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Caterpillar Ugly, Butterfly Beautiful PRO
Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008 (message contributor)
Caterpillar Ugly, Butterfly Beautiful
It is a well-known fact that a caterpillar changes into a butterfly. The butterfly can truthfully say as he looks at the caterpillar, "Such was I, but now I am changed."
Every Christian has once been a sinner, living for self and the momentary pleasures of sin and the world. But like the caterpillar, God has done a wonderful work in Christians.
The caterpillar (sinner) knows nothing of the delights of the butterfly (Christian). They must be made into new creatures. The cabbage-loving caterpillar has no capacity for the new-born movements and delights of the butterfly. No more can the carnal nature of man enter into the enjoyment of the things of God without first being born again.
Many caterpillars (sinners) try to mold themselves into the cocoon of a church, church clothes and Christian fellowship hoping to become a butterfly (Christian) by association. Disappointingly, they just stay their same old selves, wrapped up in things that can never regenerate their hearts. Thus they are overcome by self, the world and the temptations of the devil. Their lives are marked by disobedience to God's Word. They bounce from church to church looking to satisfy self. They desire social Christianity and avoid anything that will lead them to true holiness and intimate fellowship with God.
The Bible says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Cor. 5:17)
Having a church membership and clinging to false denominational teachings will not regenerate your heart. You must allow God to take away your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. The Lord desires to put His Holy Spirit in you and move you to follow His decrees and be careful to keep His laws (Ezekiel 36: 26, 27).
Regenerated Christians love God and they find serving Him to be a delight. 1 John 5:3 says, "This is love for God: to obey His commands. And His commands are not burdensome." Christians have the liberty to say "no" to self-centeredness and sin-centeredness. They hunger and thirst for the righteousness of...
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