Page 18 - MyFaith June 2016 - WEB

OPINION
The definition of transformation (noun) is the act
or process of transforming, the state of being
transformed, and also a change in form, appear-
ance, nature, or character. In essence transfor-
mation speaks about a continuing and continual
process. The reason I am bringing this up is that
a principal character trait of all humans is pre-
cisely this! It seems to be an essential ingredient
of our DNA right from the day of our creation. And
since we are called the crown of God’s creation,
it stands to reason that the environment we are
living in is also subject to this process. In order for No matter where we find ourselves, on the right
us to fully experience the presence of God, and
to fully appreciate our relationship with Him, we
also need to be fully aware of the “process of life.”
We find the principle of transformation in the very
first instruction we receive from God; he places
us in the environment He created and in the at-
mosphere of His Spirit, and then says, “Be fruitful
and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue
it. Rule...” (Genesis 1:28a). Without bringing about
change, and without transforming something ba-
sic into something else it is impossible to be fruit-
ful, to fill, to subdue or to rule. God later confirms
this with the instruction, “I am the Lord your God;
consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am
holy” (Leviticus 11:44). Consecration and the pro-
cess of becoming holy is also referred to in Scrip-
ture as sanctification, a key ingredient of our walk
with the Lord.
God gave the same instruction to Cain when
He said, “Why are you angry? Why is your face
downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be
accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin
is crouching at your door; it desires to have you,
but you must rule over it” (Genesis4:6-7). Some
18 | JUNE 2016
By Waldo Malan
translations put it as “you must master sin.” In the
mastering of anything, a process is implicit - one
cannot become a master at anything without the
process of failing and trying again, and the pro-
cess of becoming better at something. Implicit in
God’s instruction is also His grace - the grace of
forgiving our mistakes and the grace to strength-
en us to do better than before in order for Him to
get the glory. So, in a sense, transformation and
grace are inextricably linked!
or wrong side of the track, the process will al-
ways follow us. Look at the process of moving
away from God and forsaking a right relation-
ship with Him: “Blessed is the one who does not
walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way
that sinners take or sit in the company of mock-
ers...” (Psalms 1:1). The process of “falling away”
is simple - walking, then standing, and lastly sit-
ting. Walking may be likened to “flirting with
danger,” standing to seriously starting to consider
the flirtations, and lastly sitting, and indication of well - while forgiveness is instantaneous and
comfort and acceptance. Jesus speaks about the
same process when He warns His disciples, “Walk
while you have the Light [keep on living by it], so
that darkness will not overtake you” ( John 12:35).
While one is walking in step with the Light all is
fine’ however, when one stands still, or even sit
down, darkness will overtake and overcome one!
Paul writes to the New Testament churches and
encourages a walk of transformation, and a life-
style focused on having one’s human nature
changed into that of Christ. Yes, he was encour-
aging sanctification! To the church at Corinth he
writes, “And we all, with unveiled face, continu-
ally seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are
progressively being transformed into His image
from [one degree of] glory to [even more] glory,
which comes from the Lord, [who is] the Spirit”
(2 Corinthians 3:18), while he encourages the
Christians in Rome, “And do not be conformed to
this world [any longer with its superficial values
and customs], but be transformed and progres-
sively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the
renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values
and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for
yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is
good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and
purpose for you]” (Romans 12:1).
With the exception, I suppose, of a total miracle,
it is impossible for us to experience instantaneous
results in any situation. Thus we cannot simply
“fall into” sin, or for that matter, “fall out of sin,”
but rather we are subject to the process that goes
with that. Falling into sin is a gradual process from
flirting in thought, to considering in thought, and
then sitting in an action. The opposite is true as
immediate, we often still have to deal with the
consequences of whatever it is we were forgiven
from. And so our entire existence is a process of
getting to know God. The amazing thing is this -
even after we depart earth and enter eternity for
the final time, this process continues. Jesus de-
fines “eternal life” simply as the process of getting
to know God ( John 17:3). And since God has no
beginning or end, the process of our existence,
and the accompanying transformation of our-
selves is equally without end. Once we accept this
as the foundation of our relationship with God,
that union becomes richer and more fulfilling, and
the distractions of this world become infinitely
less tempting! Viva la transformation!
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