“but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2b).

In yesterday’s daily insight we have learned the negative command of God that says, “do not be conformed to this world.” Today’s insight gives the positive aspect of it. How can I not conform to the culture, standard, customs and ideas of the Aion- the present sinful and lustful age? You see, the natural propensity of our mind is to give in to the cultural pressure around us. To avoid following the present evil age and its standards and lifestyles, the transformation should happen inside us. And the transformation occurs by the renewal of your mind. Transformation here means a total change in your value system or the way you think and is accomplished by the renewal of your mind.

The positive aspect of the command is “but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” God wants you not to conform to this world but transformed by the renewing of your mind. The question is how I can get this done?

TPT translates this verse, “but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think.”
Holy Spirit has a significant role in the renewing of your mind. The same original word for ‘renewal’ –ananéosis- is used only in one other place in the New Testament and that is in Titus 3:5 where Paul said, “He (God) saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and ‘renewing by the Holy Spirit’. You see the agent who renews our mind so that you do not be conformed to this present age is none other than the Holy Spirit. It says you are saved, not because of anything good you have done, but purely based on God’s mercy. He saved you by washing you from your old sinful and lustful lifestyle and by renewing your mind. It is the Holy Spirit of God who causes, begins and leads the transformation process by renewing of your mind.

However, Beloved, there is another side to the renewal of your mind. Jesus in his intercessory prayer to the Father said this, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” The context is Jesus is going back to heaven after his sacrificial death for our sins. However, the disciples are going to be here in this present evil age. So he prays to keep them safe from the evil one because they do not belong to this world any more than he does. Jesus Christ does not belong to this world, and they do not either. It is essential that they know the truth, which is the Word of God, the Bible. They are sanctified or set apart for him progressively by the word of God. Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think by knowing the truth -the word of God, the Bible.

You see, the second agent in the renewal of our mind is the word of God- the Bible. 2 Corinthians 3:18 says, “And we all, with unveiled face, ‘beholding the glory of the Lord’, are being changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” The passage says we are being transformed into Christ’s image from one degree to another when behold the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. How do we beheld the glory of the Lord? We do not have Jesus Christ in his body form to look at him as the disciples looked at his glory and got transformed, do we? However, we have the Bible, the word of God- to behold the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. His glory is proclaimed from the first book of the Bible, Genesis, to the last book of the Bible, Revelation. As we continuously look at Christ’s glory in the pages of the Bible, wonder at the work of Christ by hearing the good news of the Gospel and Bible preached and taught, the Holy Spirit who is inside you renews your mind by imparting God’s value system replacing aion or present age value system.

Many true believers in Christ are conforming to the world these last days and not being transformed by the renewal of their mind not because they do not have the Holy Spirit inside them. God saved them by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit. However, they do not let the Holy Spirit get control over their life. They allow the flesh and present age value system to influence them. Knowingly and unknowingly it happens as they live day by day. Secondly, the word of God-the Bible-gets dusty in their bookshelves and sanctification by the word of truth is not happening on an ongoing basis.

Beloved, if you have not accepted Christ as your savior and Lord as of yet, there is no potential for transformation by the renewal of your mind. Because the renewal of mind and transformation happens by the power of the Holy Spirit and the power of the world of God. When you come to Christ and believe in Him, He gives the Holy Spirit inside you to initiate the process.

Got a moment for today’s prayer? “Father in heaven, Thank you for the Holy Spirit whom you gave to me. Thank you for the word of God-the Bible you gave to me. Help me not to conform to this evil age value system. Help me to renew my mind by the power of the Holy Spirit and the word of God. I believe Jesus died and rose again for all of my sins. Please come into my life and save me today. In Christ’s name, I pray. Amen. “