Few years back many times I have wondered how to get spiritual transformation myself, I have also felt that spiritual transformation is only for people who have theological knowledge and not for common people like you and me who may not have got any seminary school experience. But I have been proved wrong when I started reading Bible with love and meditating this deep where God continues to teach me on spiritual transformation every day and God’s hand of transformation is on me, God transforms us with his scripture and the Holy Spirit is the teacher to transform us, God taught me how we should transform as I meditated Romans 12:2
We are given the Scripture not to get the word of God as mere comfort for our situation or instruction for daily life , but the word is given to us to transform our lives. In other words, it’s not enough to learn the truth; we must also love and live the truth. It’s not enough that we master the Word, the Word must master us. As we are in the Word, the Word must be in us and be transforming us into the very image of Jesus Christ.
'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 12:2
For us to transform and mature into Christ, There are three things for us to learn from Romans 12:2
The insulation
The transformation
The Realization
The Insulation - “Do not conform to the pattern of this world”
We live in a contagious world’s value system, the influence of social media and media drives how we live our lives. Many times we live life for others, what we buy and eat and live a life for others and only some portion is for our happiness. We as Christians have a constant struggle where we read and learn a great deal from scripture, when we step out of the house the world influences us to become one among them and we take 3 steps back from where we were in our spiritual life with Christ.
Paul teaches a great lesson here he says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world” That could be rephrased, “Do not be squeezed into the mold of this world,” “Do not be pressed into the shape of this evil world system”
It’s very important to know what “this world” means here. Paul is not talking about the people in the world, we are to love the people in the world and we are to reach the people in the world, we are to be insulated from “the world”, but not isolated from the world, in this sense – we are to be in the world, but not of the world. Think of a boat in water - it’s in the water, but the water never gets to the boat. As Christian’s, we must insulate ourselves from the world’s pressure.
Apostle John writes, 'Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. ' 1 John 2:15,
We need to be reminded that there is a love that God hates, and there is a love that we need to hate. And we must not love the world, referring to the world order that is under the control of Satan, the invisible spiritual realm of evil that is governed by the God of this age, and it is in opposition to God and the standard of truth that God has set.
There is nothing wrong in having possessions of the world and the blessing that God gives. What is wrong is for possessions to have a grip on your heart and upon your life. You need to hold your possessions with an open hand and realize that you are but a steward / caretaker of the possessions that God has entrusted to you. And you are to use your possessions for the glory of God, not cling to them as though you love them and cherish them for ever. Love God and use what has been entrusted to you for his glory and for his kingdom. That’s the key
2nd Part that John writes, “If anyone loves the world” if anyone lives just a one-dimensional life for the physical things in this world, and not just for the things but for the fame and for the fortune of this world, for the admiration of this world, he says, “The love of the Father is not in him.” The love of the Father and love for the world cannot coexist in the same heart. One will displace the other. When the love of the Father moves into our heart, the love for the things of the world are displaced and moved out. But if we allow love for the things of this world to move back in and establish a safe place for Satan to have his priority over us, this greatly diminish our love for the Father. The two cannot coexist under the same roof at the same time.
3rd Part that John writes is “The love of the Father is not in him.” And as John writes this, he’s thinking really in black-and-white categorical terms, and he’s actually saying here, “If you’re living for the things of the world, it is a sure sign you’re unconverted and do not know the Lord. Because the love of the Father is not in him,”
John Continues to say 'For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. ' 1 John 2:16, the quest and hunger for more and more and not to be content with what God has provided, is the lust of Flesh, “the pride of life,” which is really just the arrogance and the pride to exalt yourself as you get more of what you lust to get thru. Next verse 'The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. ' 1 John 2:17 what John says is the whole system is self-destructing, and it is imploding, but the one who does the will of God lives forever.
In another context James goes to the extend to call friendship / love of world to be “adulterous” 'You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 'James 4:4 “adulterous” word is used only in a sexual relationship, this “adultery” James is talking about spiritual adultery. He’s talking about those who have been born again, we make a covenant with God to serve God and to love God, but in contrary when we show our love to world, we have broken this commitment same as one who breaks the vows of marriage.
