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Romans 12:2Have You Changed Your Mind Lately?6/23/19Suppose you could change anything about yourself, what would you change, where would you start? Many of us would start on the outside. We’d make changes in our appearance with diet and exercise, capped teeth, tummy tucks, eye lifts, nose jobs, Botox injections, and implants of various kinds. Then we wrap our extreme makeover in a luxurious wardrobe that reflects the latest fashion statement of the day. It’s hard, but we do it to fit in with whatever crowd we’re trying to impress. But as hard as it is to change on the outside, it’s harder still to change on the inside. What would you change about yourself on the inside? Would it be a bad attitude, a foul mouth, a critical spirit, a guilty conscience, or a quick temper? Would it be discontentment with your lot in life, resentment towards an offender, envy of other people’s successes? Would it be doubting God’s goodness in the midst of suffering and pain. We would all like to make some changes to improve our lives. But we resist change because change is hard. And even when we want to change we don’t know how to do it; and where do we begin? us that change is not only possible, change is a must if we want to live for God. Our studies in Romans tell us that change is not only possible, change is a must if we want to live the kind of life that pleases God. In Rom.1-11 we learned that if you want to live for God, your soul must be saved by God—that’s a change from spiritual death to spiritual life. Faith in Jesus Christ who died for your sins and rose again is a game changer. Last week, in Rom.12:1, we discovered that if you want to live for God, your body must be dedicated to God—that’s a change from using the members of your body for sinful pleasures to using them in worshipful service to please God.Today, in Rom.12:2, we’ll discover two more musts if you want to live for God. First, your mind must be renewed by God—that a change from worldly thinking to biblical thinking. Second, your will must desire the will of God—that’s a change from doing things your way to doing things God’s way. Open your bible to Rom.12:2: Rd Rom.12:2aIn v.1, Paul said if you want to live for God, you need to give your body to God. Here in v.2, he’s saying, if you want to live for God, you also need to give your mind to God. Kata v.2, giving your mind to God involves two things. One is negative—stop doing this. The other is positive—start doing that and keep on doing it. Let’s examine the negative statement first: “… do not be conformed to this world …” J. B. Phillips offers this paraphrase: “Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its mold.” In other words, stop allowing the world to shape your thoughts, form your attitudes, and dictate your values. Paul’s use of “world” is not a reference to planet earth, but rather to the world system. What’s Paul’s problem with the world system? The problem with the world system is that it’s in direct opposition to the standards of God’s Word. In Gal.1:4, the world system is called “this present evil age”. The world system is evil because its controlled by Satan, the Evil One, who, in 2Cor.4:4 is called “the god of this age.” That’s why 1Jn.2:15 tells us not to love the world or anything in it. Satan wants to use the world system to keep Christians from living for God. V.16 explains how the world system works against us. Notice the world system’s three major avenues of attack: “For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world” (IJn.2:16).The first component of the world system used by Satan to defeat a Christian is “the lust of the flesh.” The lust of the flesh refers to normal human desires that are out of control. Let’s call them forbidden pleasures. God gave man certain desires. Hunger, thirst, relaxation, and sex are not at all evil in and of themselves. There is nothing wrong about eating, drinking, sleeping, or sexual intimacy. But outside of God’s will, they become sinful lusts and forbidden pleasures. Hunger is not evil, but gluttony, overeating is sin. Thirst is not evil, but drunkenness is sin. Sleep is a gift of God, but laziness is shameful. Sex is God’s gift for one man and one woman in marriage. Sex outside is marriage is adultery and fornication.That’s how the world operates. It tempts us to satisfy God-given appetites in sinful ways. “If it feels good, do it!” is the clarion call of the lust of the flesh. The second component of the world system that Satan uses to defeat Christians is called “the lust of the eyes.” If the lust of the flesh refers to forbidden pleasures, the lust of the eyes refers to forbidden appetites. We sometimes forget that the eyes can have an appetite! Have you ever said, “Feast your eyes on this”? Achan feasted his eyes on things forbidden by God. Who was Achan? Achan was a soldier in Israel’s army. In Josh. 7, God had warned Israel not to take any spoils from the condemned city of Jericho, but Achan did not obey. In Joshua 7:21 he explained: “When I saw among the spoils a beautiful Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them…”Notice that Achan said that he coveted those forbidden items. The lust of the flesh is essentially coveteousness—wanting things that God says are off limits to the Christian. I’m not suggesting that you eaves drop on someone’s conversation, but listen to any casual conversation in a store or restaurant, and you’ll discover that much of the discussion is about money, or the things that money can buy. The topic may be clothes, cars, furniture, or a house. What one person buys, another person covets. The cardinal sin of the advertising industry is contentment. They spend millions of dollars to convince you and me that we’ll never be satisfied with our old model car. It may be mechanically sound with low mileage, but you need a new one with more gadgets and gizmos. If contentment is the cardinal sin of advertising, then conformity is the greatest virtue. Everybody needs to wear the latest fashion, drink the same cola, and take an ocean cruise to the Bahamas. We compare ourselves with others who have more of these things than we do. We become status conscious and ungrateful for what we do have. Greed replaces need. We’re now in the grip of coveteousness. Our relationship with God is going to suffer. Coveteousness is so subtle because we do need money, cars and clothes. And luxuries are not sinful in themselves. It’s OK to be rich. Abraham was a wealthy man. But when we complain about our status: when we envy others and justify our greed, we have fallen prey to the lust of the eyes. The third and final component of the world system that Satan uses to defeat Christians is called “the pride of life.” The idea here is self-adulation—a desire for public recognition at the expense of others. The NIV translates the pride of life with the phrase “boasting of what he has and does”. In other words, a person who succumbs to the pride of life is a braggart—a show off. He/she tries to