The English words “be ye transformed” are from a very fun Greek word – “metamorphoo” (met-am-or-fo’-o). I believe that I’ve told you before, but when I was a child I was in love with Entomology. I caught, killed and collected bugs of every variety. I even enjoyed studying them. Of course, when I first started, it was about moths and butterflies. – the Lepidoptera. After all, they couldn’t retaliate the way that some of the bees, wasps and some of the crawling insects could. Even though it is true of many insects, it was most spectacular to see them metamorphose from caterpillars into butterflies. They would begin as an egg, then come out of that egg and crawl around as a worm-like creature until they got too big for themselves, when they would build a cocoon, inside of which they would change into their beautiful adult form. My 10-year-old opinion hasn’t changed – the whole process is fascinating. And now that I know even better, it certainly brings glory to the Creator.
The process of bringing that larva, or caterpillar, into adulthood has been called metamorphosis. And it comes from the Greek word which Paul used in this verse. Following the same logic and definition, Christians are supposed to mature and develop from ugly worms – God’s ugly worms – into creatures of magnificence and beauty. Of course, unconverted worms – the worms of Satan – will never be anything more than worms. But the caterpillars of God are completely different and are expected to be transformed. Worms are creatures of the dirt, the world; some of them eat refuse and other disgusting things. But that is not what the Lord wants of us; He wants us to metamorphose into beautiful Heavenly creatures.
This word “metamorphoo” (met-am-or-fo’-o) is used in the Bible only four times. Two times the word describes one thing and then on the other occasions something else. This afternoon, I would like to examine those two ideas and then to bring them together. Hopefully in doing that we’ll be able to understand what Paul is exhorting us to do here in this verse.
The word translated “transfigured” is “metamorphoo” (met-am-or-fo’-o), just as we find it in Romans 12:2. And what was it that took place on Mount Hermon? Despite being shrouded in great mystery, it is simple enough for us to touch the hem of this garment. For reasons which we will likely never be given, the Father sent two heavenly ambassadors to speak with Christ Jesus about His up-coming death. I can’t believe that there was information that the Lord lacked about the crucifixion. And I doubt that He needed to be encouraged, although humanly-speaking perhaps that is something. I don’t know if this meeting was for Jesus’ benefit, Moses and Elijah’s benefit or for the disciples. But what I do know is that the Lord’s appearance was radically changed. Matthew says that “his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.” Mark says that “his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow,; so as no fuller con earth can white them.” And Luke says “the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.” Apparently, the Lord once again enjoyed the glory that He had with the Father before His incarnation. While in human flesh, the true nature of the Lord Jesus was veiled. Perhaps only once during His 33 years on earth was that glory permitted to shine through. And three living men were permitted to see it.
What is it to be transfigured? Was the Lord changed into a different person? No, He was not. Was his appearance changed to the point that He was no longer recognizable? I don’t think so, even though the three disciples were probably not able to look directly at Him. In Hebrews 1:3 while he was speaking about Christ Jesus, Paul said of Him, “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.” Obviously, by nature, Christ Jesus carries the brightness of the eternal and glorious God. When Moses went up on Mt. Sinai to receive the Law, he spent time in the presence of the Son of God, and when he came down the glory of the Lord so filled changed him that people couldn’t look at his face. He had to wear a veil in order to speak to them. And when Saul of Tarsus neared the city of Damascus, he saw and spoke with the risen, glorified Christ. Remember that Saul was temporarily blinded by that visit, and apparently he had eye trouble for the rest of his life. What took place at the Transfiguration was that the glory of the eternal Son of God, was permitted to radiate out so that the top of that mountain was illuminated by the light of Heaven itself – Christ Jesus. He was the same person, but the expression of that person was something that the disciples hadn’t seen before.
