VB160 Renewing The Mind
Renewing The Mind
[Rom 11:33-12:3]
The first two verses of Romans 12 are an appeal from the Apostle Paul to bring your body to God and give it to him to use. But all the great reasons for doing this are in the first 11 chapters.
After the longest theological passage in the New Testament (Rom 1:16-11:33) Paul reflects on the amazing wisdom and knowledge of God in His plan of salvation, and breaks into a spontaneous doxology that we hardly comprehend.
Rom 11:33-12:1 (NIV) – Oh, the depth of the riches, the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! [34] “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” [35] “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?” [36] For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.
Because He is like this – rich, and wise, and great, and glorious, a God of love and mercy, and we are like this – ignorant of the future, forgetful of the past, unable to control the present. – Therefore…
Rom 12:1-3 (NIV) – Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – which is your spiritual act of worship. [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.
These are familiar words. I know you have read them many times. I like the way the Jerusalem Bible translates the first sentence:
Rom 12:1 (Jerusalem Bible) – Think of God’s mercies, my brothers, and worship him, I beg you, in a way that is worthy – by offering him your living bodies.
Romans 12:1-2 is a recipe for finding and fulfilling God’s perfect will for your life. He wants our worship and He wants to operate in and through our bodies.
Rom 12:1 (KJV) – I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Beseech: Paul pleaded with the people, by the mercies of God, to do these things. This reflects the fact that God’s plans for our lives are better than our plans for ourselves (see Jer 29:11-13).
Notice the word “therefore.” That means this is a continuation and conclusion from (at the very least) the previous statement in Romans 11:36. God is all, in all – and therefore deserves our total submission to Him. This is our reasonable service. I believe the “therefore” is there because at this point in his letter to the saints in Rome, is where Paul switches from doctrine to practice. In Ephesians and Colossians he divided the teaching and the practice in the middle of the letters. Here he waited longer with more doctrine before he enters the practical part of the epistle. The remainder of the letter gives us practical applications of the renewed mind.
When we consider all the benefits (or mercies) of God’s great plan of salvation that were revealed in the first 11 chapters – it brings us to the point of our appropriate response, which Paul now lays out in this verse.
Present: This is the same word used in Luke 2:22 when Joseph and Mary took Jesus to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord. [This is to present a special offering to God. To place into God’s care for His use.]
Living sacrifice: We have to present our bodies to the Lord as living sacrifices. This may start with a one-time commitment, but then we have to follow through with that decision continuously for the rest of our lives. It’s a living sacrifice.
Acceptable: The English word “acceptable” was translated from the Greek word “euarestos,” which means “fully agreeable.” 1Cor 10:31 tells us, “…whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”
Reasonable: Notice that this isn’t asking too much. This is simply our “reasonable” (rational, logical) service. Jesus died for us; it makes sense that we live for Him.
Paul is speaking to us. It is possible to commit our lives to the Lord for the purpose of salvation, and yet not be yielded to the Lord in our daily lives. When we make the total sacrifice of every area of our lives, we begin to see God’s perfect will manifest through our lives.
Today, many preachers use the wrath of God to try to drive people to God. But there is no power in it because is not gospel. Paul used the mercies of God to encourage these people of Rome to give themselves totally to God. Rom 2:4 tells us “…the goodness of God leads you to repentance.”
The road is narrow and the course plotted may be straight, but it takes a lot of course corrections to stay on track. Winds, distractions and pressures are always trying to push you off course. We have departed on a journey toward the goal (Phil 3:12-13). It is a lifestyle of making course corrections every hour, every day for the rest of our lives.
We have to constantly reaffirm this decision to be totally separated unto God. This is what Paul was referring to by the term “living sacrifice.”
Is living totally consecrated to God something that only a few preachers or special leaders do? NO! This is not high-level or supreme doctrine for the professionals. This is for you and me, every believer. This is “Christianity 101.” Paul said this level of commitment is “your reasonable service.” Jesus died for each one of us. Each one of us ought to live for Him.
Who could be an hour by hour, minute by minute, living sacrifice? But thank God, Paul tells us how to do it in the very next verse.
Rom 12:2 (KJV) – And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Now you may think that if we fulfill the conditions of Romans 12:1, then everything else would automatically work out. But no, Paul went on to say that we also have to renew our minds. Even though we have made a genuine commitment to the Lord, if we have not renewed our minds through God’s Word, then we needlessly suffer the same problems as the world.
Be not: is a negative present imperative verb that tells us to Stop doing this! Do not let this continue any longer!
