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 Daily
Grace At Jesus` Feet
February
3, 2010
Word
for Transformation
not Information!
Be Transformed by
the Renewing of your Mind – Romans 12:2b
The heart
of a Christian
life is transformation towards conforming to the
likeness of
Jesus Christ. In Romans 12, Apostle Paul after calling us to present us
as a
“living sacrifices,” now tells us to be transformed to the likeness of
Jesus
Christ. The Word of God plays a vital role in the process of
transformation.
The effect of Gospel on a Christian’s life continues to help one to
grow in the
process called “transformation.” As we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord
and
Savior after repentance and genuine faith, the Holy Spirit is given to
a
Christian as a counselor and a comforter. The Holy Spirit in a
Christian’s life
is active and helps in the process of transformation also called,
“sanctification” toward deeper Christian maturity. The Holy
Spirit
helps a Christian understand the Word of God and helps to pray and
continuously
counsel and keeps a person on track so that in all done, God’s Name
is
glorified. The Greek word for transformation is “metamorphoo
(met-am-or-fo'-o)”
from which comes the word, “metamorphism”; “morphae” means structure,
“meta”
means change. This literally means “to change into another form." This
word is used to describe change of form, for example, caterpillars
becoming
beautiful butterflies or tadpoles becoming bull frogs. The concept of
transformation Paul mentions here is that every Christian must undergo
a
complete change. When this change occured by the power of the Holy
Spirit and through the Word of God, a Christian’s life
exhibit
a noble conduct and character. Paul uses a passive
voice
telling us, “Be transformed” indicate that this process of
transformation is
something a Christian should allow to be done to him / her.
When dirty
garments
need to be cleansed, washing them in a machine with just water will not
remove the
dirt.
When detergents mixed with water, the garments were
cleansed. The reason is because the detergent has the cleansing power
to clean
the dirty garments. The same way, this transformation can occur in a
Christian’s
life only if willingly submitted and cannot happen with one’s ability
or will
power; but through the power of God’s Word. The Word of God helps in
this cleansing
process
toward transformation. The Word of God helps us to apply the power of
God in
day to day challenges and help stay away from sins. Someone quoted
about
the Word
of God or Bible, “This book will keep you away from Sin or Sin will
keep you
away from this Book.” Paul talks about the goal for our Christian
living in
Colossians 3: 9-10, “Don’t lie to each
other, for
you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds.
Put on
your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and
become
like him (NLT).” Transformation leads to becoming in the likeness of Jesus Christ. Most times, the Word of
God
remain as
an information but it is for a Christian’s transformation and this can
occur
only when one submits to the pruning process of God through the word of
God.
If a
Christian submitted to God, he/she cannot live a life for him/her. We
read the
transformation process in the life of Zacchaeus in Luke 19. When
Zacchaeus let
Jesus Christ enter his home and life, as his heart opened to the Words
of Jesus
Christ, we see a transformation in his thinking. As tax collector
he was “taking”
money from people, but now he started “giving” to people. In verse 8,
he says, "Look, Lord! Here and
now I give half of my
possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything,
I will
pay back four times the amount." The change of heart is reflected in
the
change of his actions. Christians are meant to know the Word.
Transformation is a
continuous process and can happen by growing in the knowledge of God
through
the Word. Jesus Christ says, “If you hold to my teaching, you are
really my
disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you
free (John
8:31-32).” The Word of God helps us not to conform to the patterns of
this
world but helps us in our transformation process. This can happen in a
Christian’s life only if the Word of God is allowed in to the heart
from the
brain level to effect transformation. The Word stayed in brain level
will remain
as “information” but when the Word reaches heart level through the
power of the
Holy Spirit, “transformation” occurs through the renewing of minds. The
gospel
for a Christian is not a one time process while receiving the salvation
experience when first heard; but rather gospel needs to be preached to
a
Christian
himself every day and every moment. This constantly renews the minds.
Apostle
Paul emphasizes in Romans 12:2, “Do not conform any longer to the
pattern of
this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you
will be
able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and
perfect
will.” The need for our transformation is imminent because of the
danger of our
conformation to the patterns of the world. The sinfulness of the world
is so
attractive that if we do not yield our lives to the Word of God, the
pressure
to reverse back to the old self is high. That is why Paul insist that
do not
conform to the patterns of this world that was your old-self; the lust
of eyes
that appeals to self; and the pride of life, which stresses to
self-promotion
and self-exaltation (I John 2:15-17.) The power of these sinful natures
is high
to suck you in if you do not yield your life in humble submission to
God to
enable radical change through the Word of God to effect renewal of your
minds.
That is why Paul suggests moving on towards transformation course by
shunning
the conformity act toward the sinful world. This process of
transformation can occur to a Christian only if submitted to God and
allow the
Word of God in his/her heart to effect change of lives.
Once
during a mission trip to the tribal areas of Africa,
Dr. Alexander Clarke went for a walk to a forest zone. Dr. Clarke was
shocked
to see a tribal man at the clutches of a Lion fighting for his life.
Dr. Clarke
used his presence of mind, shot and killed the Lion and rescued the man
and
treated his wounds. After few days, when Dr. Clarke was in his home,
he heard
a noise of a group of people coming closer to his home. When Dr. Clarke
came
out he was surprised to see the same tribal man proceeding toward him
with his
family with all his cattle and he fell prostrate before Dr. Clarke. The
tribal
man said to Dr. Clarke, “According to the law of our tribe, a man who
has been
rescued from the jaws of a wild beast, no longer belongs to himself; he
belongs
to his rescuer. All that I have is yours, my hens, ducks, sheep, goats,
and my
servants, children – all are yours.”
Remember, "You
are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with
your
body (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)."
Will
you submit your life to the will of God and yield your life to the Word
so the
Word will effect transformation in your life rather than staying in you
for
information sake.
Prayer: Father, I commit my life in to
your
hands and want to yield and
obey your word. Please melt me and mold me and above all transform me
in
the
likeness of Jesus Christ. In Jesus Name …Amen!
May
you have great Day!
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