Be Transformed (1)

As a born-again believer that was new in the faith, one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God, died on the cross, went into hell and rose again from the dead, I often heard that I had to be transformed by the renewing of my mind. I will be honest; I really struggled with that whole concept. I was trying to comply with what I was being told but it didn’t seem like it would take in me.

I was given a King James Version (KJV) of the Bible, and this is what it says in the book of Romans, chapter 12;

12 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.

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.

In fact, I struggled with a lot of the Bible because I couldn’t grasp the wording. One day I decided to purchase a different translation. I started with one called the New International Version (NIV). This was easier to read but still, a lot of passages were difficult to understand. I decided to get several different translations so I could look at the same passage side by side comparing how they were worded.

For this passage, I will share what the New Living Translation (NLT) looks like.

12 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 

² Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

This version says ‘don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you’…

Now we are getting somewhere. I am not the one transforming myself, God is doing the work. It says that He ‘transforms you into a new person by changing the way you think’. My next question was “how does He do this?”

I had to go back to verse one. I see that I had to make the first move by giving my body to God because of all that He has done for me. I had to become a living holy sacrifice. Well, wait a minute, sacrifice means something must die.

But this verse says a living sacrifice. How do I become a living sacrifice because I really do not want to die just yet?

I found some answers in the book of Hebrews, the 13^th chapter, verses 15 and 16.

¹⁵ Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. ¹⁶ And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.

I also came to understand that because of what Jesus did for us on the cross, He became the only sacrifice that needed to die. We get the benefit of being living sacrifices. This passage in Hebrews says that we are to continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God. That means as I go through my day, every time I realize something good is happening around me, to me, or through me, I should be thanking and praising God.

The key is this; Jesus did the work and we get the benefits. You may have been taught that you must do such and such to be worthy of what God has for you. That is false.

Jesus Himself said the following in the book of Mathew, chapter 6, verse 33;

³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

I take that to mean that I should focus on God in everything that I do and He will take care of the rest.