ROMANS 12:2 YOUR MIND
As I hear this urgent plaintive call for consecration in the lives of the saints of God, I am made conscious of that which hinders consecration - it is the world, literally, the age in which we live. The fashion of the age is arranged by the "god of this world," Satan, and he keeps changing the fashion of it to keep it appealing to the wandering minds of human beings. He has a pattern of life he wants everyone to conform to - to be molded into. There are areas of life in this age that are contrary to the intelligent, spiritual, priestly worship God desires from us.
The world's religion seeks to placate the disturbed consciences of those who are convicted of sin by the Holy Spirit. "The pleasures of sin for a season" are avidly followed by those who want to blot out the real issues of life that people need to face day after day. The education of the world seems to deliberately try to turn people away from the knowledge of God to the changing ideas and philosophies of those who do not want to think they are in any way accountable to God. The "brethren," Jews and Gentile believers need to heed this call to consecration because the world system will never cease trying to pressure us into what is acceptable to it.
The human mind when God created man, was able to enjoy what God enjoyed and would focus on that that which brought pleasure to God. When sin came in, the mind was "darkened." The mind was that which made man a "living soul" after the body was formed out of the dust of the ground. The life of the soul includes the senses, touch, taste, sight, hearing and smell, by which we respond to all we see all around us. The mind also is able to produce thoughts, imaginations, and intelligent reasoning. It can retain things by memory that we have experienced in the past.
The control of the mind is a calculated attempt by the world-system to control and conform a person to it, and the activities in which it wants one to engage in. The Holy Spirit doesn't just inform us but challenges us to be transformed by the renewing of the mind. The transformation (transfiguration) of the mind is not just an outward change. That is just being conformed. "Transfiguration" is an inward change that comes from the renewing of the mind.
The question that is often asked is, "How can the mind be renewed?" This begins in a believer when we are born again. The mind of the unbeliever is dead to God. We became alive to God in our spirit when we were "born of the Spirit." So, the renewing of the mind does not refer to spiritual life. Our bodies remain the same as they were before we were saved, and will remain this way until we are instantaneously changed "in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye" at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. It seems that the renewing of the mind means taking controlling power over the soul by capturing the imaginations that sometimes run wild, the attractions of pleasure that appeal to our base nature, the feelings that can be moved by music and entertainment. Even memory has a tendency to focus on the things that happened when Satan was in control. The Holy Spirit and the Word of God both have the power to aid us in bringing about this transfiguration within the soul.
The whole of conscious living has to be directed by faith in the One who made us a "new creation," and gave us a new direction for our intelligence to follow. Memory and feelings are able to be controlled by yielding to the Spirit, because "greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world." Because we are "in Christ" and He in us, we can experience God's will in our lives. It is good for us and acceptable to Him. God's will when practiced, brings us into maturity.
Believers are in a state of spiritual growth when we present our bodies as our priestly worship, and when our minds are renewed. Our whole life-experience is transfigured from within. The good will of God will produce outwardly that which is good for us. In turn, that activity will be acceptable to God because it comes from His design and His plans to accomplish His purposes in and through us.
It is not an easy matter to go upstream against the tide. This is only done when we as branches in the Vine abide. The fashion of the world leads to death, not into life - Discontent and disappointment are there along with strife.
We do not need to follow that world-pattern any more. When our minds are moved, we know what we are here for. All the faculties that make to become what we are - Can be brought under control by the Holy Spirit's power.
To not be conformed to the world may seem easier said than done. But we are not left without divine enablement from the Holy One. We do have the responsibility over our wandering mind to take control.
This becomes a reality by the transfiguring of the soul.
There may be a little difference between the soul and the mind. The mind is like a control-tower directing the soul to find The path of obedience to God and His will, that we can approve And experience in a practical way the outworking of His love.
God has given us the guidelines so that this body in which I dwell, Will follow the direction it should go according as the mind can tell The whole person that I am, made of body, and soul and spirit - What the will of God is for me, and how I best can do it.
God's will, is good for me to follow and it is also good for Him; Because I can accomplish what He wants, and His will keeps me from sin. It is acceptable to Him; He has purposes and plans to maintain. And when His perfect will works in me, the world around me is restrained.
"Heavenly Father, it is my prayer today that not only will I keep my mind stayed on Thee, but that as I seek guidance for the days ahead, my mind will be renewed afresh to know and carry out Thy will. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen."
ROMANS12:3 SELF-ESTIMATION There is a problem in almost every human being that can hinder our spiritual worship. That is to have a wrong estimation of ourselves. An honest, accurate evaluation is based on knowing who we are in Christ if we are believers - not on comparing ourselves with other people. It is possible to claim we are so worthless that we aren't capable of worshipping or serving God. Usually that is a cop-out for not doing what we know we should. This is true though if it were not for the grace of God in saving us and placing us in Christ. Our self-worth as believers is based on our identity with Christ and being in Christ. By the holy standards of God, we are not capable of very much. In Christ we have been brought into the standards of perfect righteousness before God because we are seen in Him. We are able today and forever to worship and serve God according to His eternal standards through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Usually the problem we have is that we way over-estimate ourselves. Pride is a basic temptation of most people. Pride of nationality, religion, face, success - even pride of grace makes us think we are important, and can stop what God wants to do through us. Our view of our importance is really only our own view. Other people could tell us humbling things if they were willing to. This opinion of ourselves is mentioned four times in this verse indicating that this has a lot to do with the renewing of our minds. To evaluate one's self by the world's standard can either leave us with an exalted perception of our worth, or under-estimate what God says a person is worth. Much worldly value is placed on one because of that person's achievements, wealth, philanthropy or some other effect that person had on society.
God has allotted a measure of faith for each person so that that person can fulfill whatever the Holy Spirit leads to do. The measure does not work based on making comparisons with the efforts of other people, but on the ability that God gives the individual. Therefore, it is important that I have the discernment of the role that God has given me to fill and fill it to the best of my ability.
Being constrained by the mercies of God, I am to be consecrated to divine service when I use what God has given in the way that He intended. That intelligent service is an act of worship to the One who has saved and called me. This first of a series of exhortations is a result of the transfiguration that comes from the renewing of the mind. The Lord Jesus Himself is the Pattern of transfiguration [Mat.17:2]. The Principle of transfiguration is given here in Romans 12:2 where we are told to be renewed in our minds. The Power of transfiguration is the Holy Spirit according to 2nd Corinthians 3:13.
There may be times when we think we have little worth So, seek some way to stay out of the light. We think of ourselves in the eyes of people we know on earth And for some reason keep ourselves hidden from sight. Honest evaluation is not an act of our pride - It is well that we stop to consider our call. There is no reason for us to our faith in Christ hide - Because one who God saved is His child after all.
A greater cause for self-examination is this - We usually ourselves way too far over-estimate.
We value what we've achieved and the world calls success - Credit for our self-worth we willingly take. To value our life and our labor in order to reach a perceived goal - Is not very wise to take in one's own hand to do. A high estimation of self is damaging to my soul - And is really only self-deceiving, when finally, we are through.
God has His measure and gives us the faith - To accomplish all the plans that He made. The work He assigns can only be done by His grace, And has value only when on Christ our mind is stayed. Common sense evaluation by the Spirit's instruction Will give a good estimation of the things we have done. In spiritual intelligent worship and sincere cooperation - There can be honor that is brought to God's Son.
"Father, I know there is a tendency in me to over estimate the abilities I have and the work that I do. Please give to Thy servant a sensible evaluation of myself so that I don't sin against Thee by not doing what I should, or by going too far too fast and doing what I shouldn't. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen."