Living Transformed

by Timothy Howe

We live in a fallen world. The symptoms of this fallenness - moral decay, self-centeredness, pride, dishonest gain, unforgiveness, etc. - often apply to the church as much as the world. Christians are called to so much more. We are called to show something different in our lives, what I call Living Transformed. Romans 12:1-2 tells us how to live transformed.


1. Devote Yourself to God.
In Romans 12:1, Paul appeals for sacrifice of self to God. This sacrifice is different than those in the OT where the sacrifice was destroyed and consumed. Our sacrifice is one of surrender, in which we are used for God's glory and purpose. And yet in a sense we are to be consumed. We are to be consumed with God, filled with His presence in our lives. As we are, His filling presence works in mighty, unimagined ways. But it only comes about through devotion to Him, so you must... 


2. Be Conformed to God and Nothing Else.
Remember wanting to be like other kids in school. I wanted to have designer clothes like my friends or spoke in the acceptable jargon of the day. I began to pattern my life after others. Most of this was in harmless ways, but the act itself was not harmless. For, God has not called us to be like anyone except Him. The attempt to model ourselves after anything other than God is a step in tarnishing the image of God because Genesis 1:27 tells us that God created us in His image. Sin altered our image, but through our faith in Jesus, Paul tells us how we can regain what was lost. It begins by conforming to God, or as Paul puts it, by not conforming to the world. So, you must...


3. Let God Transform Your Mind to be Like His.
Transformation of the mind is no small thing. Each of us is constantly bombarded with garbage. Inappropriate images and unwholesome speech are just clicks away. Many personal relationships rest on the verge of collapse.  Countless individuals live in unrelenting psychological turmoil. Shame, bitterness, anger, pride and fear have abducted minds. Paul tells us that we have the power to end this. Rather, we have access to the power to end it. God can and will transform our minds as we devote ourselves to Him and as we are conformed to Him and nothing else. Paul urged the Philippians (2:5) to have the mind of Christ. This same offer is available to us today. As we walk this path of personal devotion to God He literally causes us to take on the mind of Christ.


Spend your efforts devoting yourself to God, being conformed to God, and being transformed by God.