Be Being Transformed
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Romans 12:2
Paul begins by challenging us to not be conformed to this present age. The world we live in sometimes stands in open hostility towards God while at other times they just ignore God with benign neglect. The world doesn’t always actively oppose God, sometimes they just treat him as he is irrelevant. This mindset is all around us and so pervasive we don’t even recognize it. Every commercial, every television program, and every book we read there is not a hint of the spiritual realm or the reality of God.
He warns us to not be conformed to this world. I like how the Phillips version translates this verse, “”Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold…” Like a piece of playdough in a mold, the world shapes us and influences us. Paul tells us that we have three active enemies, the world, the flesh, and the Devil. The flesh and the Devil are obvious. We have indwelling sin that we battle against and find ourselves wanting things we know we shouldn’t want. Also, we see in Scripture the reality of Satan who hates God and goes after us to get back at him. But the world sometimes flies under the radar. Sometimes we are like a fish trying to evaluate the water he is living in.
How do we combat this constant pressure to conform to this world? Paul doesn’t leave this question unanswered. He says, “be transformed by the renewal of your mind.” Jesus says, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” (John 17:17) Paul adds, “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.” (Ephesians 5:25-27) To sanctify means to be set apart or to be holy. How does a follower of Christ grow spiritually, be being continuously in God’s word. Paul reminds husbands to be like Christ to his wife. How is Christ to his Bride, the Church? He says that Christ cleanses us by the washing of water with the word. In other words, as we saturate our minds with God’s word, he is cleansing us and renewing us.
Does Jesus tell us to be brain washed? In a sense, yes. Think of how detergent works when you are washing your clothes. The water and detergent get in the fibers of your clothes and lifts the dirt and grime removing it and leaving the material fresh and clean. Similarly, when you read, meditate, and memorize God’s word he uses it to reshape and cleanse your mind, so his thoughts become your thoughts and you are transformed to be more like his Son Jesus. When you see life through God’s eyes you will see that his will for you is the best life you can possibly have.
