aBible.com     

Romans 12:2 - Transformation: Glimpses Into How It Is Done.

Romans 12:2 (NLT) Dont copy the behavior 
and customs of this world, but let God transform 
you into a new person by changing the way you 
think. Then you will learn to know Gods will for 
you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.  

COMMENTARY PEARL

Godly Thinking
   The Bible teaches that our minds are to 
be brought under the control of Christ (2 
Corinthians 10:5). The reason? How we act will be 
determined by how we think. If God is to change our 
lives, He must first change our minds. The human 
mind cannot be a vacuum. It will be filled either 
with good or evil. It will be filled either with 
Christ or with carnality. What will make the 
difference? It depends on us. and on what we allow to 
enter our minds. Negatively, our minds must be 
turned away from evil. We must be careful what kind 
of television programs we see, what kind of 
books we read, the things that occupy our 
thoughts. 
   But it isn't enough to put bad thoughts 
out of our minds. Positively, they must be 
replaced with good thoughts - thoughts that are 
shaped by God and His word, by prayer and worship, 
by fellowship with other Christians. 
Deliberately turn away from every evil thought today and 
ask God to fill your mind instead with Himself 
from this moment on. 
   It is a dangerous thing to go out into 
the world empty; everything the enemy presents 
will seem sweet (Proverbs 27:7). Choose to fill 
yourself with the things of God so that you will not 
be tempted by the world's offerings. [Hope for 
Each Day by Billy Graham] 

INTRODUCTION

God wants us to offer ourselves, not 
animals, as 'living' sacrifices--daily laying aside 
our own desires to follow him, putting all our 
energy and resources at his disposal and trusting 
him to guide us. We do this out of gratitude 
that our sins have been forgiven. [Life 
Application SB] 

The religion of Christ is summed up in the 
words, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all 
thy heart; . . . thou shalt love thy neighbor as 
thyself." But through love of the world, through 
unsanctified ambition, through self-love, and desire for 
supremacy, many are being conformed to the world, 
although the command from the Gospel of Christ is, 
"Be not conformed to this world [and the 
preventative is given]; but be ye transformed by the 
renewing of your mind." You must have a changed mind, 
a renewed mind. The power of the Holy Spirit 
must be felt working upon the heart and 
character, producing a new man in Christ Jesus. 
PH152;43,44 

COMMENTARY

   God has given us the power of choice; it 
is ours to exercise. We cannot change our 
hearts, we cannot control our thoughts, our 
impulses, our affections. We cannot make ourselves 
pure, fit for Gods service. But we can choose 
to serve God, we can give Him our will; then He 
will work in us to will and to do according to 
His good pleasure. Thus our whole nature will be 
brought under the control of Christ. 
   Through the right exercise of the will, 
an entire change may be made in the life. By 
yielding up the will to Christ, we ally ourselves 
with divine power. We receive strength from above 
to hold us steadfast. A pure and noble life, a 
life of victory over appetite and lust, is 
possible to everyone who will unite his weak, 
wavering human will to the omnipotent, unwavering 
will of God. MH176, 177 

The power of Christ alone can work the 
transformation in heart and mind that all must experience 
who would partake with Him of the new life in 
the kingdom of God... In order to serve Him 
aright, we must be born of the divine Spirit. This 
will purify the heart and renew the mind and give 
us a new capacity for knowing and loving God. 
It will give us willing obedience to all His 
requirements. This is true worship. Mar370.3  

You must remember that your will is the 
spring of all your actions. This will, that forms 
so important a factor in the character of man, 
was at the Fall given into the control of Satan; 
and he has ever since been working in man to 
will and to do of his own pleasure, but to the 
utter ruin and misery of man. But the infinite 
sacrifice of God in giving Jesus, His beloved Son, to 
become a sacrifice for sin, enables Him to say, 
without violating one principle of His government: 
Yield yourself up to Me; give Me that will; take 
it from the control of Satan, and I will take 
possession of it; then I can work in you to will and to 
do of My good pleasure. When He gives you 
the mind of Christ, your will becomes as His 
will, and your character is transformed to be like 
Christs character. Is it your purpose to do Gods 
will? Do you wish to obey the Scriptures? If 
any man will come after Me, let him deny 
himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 
5T515  

