TRANSFORMED BY God; Not Conformed to the World

Romans 12:1-4

1. The Living Sacrifice.

   1. I Beseech you: – Paul appeals to our Will. God calls us to make a choice about the way that we live for Him.

   2. Therefore brethren. – Paul begins this letter with a strong doctrinal section and follows with exhortations to Christian living. Paul begs Christians to live a certain way in light of what God did for them.

      1. Paul is saying that the Christian life is dependent on the great Bible doctrines.

   3. By the mercies of God.

      1. Reminds us that we do this because of the mercy shown to us by God.

      2. We are only able to offer ourselves to God as He works His mercy in us.

      3. God commanded us to do this, and He makes it possible for us to do it.

      4. The heathen sacrifice in order to obtain mercy.

      5. Biblical faith teaches that the mercy provides the basis of sacrifice as our reasonable response.

      6. Think of the mercies of God Paul has explained to us so far:

         1. Justification

         2. Adoption in Jesus and identification with Christ.

         3. Under grace not law.

         4. The gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

         5. Help in all affliction.

         6. The certainty of coming glory.

         7. The confidence of no separation from the love of God.

         8. Total confidence in God’s continued faithfulness.

   4. Present your bodies

      1. Spiritually speaking, our bodies are brought to God’s altar.

      2. Present your bodies means God wants you not just your work.

      3. The WILL is to control the body, not the body control the will.

   5. A living sacrifice.

      1. The sacrifice is living because it is brought alive to the altar.

      2. The sacrifice is living because it stays alive at the altar; it is ongoing.

   6. Holy, and acceptable to God

      1. Holy, acceptable to God, not what we think is acceptable to us.

      2. Leviticus I:9; An offering made by fire a sweet aroma to the LORD.

      3. Whole burnt offering – completely yielded to God.

      4. Holiness; we are make Holy in Jesus Christ and should be determined by our will to live a Holy life.

   7. Reasonable Service

      1. Under the New Covenant, we have far greater mercies, so it is reasonable to offer a far greater sacrifice than just an animal.

2. Being transformed we are not to conform

   1. The popular culture and manner of thinking is rebellion against God.

      1. We are not to be conformed to it.

      2. It is an ungodly pattern.

      3. This process must be resisted.

      4. Let us be very clear on this.

         1. Provocative dress is conforming to the world. – I Timothy 2:9

         2. Tattoos are conforming to the world – Leviticus 19:28

         3. Multiple face piercings and gaping holes in ear lobes and cheeks is conforming to this world.

         4. Cursing is conforming to this world. – James 5:12

         5. Partaking of alcoholic beverage is conforming to this world. – Proverbs 23:29-35

   2. Be Transformed.

      1. By renewing of your mind.

      2. To many Christians live based on feeling so are only concerned about doing.

      3. The life based on feeling is ruled by emotion and ignores the renewing of the mind.

      4. The life based on doing is not interested in Theology but is looking for some one to give them the four points for this or that and never know the transforming power of God and therefore ignores the renewing of the mind.

      5. God wants us to be passionate and doers yet our feelings are insufficient foundations for the Christian life.

      6. The first questions cannot be “How do I feel?” or “What do I do?” Rather, it must be “What is true here? What does God’s Word say?”

   3. Transformed

      1. From the Greek – metamorphoo – describing a metamorphosis.

      2. The same word used to describe the transfiguration of Jesus. – Mark 9:2-3

      3. This word, transformed is used in – II Corinthians 3:18.

      4. This transformation and renewing of our minds takes place as we behold the face of God, spending time in His glory, His Word and in Pray to Him.

   4. Prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

      1. As we are transformed on the inside, the proof and evidence is reflected outwardly, so that others can see it.

      2. Some call this legalism which is evidence that they have not experience that renewing of the mind and are in rebellion to God.

BUT BE YE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND

The following excerpt was copied from the “American Thinker Blog” for which I believe they clearly captured how many “Christians” and many “churches” view God’s Word today. They stated, “In America today there is a new fad called ‘Designer Christianity’. Cherry-picked Christian ideology has zero to do with God’s Word and everything to do with the moral relativism that now pervades modern philosophy. It is a pick-and-choose brand of religion where a person selects exactly what they want to believe, misinterprets and takes Scripture out of context, and then labels those who object to that sacrilege as mean-spirited, un-Jesus-like, and anti-Christian. It’s a mentality that says a personal interpretation of Scripture trumps the canon of God’s Word and anything can be justified because God is much bigger than small-minded, fundamentalist-style thinking. Rather than align with truth, designer Christians mistakenly believe that God is eager to conform to public opinion and expectations.”

But should we really be surprised? For centuries, there have been individuals and churches that have cherry-picked and chosen pet verses from Scripture to justify their behavior. Yes, even churches have been just as guilty for taking God’s Word out of context – just to push their own agenda or new fad; which has nothing to do with Christianity. We see it in the music that is sung in the congregation, fables and life stories that are taught instead of Scripture, books that are pushed behind the pulpit, and doctrines / teachings that God’s Word never endorsed – let alone trying to force God’s Word to conform to public opinion and expectation. God stated that His Word is true and every man a liar.

Romans 3:4,

“God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.”

God’s Word also states that we [whether individuals or churches] are to be transformed – not conformed to this world; to be renewed in our mind.

Romans 12:2,

“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.”

God’s Word harmonizes without error – and man has a responsibility to see the harmonization in the Scriptures; and then to believe it, accept it, embrace and live it. For, if an individual or a church chooses otherwise, they will fall back and be broken.

Isaiah 28:13 states,

“But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.”

The apostle Paul stated the following to Timothy.

2 Timothy 4:1-4,

“I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”

Paul also wrote in 1 Timothy 4:1-5,

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.”

You might choose to be a “Designer Christian” or “church”; however, it will be God who will ultimately judge you for your actions. He isn’t swayed by public opinion and expectations – [because] He is GOD.