If anything, the process of metamorphosis, should point us to the incredible design of our Creator God, and put to rest the foolishness of biological evolution.  The term “metamorphosis” comes from the Greek term metamorphoo, which means to be transformed or changed into another form.  We use the term for the amazing transformation that takes place in a chrysalis of a caterpillar.  Once the caterpillar establishes its temporary home, it undergoes an incredible change and emerges as a butterfly.  The caterpillar’s God-designed DNA has all the instructions to turn its body essentially into liquid and then form the new structures and functions of a butterfly.  According to Darwin himself, evolution requires small incremental changes to be “selected by nature” over long periods of time.  Today, evolutionists claim that these changes were caused by beneficial mutations.  But it’s impossible that undirected mutations could produce the amazing planning, foresight and engineering inherent to the death of a caterpillar and its metamorphosis into a butterfly.

Jesus Christ was resurrected three days after He sacrificed Himself as the Passover Lamb of God, slain for the sins of the world (John 1:29).  Christians celebrate that event as Easter.  At the moment of His resurrection, Jesus’ body was reunited with His soul-spirit and transfigured – the Greek term is metamorphoo – into a glorified body.  Before His death, burial and resurrection, Jesus gave Peter, James and John an inkling of what His glorified body – and by extension ours as well (1 John 3:2) – would look like (Matthew 17:2, Mark 9:2).  Also, during the forty days Jesus was on the earth after His resurrection, He showed that His glorified body could appear suddenly and disappear (John 20:19, Luke 24:31).

Christians undergo what we could call metamorphosis as well.  Our salvation involves being justified, sanctified and glorified. When we’re saved, when we die to self (Galatians 2:20), our bodies don’t change, but our spirit-souls are regenerated and we become new creations in Christ.  At that point we are justified – our sins are forgiven and we receive the gift of eternal life. (2 Corinthians 5:17, Titus 3:7).

 God then continues to work in our lives to transform us to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29) – we are being sanctified (2 Timothy 2:21, 2 Corinthians 3:18).

But our final transformation or metamorphosis is not complete until we are glorified. That final phase of a Christian’s “metamorphosis” is embodied in our resurrection.  When the Church is raptured, all believers worldwide, living and dead in Christ, will be caught up in the air and changed in a “twinkling of an eye.”  Our bodies will be changed into incorruptible, glorified bodies.

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (1 Corinthians 15:52)

…the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus, we shall always be with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:16,17).

(Christ) will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself (Philippians 3:21).

As we look forward to our “metamorphosis” into glorified bodies, let us not forget that God is currently completing a good work in us (Philippians 1:6) to conform us to be more Christ-like to serve others.  May our Christian life glorify our savior and be as beautiful as the butterfly.

Jack Snyder