COMMENTARY ILLUSTRATION

   The Bible tells us to keep ourselves 
unspotted from the world (James 1:27 NLT). So how 
does the world spot (or soil) us in the 
first place? 
   It starts with friendship with the world. 
James 4:4 says, Dont you realize that 
friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I 
say it again: If you want to be a friend of the 
world, you make yourself an enemy of God (NLT). 
   This leads to a love for this world. 
First John 2:15 says, Do not love this world 
nor the things it offers you, for when you love 
the world, you do not have the love of the 
Father in you (NLT). 
   Then its our love for the world that 
results in our conformity to this world. We read in 
Romans 12:2, Dont copy the behavior and 
customs of this world, but let God transform you 
into a new person by changing the way you think. 
Then you will learn to know Gods will for you, 
which is good and pleasing and perfect (NLT). 
   We find a classic example of this in the 
book of Genesis. When the angels came to deliver 
Lot out of Sodom and Gomorrah, they had to 
practically drag him out of the city. 
   How did it all start? The Bible tells us 
that Lot moved his tents to a place near Sodom 
and settled among the cities of the plain 
(Genesis 13:12 NLT). Lot moved closer to Sodom (maybe 
so he could keep it in view), and the next 
thing you know, he had moved into Sodom. 
   But before long, Sodom had moved into 
him. Lot lost his testimony and ultimately his 
own family. And when judgment fell on Sodom, he 
lost everything. 
   True spirituality is primarily measured 
by what we do, not by what we say. So lets 
keep ourselves unspotted from the world. [Greg 
Laurie from Harvest Ministries; 
https://www.harvestdaily.com] 

CLOSING THOUGHT

The surrender of all our powers to God 
greatly simplifies the problem of life. It weakens 
and cuts short a thousand struggles with the 
passions of the natural heart. Religion is as a 
golden cord that binds the souls of both youth and 
aged to Christ. Through it the willing and 
obedient are brought safely through dark and 
intricate paths to the city of God... ML6 

ONE LINERS

Because he wants only what is best for us, 
and because he gave his Son to make our new 
lives possible, we should joyfully give ourselves 
as living sacrifices for his service.  [Life 
Application SB] 

By beholding Christ we become changed. If 
the mind dwells upon temporal things constantly, 
these things become all-absorbing, affecting the 
character, so that God's glory is lost sight of and 
forgotten. SD105.4 

You need to drink daily at the fountain of 
truth, that you may understand the secret of 
pleasure and joy in the Lord. 5T515 

LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS TOPIC

Romans 12:2 - Transformation: Glimpses Into 
How It Is Done. 

http://www.abible.com/devotions/2021/20210417-0851.html 

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 - Reversing the 
Addiction Curse. 

http://www.abible.com/devotions/2020/20200904-1021.html 

2 Corinthians 10:5 - Take Every Thought 
Captive! 

http://www.abible.com/devotions/2019/20190803-0937.html 

YOUR COMMENTS

If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or 
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either 
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in 
hearing from you.  Thanks in advance and let's keep 
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred 
Gibbs  

LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT

Most Important Decision in Life: 
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0 

A Man without Equal by Bill Bright: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo 

Steps to Peace by Billy Graham: 
https://stepstopeace.org/ 

Seeking God Made Real: 
http://vimeo.com/31489782 

Prayer Made Real: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE 

Parable of the Sower - Open Heart Surgery by 
Ralph Ringer: https://vimeo.com/666314378 

LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES 

Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies: 
http://www.liftingupjesus.net/ 

Amazing Facts Bible Studies: 
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx  

Voice of Prophecy Discover Bible Study 
Guides: 
https://www.voiceofprophecy.com/study/discover 

Glow Tract Video Bible Studies: 
http://www.bibleresearch.info/ 

LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS

Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of 
Adventist World Radio: https://www.awr.org/bible 

Panorama of Prophecy with Pastor Doug 
Batchelor: https://www.panoramaofprophecy.com/  

Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW: 
https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens 

Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet: 
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657  

Islam and Christianity in Prophecy, The 
Third and Final Conflict by Tim Roosenberg: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHSJB-fuHLU&list=PLWhQIHGTHlkaGg5Cwe3NDzWtFX8vNSpsE