Gtcotr/fs052222
Romans 12 NKJV
1 ¶ I beseech you therefore,
brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living
sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
2 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.
To conform means to pattern oneself after some other influence, model, or mindset. The “World” has a mindset, a set way of thinking WE continually hear about “World Opinion.”
People are often influenced by world opinion, but world opinion does not reflect God’s opinion.
The world is at war with God. The world tries to overwhelm, discount, and destroy God’s influence, all the while … God is right, and the world is wrong. Nonetheless the world seems tireless in its efforts to capture the mind and control opinion.
The world is not your friend. The world is crazy and wrong, and crazy wrong.
James 4:4 … Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
God does not want us to pattern ourselves after the influence, the model, or the mindset of this world. The world’s method of thought and practice is an enemy of God and runs contrary to the Kingdom. Therefore, whoever is a friend of the world is an enemy of God.
World opinion does not reflect the mind of Christ. Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed.
Transformation in this scripture comes from the concept of metamorphosis. One of the best pictures is that of the process a caterpillar goes through to become a butterfly. We can also be transformed into an example of the new creature we became when we were born again. Wrapped in a cocoon of God’s love and grace we emerge for all the world to see the beauty and grace of our new creation reality.
Transformation is not without a struggle. The world is an enemy of God and fights to dominate opinion. God expects us to challenge our thoughts and not to let them run wild or come under the influence of this world’s opinion. God has given us spiritual weapons to use against this enemy of our soul.
2 Corinthians 10
4 For the
weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God for the pulling
down of strongholds,
5 Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience to Christ.
The battle is in the mind and the battle is for the mind. To begin the process of transformation we must learn God’s Word and accept God’s Word as Truth. Believers must embrace God’s opinion as their very own.
When a Believer changes their mind to line up with God’s Word, it will change their whole life and it will influence the lives of all who know them for all eternity.
Our Important Points For Today
1.
Truth is not determined by a show of hands.
2.
God does not disagree with the world – the world disagrees with Him.
3.
Transformation begins when we decide to believe the Bible.
4.
You are always only one decision away from being right.
