Perspective
THE TRANSFORMING POWER OF JESUS CHRIST, Mark 5:1-20
Nelson Thomas
Few years ago, an editor of a British newspaper offered 1000 pounds to anyone who could change a religious leader whose utterances he disliked. We never heard about anyone who could be successful in that challenge, till the death of that leader.
Still there are many who wish and try to change others and even themselves. But the truth is, no one can transform another person or even themselves. Of course, some reforms may be possible, but the total and lasting transformation in man is impossible by human efforts.
But praise be to God, it is possible through the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 7:15, 20–24)! Let us consider one such story from the New Testament, which all three gospel writers narrate (Matt. 8:28–34; Mark 5:1–20; Luke 8:26–39). Here we have the healing of a demonic. It illustrates the fallen state of man and the changes Christ brings about and the results thereafter. Let us consider the need, the way, and the life after transformation.
-
The Need for Transformation.
Dr. Luke writes, “And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time. And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs” (8:27).
Mark gives further light on him, “he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones” (5:4, 5). Notice the helpless state of this man. Six things are noteworthy:
-
He loved lawlessness, Luke 8:27.
He did not live in a house, but lived in tombs. That shows he was not happy with the restrictions of a home, but wanted to move around freely without any boundaries. Apostle John writes, “sin is lawlessness” (1John 3:4b). Whether one breaks the law or rebels against the norms set by the authorities, every form of lawlessness is sin.
-
He enjoyed a shameful lifestyle, Luke 8:27
Living among the dead among the tombs itself was an abnormal, dreadful behaviour, but further, he wore no clothes and never felt any shame. This is exactly as Paul writes, “whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things” (Phil. 3:19).
Just look around and see the view point of many; they are unable to distinguish between good and evil. The words of Isaiah are still relevant, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Isa. 5:20).
Many may not commit such shameful things in public, but they may be doing them in their mind, enjoying it silently.
-
He destroyed himself, Mark 5:5
Mark says ‘he was cutting himself with stones.’ By his strange way of life, he was already harming himself; added to that he used to cut himself with stones. No wonder the Psalmist wrote, “Evil shall slay the wicked” (Psa. 34:21a). Anyone who indulges in lawless and shameful lifestyle is in a destructive path. We can notice it in three aspects:
-
Destroys one’s own present life. His family and dear ones too would be affected by his senseless deeds.
-
Society at large will have to bear the consequences of the evil life of the fellow citizen.
-
Destroys one’s own future with eternal condemnation (Heb. 9:28; Rev. 21:8).
-
He was restless, Mark 5:5
He was always screaming and crying out as he moved between mountains and tombs. That shows his heart was troubled and agitated. That’s exactly what Isaiah wrote, "But there is no peace," says the LORD, "for the wicked” (Isa 48:22 cf. 59:3–8).
A sinful way of life is a Godless life, void of divine help and favour. That further aggravates his uneasiness.
-
He was uncontrollable, Mark 5:4
Since he was a nuisance to the society, people tried to put chains on his hands and feet but he broke them. No one could control him. Sad to realize that society can only chain and imprison such lawless, helpless souls.
Notice the above-mentioned characteristics of this man; from lawlessness to uncontainable damaging life. This is the state of all who follow a life that is away from God.
-
He was aware of Christ and even fell at his feet, Mark 5:6, 7
Notice how this man’s response to Christ as they confront each other. He ran and fell in front of Christ, screaming “Jesus, Son of the Most High God”!
Is it not strange that a person who leads a lawless, shameful life, talks and behaves like a religious man! That’s exactly the state of man; on one side he indulges in multiple kinds of evil things, yet hypocritically he calls upon God to achieve his goals.
The driving force
We learn from the conversation that followed, he was possessed with around 6000 unclean spirits (Mark 5:8, 9). Luke says, he was energized by these evil spirits to act wickedly (Luke 8:29, 30). Demons were using him as an instrument.
Apostle John writes, “Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning” (1John 3:8a ESV). It’s true, not all are possessed by demons, but we all have the sin nature within us. Apostle Paul says, “Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me” (Rom. 7:20). So, the root cause of all human troubles is the indwelling sin nature (Eph. 2:3).
It is from such poor state, man needs deliverance and transformation.
-
The Way of Transformation
This story amply demonstrates the futility of self-efforts for true transformation. Man-made systems also are unsuccessful. What the society can do is to chain and isolate such extremely difficult people. But through the Lord Jesus, God graciously regenerates and redeems them.
The Process
We can notice four things in this connection:
-
Lord Jesus came to him purposely, Mark 5:1, 2
A careful reading of the whole story reveals that it was not an accidental encounter, but a purposeful one (cf. Luke 19:10). Christ came and met him in his own place and situation. We also read, he came through a storm, that shows the opposition of the evil forces Christ faced on His way (Mark 4:35–41).
-
He diagnosed the exact cause, Mark 5:8, 9
Nobody would have talked to him like the Lord Jesus, for He knew well of the root cause behind his aggressive behaviour – possession by demons.
-
He commanded the evil spirits to come out, Mark 5:8, 13
What a comfort it is to know that our Lord Jesus Christ is Sovereign, and His words have power and authority. Whether visible or invisible, everything is under the authority of our Lord Jesus.
At His command demons departed and immediately we see the man got healed. As John puts it, “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil” (1John 3:8b).
-
He taught him, Mark 5:15
Freed from the demons, we see him sitting at the feet of Christ. That means the Lord Jesus further taught him of various spiritual truths beginning with the way of salvation. For deliverance from evil spirits itself is not enough, he needs spiritual salvation as well.
Much More
The Word of God reveals much more of what the Lord Jesus did for our spiritual transformation. Not only He came down to the place where we are, He became the atoning sacrifice for our sins on the cross. It is this substitutionary death of the Lord Jesus that makes our salvation possible (Isa. 53:4–6; Rom. 3:23–26). Because, before man can be saved, his sins must be dealt with according to God’s own law (Ezek. 18:20; Heb. 9:22).
On the cross, God the Father ‘made His Son who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him’ (2Cor. 5:21). As He spoke earlier, He gave Himself as a ransom and declared, “it is finished” (Mark 10:45; John 19:30). Not only He ‘was delivered up because of our offenses, but also was raised again to give us right standing with God’ (Rom. 4:25). Thus He is the Living Saviour who not only saves us by His death, but secures us by His life (Rom. 5:10).
-
The Life of the Transformed, v. 15
Newness in this man was instant and complete. And also it was permanent and visible as well. People saw him, “sitting and clothed and in his right mind” (Mark 5:15). There were changes internally as well as externally; in the spiritual realm as well as the physical realm.
Not only his mindset was new, his appearance also was new. No more running away but sitting, no more naked but clothed, no more screaming but peacefully sitting at the feet of Christ. No wonder people marvelled and even were afraid, seeing his dramatic change.
Such radical changes must be evident in all who claim to be the followers of Christ. Because it’s not just a life of ‘repairing’ but ‘regeneration’ by the marvellous working of the Holy Spirit.
As Paul writes, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2Cor. 5:17).
Conclusion
When the world finds it difficult to comprehend the true meaning of conversion, let us exhibit the transforming power of Jesus Christ through our changed life. It is high time to examine how evident and real are the newness that we claim. Remember, true Christian life is Christ living in and through us. G&P
