Are you a Chameleon or a Caterpillar?

-Introduction

-Book of Romans - Paul, rather extensively, demonstrates that:

            -all (Jews and Gentiles) have sinned (Rom. 3:23) and therefore need a Savior

            -salvation ultimately comes through God’s system of faith (the Gospel) rather

             than the Law of Moses

            -God’s offer of salvation through Christ is for all (Jews and Gentiles)

-After reflecting upon the overwhelming nature of God’s power, wisdom and knowledge,

 Paul turns his attention to exhortations and practical applications.

-Notice the first instructions from Paul in this section of Romans - Romans 12:1-2.

-From these verses I ask the question:  “Are you a Chameleon or a Caterpillar?”

-Chameleon (conformed)

-“conformed” - Comes from Greek word which is composed of a preposition (sun) which

  denotes union and a root word (schema) which means “a figure, fashion” (Vine’s).

-Simply put, we are not to be chameleons - those who blend in with the world. 

            -James 4:4, 1 John 2:15-17 

-Are we living our lives in a way that tries to please man or tries to please God?

            -Gal. 1:10

            -The concept of “trying to please man” and/or “trying to fit in” has plagued God’s

             people and has led them to become chameleons.  We must be guard against allowing

             that to happen in our lives.

-God’s Requires That We Be Different

-We live in the world but we are not to be of the world - Phil. 2:15.

-We are to be different.

            -2 Cor. 6:14-18

                        -vs 14 - “unequally yoked” - Contains the word “heteros” = of a different kind.

                                                  “Don’t be joined, yoked, coupled to a different kind.”

                        -vs 17 - Isa 52:11 - emphasis on “Depart, depart” - That should be our approach

                                                  in our efforts to be separated from the ways of the world.

                        -vs 17 - be separate - Greek word means to “set off by boundary” (Vine’s).  We

                                                  should set a boundary between us and the ways of the world.  Then, we

                                            should stay away from the boundary.

-God does not want us to be chameleons.

-Caterpillars - “transformed”

-The Greek word translated as “transformed” is the word from which we get “metamorphosis”

- process of complete change, i.e. caterpillar to butterfly.

-This is the type of process we are to undergo as Christians.  It is a process - a process we

 need to be actively involved in.

            -2 Cor. 7:1 - “bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God”

                        -We understand that we cannot be completely holy on our own.  Yet, we are very

                          quick to point this fact out, and in doing so, might miss the overall point - We,

                          as faithful Christians, should have the ongoing desire to be holy before God. 

                          Why? - Because we live in the fear of (awe/reverence of) God.

-Eph. 4:22-24

-Just as a caterpillar changes into a butterfly, we want to make a complete change from a

 person who was separated from God to the person who is one of His children.

-Then, we must continue in that change - we must live faithfully.

            -Col. 1:21-23

            -We need to realize, that unlike physical metamorphosis, spiritual metamorphosis

             can be reversed.

                        -Heb. 10:36-39

                        -Col. 4:14, Philem. 24 - 2 Tim. 4:10  -  Went from transformed to conformed.

                        -1 Tim. 1:19b-20

-Heb. 6:4-6 (see vs 9-11 - So, let’s present our bodies a living sacrifice)

-Summary and Invitation

-A person will either be a chameleon and blend into (conform to) the world.  Or, a person

 will be a caterpillar that undergoes metamorphosis (transformed).

-Which are you? 

-If you’re a chameleon, why not be a caterpillar?  Why not begin your metamorphosis

 with obedience to the Gospel?  Believe in Jesus (John 3:16, 8:24), Confess your faith

 (Matt. 10:32, Rom. 10:9-10), Repent of sin (Luke 13:3,5; Acts 17:30), Be Baptized into

 Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38)

-Following obedience to the Gospel, we are to walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:4) -

 continuing the process of metamorphosis (Eph. 4:22-24).  If you’ve obeyed the Gospel

 but have begun to blend back into the world (departing from faithfulness), come back to

 God - confess your shortcomings, repent and seek forgiveness through prayer (1 John