August 22, 2011
“Therefore, if any one be in Christ he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12)
I have always been fascinated with God’s biological wonder of “metamorphosis.” The little caterpillar crawls out onto a small branch, ties itself to a stem and spins itself within a cocoon. Over a period of time, God transforms that worm into a beautiful butterfly. I recently read an article by an electronic design expert on the navigational expertise of the Monarch butterfly. While reading, I was once again caught up in the genius of the Great Architect’s design. The navigational circuits used to guide men to the moon are phenomenal. However, they are nothing compared to the navigation technology found in the tiny brain of the Monarch butterfly. Some Monarchs leave their cocoon and fly over 3000 miles from Nova Scotia, Canada, to Mexico. Their destination is not only the same general area from which their parents came but often to the same tree. Amazing! These creatures can be blown hundreds of miles off course, only to recover and still find their path.
Before the butterfly is ready to leave the cocoon, however, a struggle must occur. The new creature must battle to free itself from its former home. This struggle plays a major role in the butterfly’s ability to fly. Because of this effort, its wings become strong enough to carry the butterfly to its destination. It has to build up its never-before-used strength in order to navigate to its new world. After the struggle, the butterfly pulls itself free from its former home and takes flight. It leaves its small stem far behind and soars to new heights and a new place. What a fascinating miracle!
This is a beautiful illustration of what happens to a sinner who is immersed into a permanent union with Jesus Christ. At the very moment that faith is placed in Christ – unlike the butterfly – the believer becomes a new creation in Christ instantly. Old things are passed away and all things become new. The old life – attached to Adam the first – passes away. The new life of the last Adam takes root. The old temporary life of the first Adam is replaced by the eternal life of the Son of God. The old relationship as children of Satan is exchanged for the Son’s relationship as children of the living God. An old citizenship that connected us to this fallen world becomes the Son’s citizenship that binds us to His new world. The old body that is growing old and destined to perish and die will someday be replaced with a new body like His glorious body. The old fate of eternal separation from God in hell is replaced with the knowledge that we are destined to soar in the clouds meeting Jesus Christ in the air and are to share in His future glory. Wow! What amazing truth!
Our new identity involves a struggle. Like the butterfly, the struggle does not work against us, but it strengthens our spiritual muscles. The struggle begins with an ongoing battle with our sinful nature that is connected to our limited physical bodies – our cocoon. This temporary weight with its constant pressure on us to sin against God becomes an ongoing reminder from whence we have come. The struggle intensifies with the continuous attacks upon us coming from the master of illusion, the devil. He lives in order to ensnare God’s butterflies in his nets of worldly pleasure. He masterfully uses the lure of his world system to continuously bombard us with the desire to drink from the poisonous nectar of its beautiful flowers.
God has not left us defenseless in the spiritual battles in our lives. He has given us the gift of His Holy Spirit to live within us and give us the spiritual muscle to overcome in the daily struggle with our flesh. God has given us the gift of His Word, His manual to help guide us through the maze of Satan’s minefield infested world system. And, finally, He has given us the power of prevailing prayer to negate the power of the evil one’s vicious attacks. Our key to victory in this life is to keep our eyes on the prize of our heavenly goal and off the pain of the earthly entanglements.
Like the majestic Monarch butterfly, one day we will become free from our cocoon and we will fly. Our destination is programmed to be the third heaven, far above this created universe, right into the very presence of God. Our future heavenly home is sure and steadfast. The same creator who guides the butterfly to its final destination will guide us to ours. What an amazing glimpse into God’s invisible domain.