lives according to our New Nature!! Therefore,
I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living
sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do
not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the
renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will
is— His good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans
12:1-2
Read Ephesians 1-5:21
Carefully and/ or listen to the teaching o
What kind of Father is God? - Unlike any other Father, God is a FAR Better Father! - Perfect! As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My Ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:9 Father's Letter Get Growing with God! Fertile Soil More Help (Butterfly Information: Monarch butterfly , Monemerg , thebutterflysite , milkweedcafephotos, metamorphosis )
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