TRANS: The Human Desire To Change
Every human being has a deep sense that they and the world around them is not the way it ought to be. This feeling fosters in us a desire to change. Our individual worldview usually provides guidance to lead us to change in a certain way. Our worldview provides the answers to our present condition. It also provides the answers to what is vacant in our lives that needs to be filled. Our worldview fills in the blanks of why we need to change, why we feel undone, what will make us whole/complete and how to get there. Simply put, all humans have a desire to transform and our worldview helps us get there.
Any worldview claims a transformation will take place, if you subscribe and apply their principles. Promises of transforming your morality, behavior/habits, mind, gender, sexual orientation, political or social ideologies. As we can clearly see in our society, they are delivering on their promise to change in these areas. But are they bringing complete resolution? When we make these changes, do we still feel undone? Is the world around us getting better or worse?
Transformations are only as attractive as the level of change that takes place. To tell a male, that is uncomfortable in his own biological makeup, that he can be transformed into a woman is attractive. To tell an alcoholic that has destroyed his career, family, and reputation that he can be sober and a valuable member of society again is attractive. To tell someone that true equality for every citizen of their country is possible, given the current circumstances, is attractive. The greater the transformation, the greater the attraction to it.
We all desire to be transformed. We all desire for our own worldview to transform us and make us whole. We are all attracted to big transformations.
Might I offer my worldview to consider. Biblical Christianity.
We all desire to be transformed.
Where does that desire and need come from? The Bible declares that our undone-ness is because of the presence of sin. God created the world perfectly without sin. In Genesis 3, sin enters in the world. Immediately, Adam and Eve feel that feeling that all of us feel. They hide themselves because they feel their shame. They know what they ought to be and they know that they have fallen from it. Romans 3:23 tells us, now, that all have sinned and fall short of God’s design and purpose for this world. Ecclesiastes 3:11 states, that eternity has been placed in the hearts of humanity. Our Creator is eternal and thus He put that into us. He is also Holy. Which means He is perfect and set apart. We were meant to live forever. We were meant to live in relationship with our Creator. But Moses in Leviticus, Jesus in the Gospels, and the Apostle Peter in 1 Peter, all state that we have to be holy and perfect to be made whole. Perfection is what is required to be in relationship with God. That desire that every human has to be transformed, God placed in our hearts. It is there because sin is present and God is not. We all need to be transformed.
We all desire for our own worldview to transform us and make us whole.
Going back to Genesis 3, Adam and Eve realize they are naked. So, they immediately clothed themselves with fig leaves. They try to cover and solve their nakedness, shame, and sin on their own. Romans 1 tells us that all of humanity now does the same thing. We all try in our own way, in our smaller less efficient ways, to relieve this feeling of undone-ness. God seeks out Adam and Eve in the garden. He confronts them and their sin. God does not accept their attempt to solve their undone-ness. So, He replaces their insufficient means with a sufficient one. In order to have sufficient clothes, God had to kill an animal and provide them with its skin. The animal did nothing deserving of death. Adam and Eve deserved to endure the punishment for their actions, but they didn’t. God chose to save their life and provide a substitute. Adam and Eve’s best attempts to save themselves weren’t enough. We see this theme play out for the rest of the world. We attempt to make ourselves whole again by acting on our own desires (Romans 1). When that doesn’t work we use religion to attempt to solve it (Romans 2). Neither one is sufficient. Romans 3:21–26 provides the solution that our own attempts could never give us: Perfection/Holiness/Righteousness. In order to get the righteousness required to be made whole, God had to provide a substitute: Jesus. Jesus did not deserve to die for our sin but he did. We do not deserve the righteousness of Jesus that he lived in his life, but we get it. This righteousness that brings us into a relationship with God can be ours by faith.
The Bible states that we try to solve a problem of eternal and infinite significance with temporal and finite things. Does that sound or feel familiar to you?
The Bible states that all other attempts to solve our undone-ness will ultimately fall short. Is your worldview working?
We are all attracted by big transformations.
Usually big transformations are seen as such, because of where they begin. Thus making where they end seem incredible. God had promised Adam and Eve that on the day that they ate of the forbidden fruit, that they would die. But they didn’t die physically immediately. They did die spiritually that day and would eventually die physically because of the effects of sin. God promised Adam and Eve on that day that the Seed of the woman would once and for all defeat sin and death. The Bible speaks of incredible transformation because of where we begin and where we end. Condemnation to Freedom (Romans 8:1–2). Slave to Heir (Galatians 4:7). Unholy to Holy (1 Peter 2:9–10). Death to Life (Romans 5:17). Perishable to Imperishable (1 Peter 1:23).
Read this promise of transformation from Isaiah 61:
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion- to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified. Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion; instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot; therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion; they shall have everlasting joy. For I the LORD love justice; I hate robbery and wrong; I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. Their offspring shall be known among the nations, and their descendants in the midst of the peoples; all who see them shall acknowledge them, that they are an offspring the LORD has blessed. I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
- Isaiah 61:1–3 & 7–10
We all desired to be transformed. But is your worldview providing real and lasting change?
You might be a skeptic of Biblical Christianity. Most skeptics I meet haven’t really interacted with true Christianity. They have fallen for a cheap imitation of religion and religiosity. Christianity is not about becoming a better person. Christianity is about how spiritually dead people become alive. Christianity offers the single greatest and most fulfilling transformation. It can be yours by placing your faith in Jesus Christ alone.
