AUPC - Newsletter - February 2021 (2)

10
TRANSFORMATION
Finny Thomas
Kottarakkara
The prime reason I chose ‘transformation’
as the title is that it is
not just an indicator of change but
the word transformation, more specifically,
suggests a process which
results in something new. With this
article I would be focusing on the
transformation in a person’s life as a
believer.
Taking an example of transformation
from The Bible, the Old Testament
speaks of a law ‘An eye for an eye’
in quite an evident manner. However,
in the New Testament Jesus could
not emphasize more on the aspect
of love and loving each other. Jesus
stated it very clearly through his
teachings such as “Love thy neighbor
as thyself” (Mark 12:31). The Bible
contains a whole lot of stories of
transformation such as Moses being
one of the oppressors transforming
into the leader of the oppressed.
Similar is the story of Apostle Paul,
who was a man with great authority
and a warrior against God, but then
transformed into a warrior for God.
Transformation is applicable in our
daily lives as well. Our reactions,
words and actions should be in alignment
with The Word of God and
must be quite different from that
of any other person. I wonder how
we would react to situations such as
dealing with a seller demanding a
much higher price for commodities
or loan to a friend turning into bad
debt. These surely are some very
common incidents from our daily
lives and it is easy to loose temper in
such situations.
Now taking such a scenario into a
believer’s perspective, Jesus has
set the standards really high for tolerance
and not sinning. It is quite
amazing to see that Jesus never
cursed his betrayer Judas. I cannot
imagine the time and effort Jesus
might have put into mentoring and
teaching Judas as a disciple and
when betrayed by the same person,
did not show a hint of anger towards
Judas. Another incident that showed
Jesus in his pure and Godly character
is when Jesus prayed for his oppressors
on the cross.
Transformation is not an easy process,
and having seen how Jesus
dealt with situations in his lifetime
on Earth, it is even more difficult
to transform and be just like Jesus.
How could someone transform and
live a life without sin, especially in
the current world situation? Well, I
have good news for you. The transformation
has already happened. All
it needs is to realize the truth as it is
said in The Bible, ‘truth shall set you
free’. We are free in literal terms,
free and transformed. It is just a
matter of seeing this world and living
life with this transformed mind. I
do not expect this article to be your
new revelation, but I guess it would
be more like an unsaid truth. Everyone
knows it, but no one talks about
it.
When Jesus was slain on the cross
and his blood shed for the cleansing
of our sins, we were transformed.
Any sin after this transformation in
literal sense is a deliberately committed
sin. The day one accepts the
truth that Christ is their savior, and
that He is The Son of God who came
down on earth in human form, lived,
ministered, and was crucified for the
reason of cleansing you and I from
our sins, he/she has transformed
and are therefore, without sin.
Hence, sin is not a part of you but
rather an option.
I would like you to ask yourself this
question today, have you accepted
Christ as your savior? Are you transformed?
The day you have a ‘Yes’
for both these questions, you would
be the most blessed individual on
Earth.
Publication of Australian United Pentecostal Churches