What does it mean to be transformed into the image of Christ? This can be a puzzling question. It does not mean that we become alike—in human terms, that we become a physical reproduction of Jesus, but it focuses on our spiritual nature.I think of the Spanish celebration of Quinceanera. This is a celebration in the change of life, from a child to an adult. We might think of this transformation into the image of Christ as Paul said, “When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things” (1 Corinthians 13:11).Quinceanera is MORE than just an party—it’s a declaration of intent. A young girl is saying “I want to become an adult.” Over the years, I’ve known people who have NEVER made that decision. They have never decided to grow up. They party… they drink… they play games all the time. They EXIST, but they don’t really do anything with their lives.To be transformed into the image of Christ is they you have declared you want to be like Jesus Christ. It is to desire to have a life filled with God’s goodness, love, kindness—to be like Christ. Being transformed into Christ’s image is to become God’s “workmanship.” As Paul stated: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).Paul speaks of this transformation in Romans when he says, “I appeal to you brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be CONFORMED to this world, but be TRANSFORMED by the renewal of your mind, that you might test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Rom. 12:1-2).We get two important points from this passage: First, we are not to be CONFORMED to this world. That means we don’t fit in because our lives reflect God’s values and morality. Second, we are to be TRANSFORMED by the renewal of your mind. That means you have made a decision to live this way—to be this way! You’ve decided to live God’s way—not the way of this world.Someone once said that a caterpillar is perhaps the most confused creature on earth, because ...