The transformation - “but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
As Christians, yes we will have these challenges to be sucked up into the world and worldly system, but Paul gives a advice to us here
He says, “But be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” The first half of the verse is the negative, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world” Now the positive, it’s not either-or; it’s both-and. It’s the heads and tails of the same coin. One is the cold water; the other is the hot water. It’s both-and. “But be transformed,” and the word “transformed” means to be radically changed from the inside out into Christ’s likeness. “But be transformed,” it’s used something like how a caterpillar becoming a butterfly, and the transformation that takes place in our Christian lives really from what we once were into what God is now conforming us to become.
“But be transformed.” How are we going to be transformed? “By the renewing of your mind,” means that our mind must have God’s thoughts and God’s beliefs. And our convictions must be rooted and grounded in Scripture. And we must have a Christian worldview. And we must have an eternal perspective so that we can assess life as God would have us to assess it. As the mind goes, so goes the life.
'Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 'Colossians 3:2, In other words, be focused upon God and Christ and eternal things. Matthew 22:37 'Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ A transformed life necessitates a transformed mind, and high thoughts of God and Christ and His kingdom produces a high and holy life.
This begins when we get immersed in the God’s word. So therefore, we must read the Bible, we must study it, we must hear it in that we sit under its preaching and teaching, we must meditate upon it, we must memorize it, and we must apply it. Jesus said in John 17:17 in his prayer, 'Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. ' John 17:17, The instrument that God uses to sanctify our lives is the Word of God “The Bible”, it renews our mind, convicts us, comforts us, cleans our thoughts and strengths us when we are low. It’s just not a printed piece of paper. Hebrews Says 'For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. ' Hebrews 4:12
The Realization - “test and approve what God’s will is”
We’ve looked at “The Insulation,” and “The Transformation,” now “The Realization.” What is the result of not being conformed to the world and being transformed by the renewing of our mind?
Paul says “Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is “ it means once you renew your mind with God’s word you will have the ability “to test and to try” or “to come to know by experience.”
Once you start walking on this path your personal experience will be to do the will of God and you will walk towards what you do in the world. Many times you will test, if the things have come from your own desires or is it the will of God, it comes only when we insulate and transform. It does not come without that.
The entirety of our Christian life is to be lived out in the will of God on this narrow path. There is no part of our Christian life that is to be lived outside of the will of God. Once you do “his good, pleasing and perfect will” - “perfect” here actually speaks of God’s comprehensive nature to give us the best of best.
Paul says the will of God is “Good, pleasing and perfect” we are tricked to believe our will is more better than “Gods will” by Satan. Remember what God gives to us is “the best” for us, if some thing you desire and you do not get that, it means God has bigger plans than what you have desired. always remember will of God is not to only get what we desire, its also to stop things which we may desire from our flesh. As he wants the best of best for us.
How to apply these to our lives ?
Ask these questions to apply the transformations in your life
Lacking Signs to fix the insulation
What is the priorities of your life ?
Where do you start your day ? Is it with God or world ?
Whom are you dependent on daily directions ?
How much do you honour God on all you do ? When you get your salary or earnings from your business what do you do ? Do you start with God or start with worldly duties ?
When you get any new thing do you thank him or do you just move on and thank him when you feel so ?
If you treat God second for most of the questions, then it means you have fallen off from God’s love to go in a worldly view. God is a loving and caring father, he is wanting to get back to the same fellowship you had once upon a time. Seek God with a simple prayer to return back.
Lacking Signs of transformation
Do you read the word and keep it as knowledge ? Or do you apply that ?
Do you read and mediate the word ?
Is the word talking to you to show your weak areas of life to push you to change ?
If you don’t apply the word the reading is of no use? God did not give his word to make us scholars of his word, remember our wisdom is foolishness in God’s eyes as Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 1:27
Reading and not acting is making us a dead person, if we have to be transformed check your actions ? Do you follow what you read and meditate ?
Lacking Signs of realization
Do you test all the actions you do if “it’s the will of God” or your own self desires ?
Before you do a work ,do you check with God if it’s his will ?
We may be in different stages as described above, don’t be content with where you are and how you are, if you are truly willing to transform and mature yourself, seek God and ask him to transform you. Without him touching you, there is no hope to transform you and to make you like christlike person.
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