Transformed

January 15, 2024

A very familiar passage of Scripture reads:

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” —Romans 12:1-2 

There is so much to be said about these two verses, but I want to focus on just two phrases: “present your bodies as a living sacrifice,” and “Do not be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

The first is a reminder that as a Christian, I don’t own myself; I belong to Jesus Christ. This means that I don’t have the privilege of deciding my own daily destiny. When one offered a sacrifice, he gave it away, let it go. Once it was on the altar, he had no voice in the outcome. Paul tells us here that our bodies belong to God. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says it as plainly as could be said:

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”

When I came to Christ, I relinquished control over my body. Paul here is battling those who relegated their spiritual life to the inner workings of the heart and mind, letting us know that to be a Christian means every part of us belongs to God. This is especially important in a culture that is telling us that our bodies don’t matter; how we feel is more important than whether we were born with a male or a female body. Every part of us belongs to God!

The second phrase is a reminder that the world around us is not content to “live and let live.” There is constant pressure to conform, as J.B. Phillips translated it, “Don’t let the world squeeze you into its mold.” There is no neutral ground, and the only way to avoid being pressed into the world’s way of life and thought is to be transformed by renewing our minds. That happens as we read and reflect upon the Word of God which is as Hebrews tells us, “is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. ”(Hebrews 4:12).

We cannot escape the pressure of the world’s mold by simply saying “no.” If I were to tell you to not think about pink elephants, what would you think about? Pink elephants. The only way to avoid thinking about pink elephants would be to actively set your mind on something else. The way to avoid being squeezed into the world’s mold is to set our minds on things of God, to “bring every thought into captivity to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). It is a big job, and never ending. But it is worth it, because by doing so, we are transformed into the image of Christ himself. I give up ownership of myself and am changed as I daily direct my thoughts towards Christ by listening to and believing His Word. It’s a win-win!