“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed
by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is,
that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2, NASB95)
After instructing us to give ourselves back to God fully as
a living and holy sacrifice of worship, we move into the process by which we
are to do so. Throughout Scripture we see this same process repeated, as we
come to understand how God would have us live we purpose to set aside or put
off behaviors which are not consistent with our new identity and we put on
those which are. Here is Romans 12:2 we read that we are not to be conformed to
this world. As we move through Romans and the rest of Scripture we are
presented with many of the ways in which the world lives that we are instructed
to put aside. In Ephesians 4:22 this process of no longer being conformed to
the world is referred to as laying aside and in Colossians 3 we see it also as putting
off. In simple words we are to stop doing the things we used to do because they
are not right and they do not bring glory to God.
But the Christians life is not one of what we can’t do, but
one of being freed from the slavery of those things and empowered to live in
new and honorable ways. In Romans 12:2 we read that we are to prove what the
will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. This is the
process of changing the way we live and think such that it conforms to the
character and will of God. When we live in this way we are evidencing the work
that God is doing in us and proving Him faithful. In Ephesians 4 and again in
Colossians 3 we see that we are instructed to put on our new self which is
created after the likeness of God.
This is the process of being transformed. The Greek word
behind our word transformed is ‘metamophoo’ from which we get our English word
metamorphosis. And as we think about this word in its most common illustrations
in nature we think of are the caterpillar to the butterfly or the tadpole to
the frog. In each of these and in so many other examples we see a massive
transformation as something significant takes place in the body. For us as
Christians when we place our trust in Christ for salvation we are made
spiritually alive and with this new life comes an equally miraculous
transformation. God is the One that gave us this new life. His Spirit resides
in us and empowers us, and His Word is given and made alive and powerful in our
lives. It is in His Word that we learn about Him and all that He has chosen to
reveal, including how we should live. Repeatedly in Scripture we read about
having our minds renewed by learning God’s truth and allowing it to reshape our
way of thinking and acting and in so doing we are being daily transformed.
“that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay
aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of
deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new
self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and
holiness of the truth.” (Ephesians 4:22–24, NASB95)
“Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old
self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed
to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him—”
(Colossians 3:9–10, NASB95) (for more on this read Colossians 3:5-16)
“Trust in the Lord
with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways
acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5–6,
NASB95)
So, again looking back to the previous eleven chapters of
Romans where Paul lays out a foundation for our faith, we are to move forward
with a new understanding choosing to no longer be conformed to the way we once
lived and choosing to live according to those truths which we have learned. We
are to stop going to the dirty clothes pile in order to get dressed. Now that
we know where the clean clothes are stored, that is where we are to go and
daily put them on.
“How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it
according to Your word.” … “Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may
not sin against You.” (Psalm 119:9, 11, NASB95)
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