005 Like a Barrel of Muddy Water

Before we came to know the Truth of God's Gospel, from the time we were born the world has been shaping our thoughts and ways. Worldly values and patterns lead us away from God, diverting us from the fullness of the life he desires for us. But when we place our trust in the message of Jesus Christ—who, through his death and resurrection, delivered us from this present evil age and restored us to relationship with God—a transformation begins.

This transformation is like pouring fresh water into a water-filled barrel with mud settled at the bottom. At first, the incoming water stirs up the mud, making the water appear even murkier than before. Then, as the fresh water continues to flow, the muddy water gradually flushes out until the barrel is filled with clean water. The "fresh water" represents God's Truth, his Gospel, while the "mud" represents the world's patterns of thinking.

In the same way, as God's Truth continues to flow into our hearts and minds, old patterns of thinking are flushed out. Like the water barrel, this process takes time and faithful, consistent input. God's Truth steadily washes away the old and establishes the new.