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.
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 PEARL
The culture in which we live today is
spiritually bankrupt and hostile to God. Were living
in a world that is hostile to our faith and
values as followers of Jesus Christ.
That is why the Bible 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. For the world offers only
a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for
everything we see, and pride in our achievements and
possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from
this world (1 John 2:15-16 NLT).
As Christians living in a culture that is
hostile to our faith, it is tempting for us to try
to fit in and not stand out as people who
really believe in Jesus, as people who hold certain
values. But if you are a child of God, then dont
hide it. Be proud of it.
In this day when its acceptable to
openly mock and deride Christians, it is a real
temptation to not stand up for what you believe.
Yet the Bible tells us, 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 (Romans 12:2 NLT).
Instead Of Being Squeezed Into The Mold Of
The World, We Are To Fill Our Minds With The
Things Of God. Were To Fill Our Lives With The
Things That Will Build Us Up Spiritually. If We Do
This, God Says That He Will Reveal His Will.
This is called a conditional promise. We
need to do our part, and thus God will do His.
And if we do not do our part, then He will not
do His. If you are not willing to let God
transform you into a new person by changing the way
you think, then dont expect to know
Gods will for your life.
But if you are willing to take these
steps and make this commitment, then God promises
that He will reveal to you His good and pleasing
and perfect will. And Gods will for you is
always good. The psalmist David reminds us,
Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys
of those who take refuge in him! (Psalm 34:8
NLT). Remember that God is good.
Some people have a warped concept of God
as being some kind of celestial party pooper in
Heaven. They think that God is waiting for them to
surrender their lives to Him so that He can make them
miserable. However, that is a warped concept of our
heavenly Father. His plan for you is good. It is
perfect. And it is better than your plan for
yourself.
If God gives you many years in life, I
think youll find, in retrospect, that you were
glad you walked in the will of God. I can also
guarantee that youll regret it if you dont.
[Greg Laurie from Harvest Ministries;
https://www.harvestdaily.com]
COMMENTARY
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
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. 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. MH 176,
177
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 who engages in the work of helping and
blessing others is being transformed by the renewing
of his mind, being a partaker of the divine
nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the
world through lust. ST 08-22-78
Any habit or practice that would lead into
sin, and bring dishonor upon Christ, would better
be put away, whatever the sacrifice. That which
dishonors God cannot benefit the soul. The blessing of
heaven cannot attend any man in violating the
eternal principles of right. And one sin cherished
is sufficient to work the degradation of the
character, and to mislead others. DA 439
CLOSING THOUGHTS
The Bible reveals that God has a plan for
every life, and that if we live in constant
fellowship with Him, He will direct and lead us in the
fulfillment of this plan. God does not reveal His plan
through fortune-tellers, astrologers, soothsayers,
and workers of hocus-pocus. His perfect will is
reserved for those who have trusted Christ for
salvation. He shares His secrets only with those who
are redeemed and transformed, and who humbly
seek His will for their lives.
You cannot know the will of God for your
life unless you first come to the cross and
confess that you are a sinner and receive Christ as
Lord and Savior. Once you do come to Him, you
begin a whole new life - life not lived for
yourself but for Christ. From that moment on God
wants to show you His will. Whatever decisions you
face today, commit them to God and ask Him to
guide you - and He will.
God created us with a purpose; it's to
His Glory that we discover and live out that
purpose. Do you want to know God's will for you?
Come to Christ, and God will make known the
mystery of His will. (Ephesians 1:9) [Hope for Each
Day by Billy Graham]
I have found that the casual Christian
has little or no influence for good upon others.
Only the Christian who refuses to compromise in
matters of honesty, integrity, and morality is
bearing an effective witness for Christ.
The casual, worldly Christian is prepared
to do as the world does and will condone
practices that are dishonest and unethical because he
is afraid of the world's displeasure. He
ignores the Bible's clear command: "Do not be
conformed to this world."
ONLY BY A LIFE OF OBEDIENCE TO THE VOICE
OF THE SPIRIT, BY A DAILY DYING TO SELF, BY A
FULL DEDICATION TO CHRIST AND CONSTANT FELLOWSHIP
WITH HIM ARE WE ENABLED TO LIVE A GODLY LIFE AND
HAVE A POSITIVE INFLUENCE ON THIS PRESENT UNGODLY
WORLD. Is the world changing you ... or are you
changing the world? [Hope for Each Day by Billy
Graham]
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY
Romans 12:2 - Transformation: Glimpses Into
How It Is Done.
https://www.abible.com/devotions/2023/20230519-1055.html
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2022/20220201-0851.html
2 Corinthians 3:18 - More and More Like
Jesus!
https://www.abible.com/devotions/2024/20240225-0819.html
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
https://abible.com/links/
