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I. Transformation
А. The result of sanctification
B. A metabolic change
1. Discharging the old element and adding the new
2. By taking in the all-inclusive Spirit
II. The way to be transformed
А. Not conformed but transformed by the renewing of the mind
B. Beholding and reflecting the Lord
In the previous lesson we saw the matter of sanctification, the imparting of the divine life into our entire being. [When life is imparted into us, the result is transformation. It is similar to a chemical reaction caused by one element being added to another. The divine life brought into us through sanctification is a divine chemical element. When this element is imparted into our being, there is a reaction, and that reaction is transformation. Transformation means to change our nature, essence, appearance, tastes, and our whole being. Transformation is not outward change, correction, or adjustment; it is altogether an inward, metabolic change of our being.]
[In the physical body metabolism refers to the processes in cells by which old materials are discharged and new are added. This change, applied to the soul, is called in the New Testament transformation (2 Cor. 3:18; Rom. 12:2). To apply makeup may result in a change in appearance, but it is merely an outward, not a metabolic, change. To have a better skin color because of an improved diet, on the other hand, is the result of a metabolic process. New elements are organically assimilated by the body, replacing the old. Transformation is a change in life, not merely in appearance. The divine element is added to us; this discharges the old human element. This organic change takes place in our soul.]
[Our spirit, then, needs regeneration; our soul, transformation. In all the churches the saints should be concerned about this metabolic change in life through the spreading of the divine Spirit.] [This Spirit is the very essence and element of the Lord Jesus. After you were saved, He began to impart His element into you. Day by day, as you open yourself and give Him opportunity, He will impart His element into you. Doctrines are not the element. Only Christ Himself, the all-inclusive, life-giving Spirit is the element. Such a Christ as the all-inclusive Spirit is imparting Himself into your spirit, and from your spirit into your whole being. He will spread into your heart, mind, emotion, and will. This element of Christ is truly a transforming element. Once this element comes into you, something happens. For example, after mothers feed their children, the food is digested and assimilated by the children. The element of the food enters the children's blood, and then it penetrates their cells and organic tissues, causing them to grow.]
In the same way, [we simply need to open ourselves continually and say to the Lord, "O Lord Jesus! Come in, Lord Jesus! Fill me up, Lord Jesus!" Open yourself and let Christ fill you. If you are faithful to receive Him in a constant and thorough way, He will spread into your inner being. By the proper digestion and assimilation, you will be saturated by all the nourishing elements of Christ.]
Romans 12:2 says, "Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind." [If we are occupied by the things of this age, our mind can never be renewed. This is why many Christians who are really saved cannot understand spiritual things. They have become too modern. We have to give up this modern age. If we are conformed to this age, we can never be transformed by the renewing of the mind.
Since the mind is a part of the soul, it is in the soul that transformation takes place. We have been regenerated in the spirit, but now the problem is the soul....In our spirit we are entirely different from the people of the world, but I am afraid that in our mind, will, and emotion we are still exactly the same. Regeneration has been accomplished in our spirit, but after regeneration, we still need the transformation in the soul.
Let us illustrate this by a few instances. What about our clothing? Many who are saved are just like the people of the world in their thinking about fashion. They dress in conformity to this modern age. They think that as long as it is not sinful, it is quite all right, but this is merely the human thought and the natural concept. If they would be transformed by the renewing of their mind, their thoughts about their manner of dress would change.
And what about our spending? Has the way we use our money been changed? I know the story of many Christians. After they are saved, they continue to use their money in much the same way as those in the world. Not until they love the Lord more and give the Lord more ground to work within them will they be transformed in their way of spending money.
In the same way, there are many young brothers studying in the colleges who have the same thoughts about their studies and their degrees as other worldly young people. But if they would give ground to the Lord and be transformed in the soul by the renewing of their mind, their mind would be changed about these matters. This does not mean that they would give up their studies, but that their thoughts and concepts about their studies would be entirely different. They would have another point of view from which to evaluate their studies and their degrees.
There should be a change in our thoughts towards almost everything. What is this change in our thoughts? It is the transformation of our soul by the renewing of our mind. We have Christ as life within our spirit, but now we need Christ to spread into the inward parts of the soul and saturate them with Himself. This will transform our soul into His very image. The image of Christ will then be reflected in our thoughts. In whatever we think and consider, our renewed mind will express the glorious image of Christ. The understanding of our mind will then be spiritual.]
Second Corinthians 3:18 tells us how we can be transformed: "And we all with unveiled face, beholding and reflecting as a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord Spirit."
[As we behold and reflect as a mirror the glory of the Lord, we are transformed into the Lord's image from one stage of glory to another. When a mirror beholds anything, it reflects what it beholds. But if a mirror is veiled, its face is not open; even if it beholds an object, it cannot reflect it. If we are an open mirror, we will reflect Christ by beholding Him. This is the process of transformation. The Lord is the Spirit transforming us within. Although we are so natural and even sinful, the Spirit transforms our natural image into His glorious image.]
[If we are still veiled in some way, we shall be like a camera with the lens covered. No light will be able to penetrate our inner being. If we want to be unveiled, we need to say to the Lord, "Lord, take away anything that is covering me. Lord, remove my veils. Take away any opinions that are veils to me. Lord, I want to be completely open, absolutely unveiled." Then with an unveiled face we shall behold and reflect the glory of the Lord and be transformed into His image from glory to glory.
Today the glory is the resurrected Christ, and this Christ is the Spirit. This means that the Lord as the glory is the Spirit living in us and dwelling in our spirit. Now that we have the Spirit indwelling our spirit, we need to exercise our spirit more and more by praying, reading the Word, and calling on the name of the Lord. The more we exercise our spirit with an unveiled face, the more we shall behold the Lord. As we are gazing on Him, we shall also reflect Him. While we are beholding and reflecting Him in this way, His element, His essence, will be added into our being. This new element will replace and discharge the element of our old, natural life. Then we shall experience transformation, a metabolic change. We shall be transformed into the Lord's image.]
Transformation is the change or reaction in our being that results from the divine life being imparted into us. This is not just an outward change but a change in life, a metabolic change in our soul. When we open to the Lord, Christ as the Spirit imparts Himself into us as the transforming element. We should not be conformed to this modern age, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind. By beholding and reflecting the Lord with an unveiled face, we will be transformed into His image.
