BEING IN ADAM TO BEING IN CHRIST
The Story of the Converted Worm

Well, in the previous devotion we developed what it looks like being born in Adam. The thing I wanted you to remember is that being born in Adam makes you a sinner. Sin comes from your BIRTH not your behavior. You got that! This is a principal worth remembering. In John 3:3 Jesus said unless you are BORN again you cannot see the Kingdom of heaven. He was not talking about a physical birth but a spiritual birth. When you and I became a Christian at the instant we said yes in our hearts to accept Jesus we were SPIRITUALLY BORN. A new birth occurred in us. I did not realize the depth of what happened in me until years later as I matured as a child of God. “BIRTH IS A BIG DEAL”. When we said yes to Christ a huge change took place in us, a huge transformation. We took on a new identify and a new nature. The old nature passed away and a new nature in us was born ( II Corinthian 5:17 ) BIRTH IS A BIG DEAL!

Let me illustrate. A caterpillar is a fuzzy worm that crawls on the ground. It is not very beautiful and is just getting by trying to get through life in the best way it knows how. For this illustration the fuzzy worm represents you and I when we were in Adam, a sinner by nature or born a sinner. The caterpillar crawls up into a tree and forms a cocoon. Inside the cocoon a death occurs (the old has passed away) and out from the cocoon a beautiful butterfly appears, (the new has come, In Christ). What a stark illustration of the old and the new.

What it is like being born in Adam and then being born in Christ? Let me ask you a question: Have you ever seen a butterfly and said, “Look at that amazing converted worm!” Have you ever called a butterfly a Converted Worm? Of course not. You would describe the butterfly based on what it is, what you see, what you know it to be. A BEAUTIFUL BUTTERFLY. Likewise, when God sees you and I He always calls us what we are, not what we were. We are His beautiful butterfly, not an old, converted worm (a sinner by nature). Let me ask you, what do you call yourself? What is your new identity? What does God call you based on the price He paid for your new birth. Answer this for me

1. Are you a sinner (worm) saved by grace or
2. Are you a saint (Butterfly) that sometimes sins?

What do you believe is a more accurate description of you as a child of God?

These two questions are something to ponder until our next devotion. I can’t wait to develop being born in Christ for you. It is so exciting to have a correct core belief system and to see yourself the way God sees you.

Till next time,
Dave Pridemore