The Bible tells us to not be conformed to this world but rather have our minds transformed, so how can we do that?
Discernment
The Bible tells us to not be conformed to this world but rather have our minds transformed, so how can we do that? The Word of God commands us to “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” (Rom 12:2), but how is that possible? To start with, we need God’s Spirit to help us, but we must know more of the Word of God. Then with this knowledge, we must act in accordance to God’s Word and God’s will.
Finding God’s Will
To begin with, having our minds renewed and to be transformed is only done by “testing…what is the will of God.” How can you know the will of God? It’s found all throughout the Bible. God’s will is spelled out in black and white, from Genesis to Revelation. It’s not a hidden mystery at all. If we know the will of God and obey the will of God, then we can learn what “is good and acceptable” to God, so first of all we must know God’s will and we find it in Scripture. After that, we must obey or follow His will before we can discern truth from error. Some have said the more light you find in Scripture and God gives us that light, and the more we obey that light, the more light that God sends by His Spirit.
If we obey what God says and follow His will in Scripture, He will reveal more about His Word and about Himself. Don’t you want that? Clearly it is “the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality” (1 Thess 4:3a), “Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is” (Eph 5:17). God’s will is not hard to find. We already know that His will is that we abstain from sexual (and other) sin and grow in His grace and in the knowledge of Him. In this way, we can be less conformed to this world and have more of our minds renewed.
Testing the Spirits
If we deeply desire to know God’s will and have our minds renewed, we more able to “discern what is the will of God” (Rom 12:2). That can be done by testing the spirits to see if they are truthful or not. The Apostle John warns us to “not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). We must test other teachings and place them against the Scriptures to see if these teachings are true or not. We cannot believe every spirit because some have taught false gospels under demonic influence, so clearly, there are evil spirits out there misleading teachers. We’ve got to test these teachings first before we ever start to believe them. You can’t renew your mind or be transformed by lies.
How to Transform Minds
God wants us to be transformed and not conformed to this world, unless it is being conformed into His image. God will transform us from the inside out to be more like His Son, Jesus Christ. Truth transforms…it transforms our minds into thinking more about God. The Word of God does the transforming, along with His Spirit. It is the Word of God and the Spirit of God that reveals the Son of God, so the Word can transform us and shape us (conform us) into His image, day by day. There is a cleansing power in God’s Word. The Apostle Paul wrote that God’s will is that Jesus Christ “might sanctify her (the church), having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word” (Eph 5:26). At the Last Supper, Jesus told the disciples that they were “already clean because of the word” (John 15:3), so there’s a cleansing power in God’s Word….and the Word has the power to transform us. The world wants to conform us…God wants to transform us.
Transfigured
The very same word is used in the Greek where the Transfiguration occurred and where Jesus was transformed as Peter, James and John each saw Jesus’ glory (Matt 17:1-9) is the very same word that Paul used in Romans 12:2. This renewal of the mind and the transformation into Jesus’ image is all a work of God’s Spirit and God’s Word, because dead men or women cannot be transformed at all (Eph 2:1-5), unless it’s being transformed into worm food at death. The Word has the power to convert souls and transform minds. The Psalmist wrote that “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul” (Psalm 19:7a). The word “reviving” is like that of being transformed or regenerated, so God’s Word can save us, then transform us, and then shape us into Jesus’ image.
Transforming Power
There is real power in God’s Word and in His Spirit and these two can transform us and help us to renew our minds into having the mind of Christ (Phil 2:1-11). That’s the goal…to become more and more like Jesus until when others see us, it’s really Jesus they see, but again, we must test the spirits and discern what God’s will is in order to be transformed into His image and have our minds be conformed to His image. The word “conform” means “con” with “form” pressure. Some translations have it to read: “Don’t let the world squeeze you into its own mold.” That’s the general idea and this is the only way we can discern or know “what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Rom 12:2), or that which pleases God.
Conclusion
I pray you have put your trust in the Savior, Jesus Christ. If you have not come to Christ yet, then Jesus Christ will turn you away and prevent you from entering into the Kingdom (Matt 7:21-23). My dear friend, I plead with you as you read this, repent today and put your trust in Christ. If you refuse, with certainty you will face God’s judgment after death (Heb 9:27) or at Christ’s appearance (Rev 20:12-15), whichever happens to come first.
Here is some related reading for you: How Can We Renew Our Minds?
Resource – Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), Crossway Bibles. (2007). ESV: Study Bible: English standard version. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway Bibles. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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