My brother-in-law has a great gift for restoring classic cars. He can look at a non-operational eye sore and recognize the potential beauty waiting to be revealed. Restoration starts by taking the car apart piece by piece, removing the body from the frame. Every part has to be rebuilt, restored, or replaced with something new. The frame and body are stripped down to bare metal so that any rust or damage can be repaired. The engine, brakes, suspension, transmission, and electrical systems are rebuilt. The car is repainted, color sanded, and polished. Missing trim and gauges are replaced, new windows are installed, and seats are re-upholstered. Restored to its former glory, the car is transformed. It runs beautifully and shines like the day it rolled off the assembly line!
Webster’s Dictionary defines the word restoration as the act of restoring, bringing back to a former condition, or restoring to an unimpaired state.
The word transformation is defined as a change in form, appearance, nature, or character.
In the car business, restoration is the process of changing the mechanical, interior and exterior of the car so that it will look and function the way that it was designed to—the result of which is a transformation in the nature and appearance of the vehicle.
And while people aren’t old cars, we do share a similar need. With the fall of mankind in the Garden of Eden, we lost the perfection our two earliest ancestors once knew. We ourselves are in need of restoration that can transform us back into the people our Designer created us to be.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2, NIV
The Greek word for transformed is metamorphoo which means to change into another form or to be transfigured. This same word is used in Matthew 17:2 and Mark 9:2 to describe how Peter, James, and John witnessed the transfiguration of Jesus, but it is also used in 2 Corinthians to declare how Christians are changed to be like Christ.
But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2Cor 3:16-18, NIV
The Greek word for renewing is anakainosiss, which means renewal, regeneration, or complete change. This word it also used in the book of Titus to illustrate how this transformation occurs through the Holy Spirit when we turn to Jesus Christ for salvation.
But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:4-7, NIV
Rather than leaving the fallen world to its own devices, God himself went into the restoration business. But instead of cars, he transforms people, bringing them back to “factory specifications” as it were.
On the inside, God removes the curse of sin over our lives so that we can face the future without the fear of death. He gives us new perspective and the ability to see things as they really are. He grants us peace, patience, and self-control. Our outward actions toward others reflect these internal changes. We have a greater capacity to love and forgive just has Christ has loved and forgiven us. We are transformed in nature and character to reflect the image of Jesus, and the evidence of this restorative work is a witness to the power of God to change lives.
One of the most famous transformations is seen in the life of Saul (later known as the Apostle Paul), who encountered God while on his way to Damascus to persecute Christians. His salvation and subsequent life-change stunned those who knew him. The account of his story can be found starting in Acts chapter 9. I write about Paul’s story here, Saul and the Provision of Sight, and here, Boldness Under Fire.
Other extraordinary transformations include that of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic athlete who later became a prisoner of war during World War II. His new faith in Jesus Christ enabled him to return to Japan after the war to meet with and forgive some of his former captors.
Other notable examples include Nicky Cruz, a violent gang member turned evangelist, Raul Ries, an angry Viet Nam veteran turned pastor, and Michael Franzese, a former mafia boss who now proclaims the transformational power of Jesus Christ.
Currently, another transformational story of restoration and redemption is playing out on the big screen in theaters across America.
I Can Only Imagine is the story of Bart Millard, and how he came to write the popular song for the Christian band MercyMe. The movie chronicles the transformation of his father from an angry abuser to a loving parent, and also shows the healing that forgiveness can bring.
“My dad was a monster, and I saw God transform him from someone that I hated into the man I wanted to become.” –Bart Millard
The transformative power of God to change lives is extraordinary. If you are praying for someone you love, don’t give up hope. God can reach anybody.
If that person is you, God is waiting with open arms for you to come home.
On the journey toward Home,
