By: Reverend J. Loren Russell
Romans 12:2 NKJV
“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.”
When you renew something, it becomes like new, fresh, or strong again. The implication is that “it” was once strong but over time has become weak, it was new but has become old. It was fresh, now its stale.
The 12th chapter of Paul’s letter to the Roman church starts with an urgent plea to present their entire bodies as a living sacrifice to God. Their sacrifice will be holy, and the Lord will be receptive to the surrender. It will be acceptable to Him. He goes on to specify that they cannot be imitators of the world but transformed into the image and likeness of God Himself by renewing their minds. The presumption is that their minds were once new and vibrant but had grown old, once strong but had grown weak, once fresh but are now stale.
If they followed the Apostle’s teaching, they would be different people with a freshness in all they do and think. They would be a living reflection of a Holy God and would exemplify His holiness by the things they say and do.
Our minds, like the Roman church, are susceptible to corruption and growing stale without regular scriptural nourishment. Paul says we should not be conformed, or living according to the ways of the world, but by the word of God. Then our bodies become living sacrifices, our minds are transformed, ready, willing and able to respond to the call of God. We are ready to go and to do whatever He desires of us. Our thoughts become the thoughts of God and our actions reflect our transformed state of obedience. Our mind and our bodies wholly belong to the Lord. We walk with God, we talk for God, and we think like God. His thoughts become our thoughts, and what He desires for us become what we desire for ourselves.
If we do not have a change of mind, the Apostle John says we are in love with the world and the love of the Father is not in us. He says we are filled with the passing pleasures of lust and pride. But when we have a changed mind, the presence of God resides with us forever (1 John 2:15).
Are you willing to be transformed by the renewing of your mind? What needs to happen for you to forsake the ways of the world and have, what Paul says is a change of mind?
Be Blessed!
Rev. J. Loren Russell is President/CEO of The JLR Company for Church Financial Strategy & Consulting; an associate minister at both Goodwill and The Greater Universal Baptist Churches in the Bronx; creator & host of “Matters of Faith – The Radio Show” Mondays 8:00 – 10:00 PM on Facebook LIVE and author of Matters of Faith: The Book (eBook available at www.smashwords.com/books/view/993177)
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