Change We Can Believe In!
In the political arena it has become perhaps the most
common of campaign themes: CHANGE! It is designed to appeal to an
electorate fed up with the state of things (incumbents, national
security, economy, etc.). In its latest iteration, it was proffered
as “Change We Can Believe In!” Frankly, it’s been a long time since
a politician promised something I could believe in and then
delivered on the promise.
In the spiritual realm, however, change has been and
continues to be a biblical theme that offers both instruction and
expectation for the people of God. The multi-faceted references to
change as recorded in scripture are timeless in their application!
Let’s examine a few of those facets.
First is the changeless nature of God. As his
spokesman, the prophet Malachi proclaimed: “For I am the Lord, I
change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed” (3:6). The
context is one of impending judgment upon Israel because of
sorcerers, adulterers, liars, abusive employers, oppressors of
widows and orphans—all of whom collectively had become a national
malignancy (3:5). Although Israel was worthy of being obliterated
from the face of the earth, the Lord’s deep and enduring compassion
for his people precluded such an outcome! Those of us who believe on
the Lord Jesus are afforded the same consolation in that he is “the
same yesterday, and to day, and for ever” (Hebrews 13:8).
The second is a change of garments reflective of a
change in spiritual disposition. The first mention of change in
scripture finds Jacob speaking the following words to his household
and entourage: “Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be
clean, and change your garments” (Genesis 35:2). The context has
Jacob readying them for a journey to Bethel through hostile
territory where he would build an altar unto God. An altar implies
worship, which is inextricably linked to spiritual cleanliness.
The people complied by surrendering their idols and
earrings (35:4). The garments to be changed were no doubt imbedded
with similar idolatrous representations. These garments told a story
to observers about the wearer’s god…and still do to some extent. I
have never believed you can sanctify a man or woman by simply
changing his or her wardrobe, but have always believed that those
with clean hearts will adopt an outward appearance in line with
their worship. God honored their actions in that the cities round
about were fearful to pursue them as they pursued the will of God!
Oh that God would grant such favor to us in our worship and walk!
The third is an avoidance of change. Solomon wrote:
“My son, fear thou the Lord and the king: and meddle not with them
that are given to change” (Proverbs 24:21). In contrast to the fear
one renders to the Lord (King of kings) and the king (his earthly proxy)
is the caution one should exercise with respect to building
relationships. Meddle means “to pledge, exchange pledges, engage.”
It signifies a binding relationship where one individual becomes
surety for another. The NT equivalent of one given to change is the
double-minded man who is unstable in all his ways (James 1:8). We
should avoid the obligatory entwining of our lives with those marked
by spiritual instability. God is not given to change. Nor are kings
who represent him. It is evident that those given to change
lack a solid God connection…and should lack one with us as well.
The fourth is a change of life. Paul wrote: “But we
all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord,
are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the
Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18). Changed is the present
passive of metamorphow, meaning “to change into another form.” It is
used of Christ’s transfiguration where the Shekinah glory shrouded
by flesh was allowed to manifest itself externally. As believers
expose themselves to the truth on a regular basis, and meditate
therein unto obedience, the initial glory implanted at regeneration
becomes increasingly radiant through the passage of time, bringing
the child of God into greater conformity to the image of Christ.
The fifth is a permanent change of state. Again, Paul
declared: “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” (1 Corinthians
15:51-52). The phrase shall be changed is the future passive of the
verb allasso, meaning “to exchange one thing for another, to cause
one thing to cease and another to take its place.” The passive voice
signifies that we will be recipients of a transformation that only
God can perform. In a moment our corruptible bodies shall be made
incorruptible!
In like manner Paul, concerning the Lord Jesus, said:
“Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto
his glorious body” (Philippians 3:21). Changed is the future tense
of metaschematizo, meaning “to change the figure of something.” Our
English word “schematic” derives from this root. At the last trump,
God is going to fit his children with a schematical upgrade on a par
with the resurrected Christ!
We have all learned from
experience that the promise of change, when offered by a politician,
is to be taken with a giant grain of salt. But when the Lord speaks
of change, we do well to open our spiritual ears. His changeless
nature should prompt our humble gratitude, motivate us to change our
garments as appropriate, and exercise caution in the relationships
we build. Moreover, the prospect of progressive transformation from
glory to glory in this life followed by permanent transformation in
the life to come is…well…change we can believe in!
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