MONARCH BUTTERFLIES

I love Monarch Butterflies. Not only are they beautiful and graceful, they provide wonderful material for a preacher's sermons. Their scientific name is Danaus plexippus, and regardless of which of the four stages in its life span [egg stage, larva stage (caterpillar), pupa stage (chrysalis), adult stage (butterfly)], its name remains the same. Monarchs, like all butterflies, go through a transformation called a metamorphosis, from the Greek meta which has many meanings, one of which is "self," and morphe, meaning "to change from one form to another."

Some preachers describe the change that takes place when one is "saved," or "born again," as a metamorphosis, but unfortunately, born-again Christians too often resemble the person they were prior to accepting Christ. While it is true that saved individuals go from the "egg stage to the adult stage," the process for the transformation requires the two transitional stages as well.

If we look at the Monarch's life as a metaphor for a Christian's life, we see the "egg stage" as representing the unsaved person. The "larva stage" pictures the period between the moment of salvation, until we die. Could that have been what Isaac Watts meant by the line "for such a worm as I," in his hymn entitled At the Cross (see also Job 25:6; Ps. 22:6; Isa. 41:14)? Our true metamorphosis occurs "within the cocoon" we call death. Our change takes place in a moment so short, that Paul calls it "the twinkling of an eye" (1 Cor. 15:52). John said that our change happens the instant we see Jesus (1 Jn. 3:2). It is when we are finally like our Savior, that we can truly say we are "beautiful adults." And since we shall rule and reign with Christ in His kingdom, one could even say that we are, at long last, "Monarchs" (Rev. 20:6)!

However, in the mean time, born again believers are still earth-bound, "crawling around eating what this world has to offer." We are no longer lost "eggs," but we certainly have not yet been transformed into spiritual adults, that's for sure. Paul spoke of the battle within him between his two natures. On the one hand, he was a physical being that longed for meeting the needs of his human nature, while on the other, he was a new creation, a spiritual being, that wanted to be freed from the desires of his flesh to serve God (2 Cor. 5:17; Rom. 7:14-25).

The change which occurs between our being "a lost egg," and becoming "a born again caterpillar," is called SALVATION. We become a child of God by faith in Christ Jesus (Jn. 1:12; Eph. 1:13).

The transformation from "a caterpillar" to a "chrysalis," is called SANCTIFICATION. While we are not yet Christ-like, we are "set apart" from the rest of humanity, for His work and glory (Jn. 17:17; 1 Thes. 4:3).

The remarkable result that occurs "in the cocoon" (when we are taken up in the Rapture, or when we die), is called GLORIFICATION. We become like Him, and share in His glory (Jn. 17:22; Rom. 8:17, 30).

NOTE: For a comparison/contrast between Butterflies and Moths, see "BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS" (4-19-11).