Therefore, I urge
you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a
living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper
worship. Do
not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of
your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his
good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2
Surrender of
flesh = conformity
The word "transformed" means to change your outward
expression to be representative of, conformed to, and consistent with your
inward nature. Paul warns against matching our lives to the fashions of this
world. Chameleon-like living creates a loss of personal identity. Conformity invites compromise of all our lives.
Don't let the world decide what you are going to be like. This is normally done
for acceptance by others.
Surrender of
mind = transformation.
A man has the choice of living "according to the flesh" or
"according
to the Spirit". This takes place by the "renewing of your
mind". This renovation of our
mental processes is created by the existence of the mind of Christ taking
control of our lives.
Surrender
which is ongoing = growth
While conversion is instantaneous we find that transformation
is life involving. Someone said it this way, "It took God just one day to get the children of Israel out of Egypt,
but it took God forty years to get Egypt out of the children of Israel."
God can change a person's heart in a
moment, but it takes a lifetime to get the sin out of that individual. The person who ceases to agree with God
concerning their need of change ceases to see the individual God desires to
create.
Transformation
results in obedience.
Then you will be
able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect
will.
- Only a renewed mind can accept
Gods will. Someone
who finds it impossible to obey God may need to be born again by the
Spirit of God and given a new mind to respond to God. The old, carnal mind
cannot respond to the things of God and will not obey.
- Only a renewed mind can
discipline to Gods will. When God controls
the mind, He can affect the desires as well. This is how God can take full
responsibility for our transformation.
He affects the desire, the commitment, and the power for our life
change. All He needs is a changed
heart.
The one who can honestly say that God can and will do as He
promises is the one who has done as Paul has commanded. To say that Christianity does not work when
you refuse to work Christianity is unfairness.
The highest goal of the Christian is to be like Jesus Christ
in all areas of life. This is also Gods design for our lives. Are you willing to say that God has the right
to use any and all of your life for His purpose? "Whatever It Takes" is the price for
true Christian transformation. Are you
in the process of becoming more like Jesus Christ?
Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. Colossians 3:2
