Do Not Be Conformed To This World, But Be Transformed By The Renewal Of Your Mind
Transformation Is A Process
ROMANS 12:1-2
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
Romans 12:1-2 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/rom.12.1-2.NKJV
When an animal was sacrificed according to God's law, a priest would kill the animal, cut it into pieces, and place it on the altar.
Sacrifice was important, it paid the debt of one’s sin in Old Testament times before Christ, like in today’s world, when we commit a sin like driving through a red light, or speeding, or being drunk and disorderly, breaking man’s law, we get a fine to pay the debt our sin.
An animal sacrifice was like a fine to pay for one’s sin.
God made it quite clear, even in Old Testament times that obedience from the heart was much more important (see 1 SAMUEL 15:22; PSALM 40:6; AMOS 5:21-24), but it is by far better that we do not sin.
Today, there is no need for animal sacrifices, Jesus was the Lamb that paid the debt of sin for the whole world. But that doesn’t mean we can continue to live in sin, Jesus died to take away sin, not to make it acceptable.
God wants us to offer ourselves, not animals as living sacrifices, Holy and acceptable to Him by daily putting aside our own desires that we can follow and serve Him, putting all of our energy and resources at His disposal, and trusting Him to lead and guide us.
God's plan for His children is good, pleasing, and perfect. He wants us to not remain conformed to the things of this world, but rather that we separate from them that we can be transformed people with renewed minds living to honour and obey Him.
Because He wants only what is best for us, and because He gave His only begotten Son to make our new life possible, we should happily, give our bodies a living sacrifices for His service, making every effort to live sin free lives by the leading and empowerment of the Holy Spirit.
Paul warned Christians, "Don't copy the behaviour and customs of this world" that are often corrupt, selfish, or both; we believers must understand that much worldly behaviour is off-limits for us. Our refusal to conform to this world's values, however, must go even deeper than just behaviour and customs. It must be planted in our hearts and minds.
My brethren, we must fully submit to God’s will, separating ourselves from the things of this world, of which will result in a total transformation of the way we think, we will become more and more Christ like in our behaviours, actions, and responses, as our minds are renewed. It is then that we shall come to understand and “prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
Romans 12:2 NKJV
It is possible to avoid most worldly customs, and still be selfish, proud, stubborn, and arrogant.
Only when the Holy Spirit renews, reeducates, and redirects our minds are we truly transformed into a new person, pleasing to God. (see 8:5).
It is a process that starts on the very day one gives his life to Christ and continues throughout his life until the return of Christ.
Of course we humans will still make mistakes or slip back at times, knowingly and unknowingly committing sins, but God, who condemns the sin, convicts the sinner to repentance and empowers change.
“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”
Romans 8:1 NKJV
Paul said, “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;”
Philippians 1:3-6 NKJV
All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.
