Worship is more than Sunday Attendance! Part 3.

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

Last time, we learned the negative command of God that says, “do not be conformed to this world.” Today’s insight gives a positive aspect of it. How can I not conform to the culture, standards, 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. The transformation should happen inside us to avoid following the present evil age and its standards and lifestyles. And the transformation occurs through the renewal of your mind. Transformation here means a total change in your value system or the way you think, as we listened before, and the renewal of your mind accomplishes it.

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 to be transformed by renewing your mind. The question is how I can get this done.

The word ‘transformed’ is the Greek word ‘metamorphoo’. From it, we get the English word metamorphosis. It means a change from one form of thing to another form or type. This word describes an unpretty worm caterpillar to a beautiful butterfly. Metamorphosis is a powerful illustration of being transformed or transfigured. The lay egg becomes a caterpillar initially in the feeding state called larva. The only job of the caterpillar is to eat, eat and eat. Food taken is stored and used in the later adult stage. It is said it grows 100 times its size in this eating stage. 

The next is the Pupa stage, the stage of transformation. By eating and eating, it becomes a pupa. Nothing is visible outside during the scene, and it may look like nothing happens. However, rapid growth happens inside. It develops legs, wings, eyes, and other parts.

Finally, the butterfly stage is the adult stage. The caterpillar’s state is to eat and eat. The Pupa state is of significant transformation inside. The butterfly stage is the final and most beautiful adult stage. It starts reproducing by mating and laying eggs and has a brief life span of a few weeks, generally up to 2 months. 

Let us dig deeper into our verse of ‘be transformed by renewing your mind.’ 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. The Holy Spirit of God causes, begins, and leads the transformation process by renewing your mind.

Although accurate in teaching the permanent dwelling of the Holy Spirit in a Christ believer, we often underscore or do not teach much about the role of the Holy Spirit in the transformation process by the renewal of the mind. From the get-go, the Bible reminds us to lean on the Holy Spirit and walk by the Holy Spirit because He is who teaches, reminds, guides, and illuminates the truth.  

From the get-go, the Bible reminds us to lean on the Holy Spirit and walk by the Holy Spirit because He is the one who leads us into all the truth. He teaches, reminds, guides, illuminates, reveals, etc. 

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. They must 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 how 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 we behold the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. The same Greek word is used here. How do we behold 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 minds, 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- is dusty in their bookshelves and sanctified by the word of truth is not happening on an ongoing basis.

Beloved, if you have not accepted Christ as your savior and Lord yet, there is no potential for transformation by the renewal of your mind. Why? It is because the renewal of mind and transformation happens through the power of the Holy Spirit and the power of the world of God. Jesus said, and it is recorded in John 7:39, who would receive the Holy Spirit. He said this, The one who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.'” But this He said in reference to the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. If you believe in Jesus, you have the Holy Spirit. And if you don’t believe in Jesus Christ, you do not have the Holy Spirit inside you. Listen! Per Jesus’s words, when you come to Him and believe in Him, He gives the Holy Spirit inside you freely as a result of your belief in Him and initiates the transformation process. 

Got a moment for today’s prayer? “Father in heaven, Thank you for the Holy Spirit you gave me. Thank you for the word of God-the Bible you gave to me. Please help me not to conform to this present and evil age value system. Help me to get transformed by the renewal 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 forgive me and save me today. In Christ’s name, I pray. Amen. “