Formless, Conformed, Transformed
What kind of life?
The other night I gave a talk in the Scott’s backyard. Over 30 young adults were gathered to explore participation in the fifth year of the Theta Community–an intentional community of disciples. The ‘intentional’ part of our community is, well, intentional. We are realizing there are a few ways of making a life, but not all those ways get us to where we want to go. Consider these three ways: FORMless, conFORMed, or transFORMed.
Formless and void. ( תֹ֙הוּ֙) This is the Genesis 1.2 way. The way of life (if you could call it that) before God’s creative voice rings out. Israel returns to that formless way, and the Prophet Jeremiah uses the same word in Jeremiah 4.23. The formless life is boundless, unmarked, spilling everywhere, no rhythms, fire-outside-the-fireplace, doom scrolling, endless news cycle, no evening and morning, sex-without-covenant, eating or drinking without satisfaction, talking without listening, constantly moving…Formless and void is the life that just finds itself doing what it never intended to do.
Conformed. (συσχηματίζεσθε) This is the first part of the Romans 12.2 way. J.B. Phillips paraphrased the verse, “Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into it’s mold.” Every human is vulnerable to being squeezed into a mold we didn’t intend. We are often blind to our own vulnerabilities. We see more clearly how other people are being like sheep, led where they shouldn’t go, conformed by the algorithm they are not even aware of. But, if we are honest, we realize our talking points near perfectly line up with whatever news/info/tainment we are consuming daily. But, it is actually consuming us. Whether we know it or not, we are taking our cues from a culture that says, “Live, Laugh, Love” but is more violent, depressed, and lonely than in recorded history.
Transformed. (μεταμορφοῦσθε-metamorphousthe). This is the second part of the Romans 12.2 way. “But be transformed by the renewal of your mind.” This is the metamorphosis life–from chrysalis to butterfly–from death to resurrection. This is the baptismal life. In this life we daily die to the formless and void way and the conformed ways, and we rise to the transformed life. This is not the shapeless life, nor is it the shape our preferred news station or influencer or algorithm wants us to take. It is the shape of grace, and the cross, and word and prayer, and rest and work, and reconciliation, and welcome, and life together. It is the shape of Jesus and we are “being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another” (2 Corinthians 3.18).
The transformed life is the life we were intended to live. The prodigal son tried all three. He threw off all restraints, all conveyed identities, and lived the formless and void life–a slave to his own desires. Then he lived the conformed life, squeezed into the life of a slave to a pig farmer. He even started to bear the image of a pig–wanting to eat what they ate. Finally, by the lavish kindness of his Abba, he was welcomed in to the transformed life. The Father refused to see him as a slave or a pig. He was a son. You are a son. You are a daughter. Metamorphosis! Explore the transformed life in one of our intentional discipleship communities this year.
Theta Community (age 18-29)
Telos Community (age 30+)
Katecheo Community (4th-6th Graders)
