Transformation

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:2

God is in the business of transformation. While we often want to pretty up and clean up the exterior to impress people, God does something entirely different. He replaces the core, so the source is different. This is true transformation. What results is not just something with a paint job, but something truly new. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

The transformation is an ongoing work. With a new source (the life of Christ), we are being daily transformed from within. As with all life, growth requires energy (food) and spiritually, that means taking in God’s Word. Several places in the New Testament, we read of God’s Word referred to as meat or milk, meaning our necessary food. The only way our minds will be renewed is my allowing the Holy Spirit to work through God’s Word.

We must realize the need for this renewing on a daily basis. Our minds are, constantly under attack to bring us into subjection to a worldly thought pattern. God’s ways are so different from the ways of the world that we cannot attempt to join the two. One of the great tragedies of modern Christianity is the attempt to marry the worlds thinking with Scripture.

The following is quoted from a blog: “It is popular today to say God is love, which is very true, but be careful of where you put the emphasis here. God defines love; love does not define God; God is the source of love; love is not the creator of God. If love defines God, then what does that defining love look like? All too easily the speaker slips into thinking if God is love and love means this and that to me, then God has to see loving in the same way I do. Thus, we inadvertently wind up defining a god that has a strange resemblance to ourselves and a strange emphasis on seeing the world through our eyes. Thus are idols born.” How easy it is for us to get caught up in defining God according to our human understanding or reasoning.

God is not looking for intellectual reasoning about Him or this world. He desires to work a complete and total change in our lives that will glorify Him forever. The truth of the Gospel is so simple, that it trips up many who would prefer to have something complex to debate and discuss to demonstrate great intellect and thought. Received by faith, we will be amazed at the simplicity of God’s transformation in our lives.

God is revealing Himself and His perfect will through His Word. In Luke 8:18, Jesus says, “Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.” As we take in more of God’s Word, God allows us more. Those that allow the Holy Spirit to reveal truth to their hearts, will find more truth.

Do not allow the world to mold you, but allow God to transform you day by day by taking in truth from His Word in simple faith.
Gordon Crook