We are a New Creation - Just like a Butterfly!
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come (2 Cor 5:17)!
As I was conversing with a friend, it came up that butterflies are not in the Bible. I had to agree they were not, yet I still saw them as a spiritual symbol for new creation and spiritual growth. In children’s ministry we used the life cycle of the caterpillar changing to the butterfly as an explanation of 2 Corinthians 5:17 along with the discussion of salvation (John 3) and baptism (Rom 6:3-5). It symbolizes transition from the old life to a new life – something beautiful coming from a simple bug.
In John 3, Jesus discusses the concept of being born again – spiritual birth, the idea that a transformation takes place in our inner spirits (our “hearts”) upon salvation. As Christians, we all agree that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, was buried in the tomb, and came back to life (resurrection) to ascend into Heaven and now sits at the right hand of His father, God. Jesus now continually intercedes on our behalf as we pray. Once we have repented of our sins and asked Jesus to be the Lord of our lives, we then follow through with the act of baptism (Acts 2:38, Rom 6:3-5). Baptism is a prophetic act where we identify with the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. A way to testify before others that we are now saved and follow Christ. As we go under the water, we are identifying with Jesus’ death on the cross and burial. Thank God, the pastor or ministry leader who does the baptism does not keep the person under water until they die; but raises them up out of the water just as Jesus was resurrected in victory. So we too now live in victory with Christ! We are now a new creature – the old life of sin is gone and we now are reborn as a young spiritual baby ready to grow spiritually to be a mature Christian one day! Just as the butterfly no longer crawls around, but now flies – we too now must practice a new way of living life – soaring with Jesus like an Eagle on the winds! We learn to trust Jesus, obey His Word and walk in the ways of the Holy Spirit that now resides in us as Christians. We are a member of the Body of Christ, the new Kingdom of God! “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom 14:17)!
So this summer as we all enjoy God’s creation around us, may we remember that we are like the Butterflies, a new creation living according to God’s kingdom. May we be a source of inspiration and encouragement to others and not get bogged down in divisive issues of this world…”For God so loved the World, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him (John 3:16 -17).”