Transformed
You’re not supposed to stay the same.
Paul tells us in Romans 12:2 to
be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.
It’s interesting to me that in chapter 10 he says, “with the heart man believeth unto righteousness.”
We believe on Jesus and his atoning work with our heart, but we are transformed by renewing our mind.
How does the transformation take place? By renewing our mind—getting rid of the old thinking and replacing it with new thinking. By learning to think like God thinks.
Paul tells us in Philippians 4 what to think on—the true, honest, just, pure, lovely, virtuous things. We all know that verse.
But right here in Romans 12 he gives us a few reminders to help transform us. This is what comes immediately after the command to be transformed by renewing our mind.
V 4–5:
… we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: so we, being many, are one body in Christ…
We are all parts of one body but we all have different functions. Don’t expect everyone to be like you. You don’t have a corner on the “right” market. You are just one little piece of the body and you can’t exist on your own. You need the rest of the body to even stay alive.
V 6–8:
Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; or ministry, let us wait on our ministering, or he that teacheth, on teaching…
Do what you’re made to do, not what someone else is made for. Do your own job. Stay in your lane. If you’re a little finger, don’t try to be a lung—you don’t have the know-how or the physical ability to be something you’re not. Stick to doing what God made you to do.
V 9:
Let love be without dissimulation…
Use your gifts in love but don’t be fake. Don’t try to be like someone else because you think you’ll get more favor that way. God didn’t make you to imitate someone else. He made you unique. Like Mr. Rogers used to say, “There’s only one you.” You be you.
V 10:
Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another.
Isn’t that a tall order? When someone cuts me off on the highway, is my reaction to prefer them, to honor them? Not exactly. Learning to do this would be transformative.
V 16:
Be of the same mind one toward another … Be not wise in your own conceits.
Boy, old Paul doesn’t give us much wiggle room, does he? How do you want others to think toward you? Think toward them that way and you do it first. Don’t wait for the other person to get right before you be transformed yourself. And don’t think you know everything.
V 21:
Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
This is the crux of the matter. Don’t be sucked into the nastiness of the world. Overcome it with good, godly thinking, and then act accordingly.
Practice thinking right and be transformed. I need this so much.