From 1978 to 1982, CBS broadcast the series The Incredible Hulk.  Once or twice each episode, actor Lou Ferrigno’s character lost his temper and morphed into an enormous, angry, green hulk of a man. Minutes later, after righting some wrong, he’d morph back into a normal guy, albeit with his clothes tattered from the effects of Hulk’s bulging muscles.

Metamorphosis is a term that many of us learned in school to refer to the physical transformation of animals such as insect larvae and tadpoles. Based on that definition, the imaginary Hulk certainly qualified.

But human metamorphosis is not simply a Hollywood fantasy. It’s actually happening today in spectacular ways. The story of Lucieno’s instantaneous transformation from a suicidal murderer to a joyful follower of Jesus (told in “A Suicidal Hit-Man Walks Into a Church…”) demonstrates the metamorphic power of the gospel.

The apostle Paul actually used the Greek word metamorphoo in Romans 12:2 to urge followers of Jesus to continually be “morphed” into the likeness of Christ. The message of the gospel — that God’s righteousness is freely available by faith — is not for sinners only. It’s also for saints.  What happened to Lucieno is only the beginning of a lifelong series of transformations that take place when we fill our minds with the Word of God — an essential part of being and making disciples. Not all will be as spectacular as Lucieno’s initial transformation, neither will all be flawlessly maintained. Yet the cumulative impact of living out God’s truth in the context of authentic relationships is nothing short of incredible. 

So… how has God’s Word been morphing you lately?