Christian Living
It’s been said that the mind is the seat of control of life. This saying is essentially correct to the point that the mind is the ‘thoughts bank’. There is an ongoing active conscious or subconcious processing of thoughts in thye mind. In Romans 12 verse 2, Apostle Paul encourages the Christians at Rome in the early church days to become transformed by renewing their minds. As Christians we should understand this admonition from Paul as extending to us and so deliberately choose to engage in transforming our lives by the renewal of the mind.
“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 12:2, NKJV
There are at least 4 points we can tease out from Romans 12:2; I share these points in detail in this short study video
#1. The people spoken to are not considered a part of the world
If I say to my child, ‘don’t follow a particular group of persons‘, I am saying, that my child is Not a part of group, not like that group, and so should not be associated with the group.
By saying ‘do not be conformed to this world’, Apostle has assumed a distinction between the people he was speaking to, and the world. He was implying that the Romans whom he addressed were a separate, different, group from this world.
In John 15:18, the Lord Jesus told His disciples that they are not a part of the world…………………………………….
“If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” John 15:19 NKJV
#2. A Christian should be distinguishable from the world
The world operates by customs and traditions that a Christian should not be identified with.
A Christian should not be conformed to the world; not fashioned alike like the world, not copying or imitating their customs of behaviours.
#3. Behaving differently from the world, does not happen automatically
There is a transformation and change process that must take place in every Christian to effect a change in behaviour that is different from the world’s but consistent with God’s Word.
Worldviews and perspectives colored by customs, culture, traditions, has to be changed through the process of renewal of the mind.
#4. Transforming our lives by the renewal of the mind keeps us in God’s will.
We are able to discern and do the good, acceptatble and perfect will of God when our lives become transformed through the renewal of the mind.
Dear friend, we become transformed into the image of God as we give attention to God’s Word;
“And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:18 AMPC says…