It is also interesting to notice that the three gospel writers noticed that the transfiguration of Christ meant a transfiguration of His clothing as well. John Gill says that His clothes “were white as the light. Mark says, white as snow, so as no fuller on earth could whiten them. The word “fuller” means one who dresses cloth, or fulls it, so as to make it more thick and strong. Here it means one who bleaches cloth, or makes it white; one who cleanses garments, when by wearing they become soiled. Among the Greeks, that was a distinct trade. Luke says, white and glistering; that is, resplendent, shining, or a very bright white. There is no evidence here that what is commonly said of him is true, that his body was so changed as to show what his glorified body is. His body, so far as the sacred writers inform us, underwent no change. All this splendour and glory was a change in appearance only. The Scriptures should be taken just as they are, without any attempt to affix a meaning to them which the sacred writers did not intend.”
I think that we have the authority of God, to learn a little about our required transfiguration, from what we can understand about the Lord Jesus’ transfiguration. Then taking that thought in a different direction …
But here is the thing – Jesus’ transfiguration was from one glory into another glory. And at the rapture – at the translation of the saints – we are going to be glorified. I Corinthians 15 – “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be CHANGED, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be CHANGED. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.”
Are you going to be a different person in Heaven than you are today? Not at all. You will be the same person – only glorified. There is plenty of evidence to suggest that we will recognize each other once we get to the other side. I may get to throw away my glasses, but can’t you still recognize me without these spectacles? The Lord may ask me to shave my beard, or perhaps to let it grow out, but I’ll still be the same person. I will have been glorified, perfected, completed and perhaps shined and polished. But I will still be the same person, just as I am the same person that I was before the Lord saved me.
Philippians 3:21 is another related verse. Brethren, “our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall CHANGE our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.” At the translation, the Lord will give us a glorious make-over, but we will be the same saints still.
Do these scriptures have anything to do with Romans 12:2?
What does verse 18 say? It says that Christians with unveiled faces, looking into the Word of God, or the gospel of Christ, (which mirrors the glory of the Lord) are metamorphosed into that same kind of glory through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. This takes us back to Paul’s exhortations in Romans.
The true non-conformist in this world today, is the child of God, who is becoming more and more Christ-like. Through his constant reading of God’s Word, and through his hearing the teaching and preaching of the Word of God, he is metamorphosing into a creature of another world. It’s not necessarily something of which he is consciously aware, just as Moses was not aware that his face shone like the Sun, until people started shading their eyes and hiding their faces. The Christian is supposed to be someone whose mind is being renewed to match his regenerated heart. And when these two elements of our natures are synchronized, there will be genuine outward changes in our lives. They will not be conformed to the world of lost men and governed by Satan. Their vocabulary will be changed, their habits, their hobbies and entertainments will change. Will it happen over-night? In some cases and in some ways, yes, it will. The vast majority of sins, should be and could be cut off like the closing of a book or the flipping of a light switch. But in other ways, the changes will be slower. Take our clothing as an example. Not very many people have the ability to go to the store, even the thrift store and walk away with a completely new wardrobe. Maybe a new skirt, shirt or dress this week, and another next week, until the closet is transformed. And perhaps it may take a while to transform our vocabulary, our circle of friends, our theology, and how we use our spare time. But whether immediate or slow, it is our duty to seek this transformation, and to expect it.
That we may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. The word “prove” is what a metallurgist might use when talking about the quality of a piece of steel. When we are transformed, we are in a position to know, test and carry out the will of God.
Let me close with Adoniram Judson and Luther Rice once again. Both men, earnestly desired to know the will of God and how to serve the Lord as He directed. They grew up conformed to the religious world of their day and place – the Congregational church. But they had both been saved by the grace of God, and as I say, they desired to serve God. Filling themselves with the Word of God, and humbling themselves before the Lord, their minds and hearts were transformed from a certain variety of heresy to the truth. When they came to understand that infant sprinkling was not baptism, they chose the truth and put it to the test. Then from there more and more of the perfect and acceptable will of God became plain to each of them. And that will meant that they would no longer serve side by side, but on the opposite sides of the world, yet both doing the same great work.
Oh, how this sin-sick world needs more Judsons and Rices. This world, and even the churches of Christ, need saints who refuse to be conformed to the world. We need to see men and women transformed; we need to be transformed. These are the people who get the perfect will of God accomplished. These are the people who glorify their Saviour.