Called to be Transformed

May 26, 2019 Background Scripture: Romans 12 Lesson Passage: Romans 12:1 – 8 I never get tired of meditating on this passage of scripture. It seems that every time I revisit this passage, I learn something new from it. God does not save us and then leave us in the spiritual condition that we were in prior to salvation. At the time that God saves us, He places the Spirit of Christ in us. The indwelling Spirit convicts, convinces, and instructs us in all truths. We cannot have this embodiment of the Spirit within us and continue to comfortably live lives contrary to the revealed will of God for us. Christians have the capacity to experience many of the things that Jesus experienced in this life. Jesus was human with the Spirit of God in him. Jesus did not have sin in his flesh, but his human flesh still had desires and tendencies in it. Jesus lived victoriously in this world because he kept his flesh under subjection through fasting and built up his spirit person through continuous prayer. So how are Christians able to do that today? That is the subject of our lesson passage. We are born into this world with a desire to be conformed to the world. We are also born into this world with sin in our flesh. When God saves us, He destroys the power of sin in us. We are no longer slaves to sin. Being a slave means that we do what the slave master wants as though it is okay for us to do it. Sin is no longer a slave master to a saved person; however, we can still choose to submit ourselves to sin as its servants. Having a slave’s mentality is a natural tendency for us even after we are saved. We can overcome this tendency by renewing our minds with the word of God. It is this renewal of the Christian’s mind with the word of God that causes a transformation in the life of the Christian. Through transformation, we develop new impulses and desires that are aligned with the will of God. With sin’s power over us broken and a renewed mind, we can walk in a newness of life. This is the life Christians are saved to live in this world. We cannot do it without being transformed. We are called to be transformed so that we can become instruments of God’s peace in this world. God does not want anyone to live a sinful life—especially Christians. When Christians live in this manner, it dishonors God and provides an opportunity for God’s enemy to rejoice. Our lives should reflect what is the will of God for people in this world. We cannot be transformed by simply having a “made-up” mind. We must have a renewed mind. Transformation is not dressing up the old. Transformation is a complete overhaul of the person so they no longer behave or appear the way they previously did. Transformation brings about a new creation not a cleaned up old one. Through transformation, the individual becomes a new person. We are transformed as we submit ourselves to the Spirit and allow our minds to be renewed with the word of God. We have an active role to play in transformation. God will do the transforming but we must be submissive to Him and His will. Transformation is God’s will for the saved person. Robert C. Hudson April 15, 2019