We believe that God sandblasted all the rust off. And gave it a nice new paint job, even added a SEAL to it so it would never rust again.
This is an interesting illustration of different images. I see God accepting me as a rusty, beaten up car, not making me into something else straight away. It is learning to accept where I am that matters, and working together to work out what I should be and what I can be.
I never thought of this progression, everything neat and tidy. This illustration demonstrates very much peoples ideas of what God does. The trouble is this is obviously not the case and learning to walk, choosing to follow and obey is the start.
I have always stood amazed that people think it is anything else. Maybe people have never discipled someone, but there are no illusions when you do, and growth is very much about learning, being faithful and obedient.
What stuns me is God does make us into something very different than we expect, because before we met Jesus we were always ill, partially functioning and wounded deeply. Walking in faith and love seriously changes everything, from the ground up. But if you have never had this in your life, ofcourse this is rubbish, because to admit this should be there is admitting what you have is not what the Lord desires. But dear reader I know so many echo what I am sharing, that is simply enough, Praise the Lord.