Transforming Your Mind Series

Transforming Your Mind

Romans 12:1-2

Last time we met together, we found that God wants to make us into a NEW CREATION. He desires to TRANSFORM us into His image. That we can grow to be more like Him each and every day.

This week, we are looking at Transforming our Minds. Let’s see what the apostle Paul has to say about it.

Ro 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.

Ro 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.

Now Paul doesn’t say anything about feelings when it comes to being a living sacrifice. It is the renewing of our minds where we find the transformation. Our minds are used to make choices. Such as whether to conform to the world and its pattern or to be living sacrifices sold out to Jesus.

If we allow ourselves to be directed by our feelings and emotions then we will go back & forth. Paul simply says that we must make a choice. We must decide, not feel, whether or not we will choose God’s way or the world’s way.

Let’s look at this a bit deeper. Let’s go to 1 John chap. 2.

1Jn 2:15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

1Jn 2:16 For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world.

1Jn 2:17 The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

Reread verse 15

1Jn 2:15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

The “World” John writes about here is not what you may think.

Not physical earth

Not created universe

Not the human race

No, it is the “World” or “realm” of sin that John speaks of.

This “world” is ruled by the devil.

In John 12:31, Jesus refers to the devil as:

“ruler of this world.”

In Ephesians 2:2, Paul uses another description:

“ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit which causes some to be disobedient.”

This “world” or “realm” has been set up against the Kingdom of God. The devil has had his nasty little clutches in this for a long time.

Let’s take a trip back to Genesis.

We find Adam & Eve

Living in Paradise

Conversing with God

Total Freedom

One Rule – Don’t eat from that one tree/ Or you will die

Life is good, until one day…

The devil appears, in the form of a serpent, asking questions of Eve.

Did God really say you can’t eat from any of the trees in the garden?

No we can eat of any tree but the big one there in the middle, for if we touch it or eat of it, we will die

Serpent, surely you won’t die if you eat of it. God is afraid you will become like Him, that’s why He told you not to eat of it.

Eve looks at it, and it was pleasing to the eye, looked good for food, and the desire for wisdom was strong.

Well, you know the rest of the story.

We have seen temptation at it’s finest.

But temptation is not in and of itself, a sin. James writes:

Jas 1:13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;

Jas 1:14 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.

Jas 1:15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

We can’t use the old common phrase, the devil made me do it.

He doesn’t make us do anything, but dangles temptation before us, in the areas where we are most likely to stumble.

I always think of the Tom & Jerry Cartoon:

Jerry the mouse on the back of a big bulldog holding a dog bone out on a fishing line. The dog runs after it because it desires to dig into that scrumpscious bone.

We will either stand strong and resist the temptation, or we will give into it, and allow sin to be prevalent in our lives.

Yet, there is a way out. What is it? Paul gives us insight into that answer in 1 Corinthians 10:13.