Conformed: The Greek word that was translated “conformed” here is the word “suschematizo,” and it means “to fashion like, i.e. conform to the same pattern.” We should be different than unbelievers. Most of us recognize this, but we seem at a loss as to how to accomplish it. This verse goes on to give us the answer. The key is our minds. “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7).
If we think on the same things that the world thinks on, we are going to get the same worldly results. If we keep our minds stayed upon God through the study of His Word and fellowship with Him, then we’ll have perfect peace (Isa 26:3). It’s that simple.
Be transformed; a present imperative verb “BE” is a commitment to a long-term way of doing something. A command to keep on doing an action as one’s general habit or life style. Keep on being transformed by the continual renewing of your mind.
Transformed: The Greek word that was translated “transformed” here is the word “metamorphoo” and is where we get our word “metamorphosis.” It is describing a complete change, like a caterpillar changing into a butterfly. This is the same word that was used to describe Jesus’ transfiguration when His face shone and His garments became white as the light (Mt 17:2; Mk 9:2).
Renewing: Gk. Anakainosis, The adjustment of the moral and spiritual vision and thinking to the mind of God, a willing response on the part of the believer.
The world system is evil and under the rule of Satan. We must despise what is evil, love what is righteous, and refuse to yield to various forms of worldliness that constantly surround us.
When our thinking is in line with God’s Word, we become transformed according to His Word. That is what Paul is talking about when he says that he is “not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation” (Rom 1:16). The gospel releases the power of God to save. The initial “born-again” experience (Jn 3:3,7) happens instantly with the spirit, but salvation is the renewing of the mind, the saving of the soul – which takes time.
The more we realize what God says about us, and as we act on the Word, the affect will eventually become a complete transformation in our lives. When we “sacrifice” our thoughts for His thoughts, then He can carry out His Words and actions through our “sacrificed” bodies.
When people are born again, they become totally new creations in their spirits. Their spiritual salvation is complete. They don’t need any more faith, joy, or power. They are complete in Him (Col 2:9-10).
However, it is not God’s will that we only be changed on the inside. He wants to manifest this salvation in our physical lives also. That takes place through the renewing of our minds.
We each have a spirit, soul, and body (1Thes 5:23). As born-again believers, our spirits are as perfect as they will ever be in heaven. If we will change our thinking so that we believe what God says in His Word about who we are and what we have, then this agreement between our spirits and souls begins to allow us to be led by the spirit instead of the flesh (body), and our flesh will begin to experience the life of God that has been deposited in our spirits. Again, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he” (Pr 23:7). When your thoughts are in line with your heart, and you know that you are saved, healed, and delivered, then your body will become saved, healed, and delivered.
If we keep looking for God on the outside at a distance, we see “acts of God,” like the world sees Him. Instead, we look to the inside and find God, confirmed by His Word – and we begin to know Him, speak His Word with authority, and we begin to act like Him. That is God manifesting in the world through our sacrificed bodies, ministering to others.
If we fail to renew our minds, we can live our entire time on this earth without experiencing the abundant life that Jesus provided for us (Jn 10:10).
Prove: means, to establish the truth or validity, by argument or evidence, to turn out. Therefore, this is speaking of how to continually, physically display God’s will in our lives. This is a promise that if we fulfill the requirements of these two verses, we will prove (not might prove, but will prove) the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Finding God’s will for our lives is not difficult when we obey the command of these two verses. It’s impossible to miss God’s will once we commit ourselves to God as living sacrifices and begin to renew our minds. Finding God’s will for our lives is hard if we refuse to commit to God.
Good, and acceptable, and perfect: There are a couple of opinions with scholars as to whether Paul was using “good, and acceptable, and perfect” as characteristics of the will of God or if he was saying that there are stages in walking in the will of God (i.e., good, then acceptable, then perfect). I suppose either of these cases would be correct doctrine. However, I personally like to translate perfect, “teleios” as completed, or finished will of God, rather than a good, better, best variable will of God.
God’s will certainly is good, and acceptable, and perfect. It is also true that people don’t move immediately into everything that God has for them, but there is always growth into the things of God.
Romans 12:2 is a wonderful promise that we can prove God’s will in our lives. The first step is to make a total commitment of our lives to the Lord (“living sacrifice,” Rom 12:1). God’s will for all of us is to be living sacrifices to Him. Once that is accomplished, more specific direction will come as we renew our minds.
God doesn’t just want our worship, He wants us. Once He gets us, He’ll have our worship and service.
Proclamation or Declaration:
I will no longer be squeezed into the world’s unstable fashion! But I will continually allow my mind to be completely transformed (changed from within), by the power of God’s Word, so that I may prove in practice that His plan for me is good, it pleases Him, and is perfected in me.
God bless you my friend,