out-shine and out-do others. If you give 10% to the church, he wants you to know that he gives 20%. If you took first place in a 50 yard dash, she’ll be happy to impress you with the fact that she ran a 26 mile marathon and came in first. You get the idea. The pride of life says, “Look how successful and affluent I am.” This obsession with prominence and self-promotion is a mindset that comes from the world system. The world wants to control your life but God wants to transform your life.Rd Romans 12:2bThe Grk. term for “transformed” is metamorphoo. From metamorphoo comes the Eng. word metamorphosis. Metamorphosis is an inner change that manifests itself outwardly. To be transformed is to be “morphed” into something new. When a caterpillar becomes a butterfly, there has been a radical transformation. When a tadpole becomes a frog, there has been a inner change that manifests itself outwardly. When sinners trust Christ as Savior a spiritual metamorphosis takes place; In the words of 1Cor. 5:17, we become new creations in Christ, the old has gone, the new has come. But spiritual metamorphasis doesn’t start and stop with a profession of faith. The transformation continues beyond the salvation experience. It’s an ongoing process. And how does that happen? What must we do to make sure that our spiritual transformation takes place on a daily basis? Paul says it happens through mind renewal—“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” The key to this daily transformation is the “mind”. Lost people think a certain way. Their thoughts are governed by the world system, not godly wisdom. Now that doesn’t mean that unbelievers are deficient in brain power. They are capable of amazing intellectual achievements like designing airplanes, discovering cures for a variety of diseases, and doing open-heart surgery. But when it comes to the spiritual realm, their thoughts lack a biblical framework. For them, public opinion defines truth; popularity is more important than holiness, and religion has no bearing on everyday life. Because of the sin nature, they are wired from birth to serve the lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life. Paul says be different. You’re a Christian now. Stop thinking like a lost person and start thinking like a saved person. When you allow the world to shape your thinking, you will live like the world. But when you allow the Lord to shape your thinking, you will conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel. You are what you think The bottom line is this: if you want to change the way you live, you will have to change the way you think. And to change the way you think, you must renew your mind. It’s that simple.I didn’t say it was easy. It’s difficult. For most of us, spiritual transformation happens over a long period of time, a step at a time, a day at a time. Little by little we change our behavior by renewing our minds. So, what’s involved in mind renewal? Here’s some food for thought. Think of renewing your mind in nutritional terms. The question then is “What should you feed your mind?” The answer should be obvious. Get rid of the mental junk food and feed your mind on a steady diet of God’s word! Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by?every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matt.4:4). Just as we feed on natural bread to grow physically, our mind needs to feed on the Word of God to grow spiritually. The Bible teaches that there a numerous ways to consume Scripture. Each one is essential for our spiritual development:One way to feed on God’s Word is by listening to God’s Word. Rom.10:17 says “…faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” You can listen to God’s Word as it’s taught and preached in church services, Bible conferences, podcasts, and Christian radio. You can listen to a recording of God’s word on CD’s while you’re driving in your car. Another way to feed on God’s Word is to read God’s Word. Rev.1:3 says “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep those things that are written in it …” While the specific blessing comes from reading the Book of Revelation, the blessing applies to reading any portion of God’s Word. And don’t just read for the sake of reading a prescribed number of chapters so you can check it off your read through the Bible in a year program. When we read the Bible we must pause and ask ourselves, “What does this passage mean? How does it apply to my life?” I had one person tell me a few years ago “I only read the Bible; you don’t need the writings of other men.” That may sound spiritual, but it goes against Scripture. The Bible says that God has given gifted teachers to the church (1Cor.12:28;?Eph.4:11-12). I have a library full of Bible commentaries written by men who are far more gifted in Hebrew, Greek and theology than I am. Read good bible commentaries and books on the Christian life. “Pastor, between work and family and other commitments, I just don’t have time to read.” If that’s you, listen to a fellow pastor share what Greg Beale, a seminary professor did to squeeze in some reading time to his busy schedule. He read a book while brushing his teeth! “He read a page in the morning and another page at night while brushing his teeth and got through the book in that manner!” (1) If you want to be transformed by renewing of your mind you can find time to read Scripture.A third way our minds can feed on God’s Word is by memorizing God’s Word. In Psa.119:11, David used the metaphor of hiding God’s Word in his heart to convey the idea of Scripture memorization: “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.” That’s how Jesus dealt with the Devil in the Wilderness. When the Devil tempted Jesus to sin, Jesus said “It is written …” and then quoted a passage from the Book of Deuteronomy. Jesus resisted the Devil because the Word of God was hidden in His heart. A fourth way our minds can feed on God’s Word is by meditating on God’s Word. Philippians 4:8 says, “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”We’re not talking about the mystical and mindless meditation of Eastern religions; we’re talking about biblical meditation. Biblical meditation means to dwell on, mull over, and focus your attention on something. Kata Phil.4:8, we should dwell on things that are true as in trustworthy and noble as in worthy of respect. We should mull over things that are just as in godly standards and pure as in wholesome. We should focus our attention on things that are lovely and things that are of a good report. Lovely speaks of what promotes peace, not conflict. (2) Things that are of a good report relate to what is positive and constructive, rather than negative and destructive. (3) Paul says these six objects of thought are virtuous and worthy of our praise. And there’s nothing more virtuous and praiseworthy than saturating our minds on God’s Word. Have you examined your thought life lately? What do you think about all day? Do those thoughts conform you to the ways of the world or to the image of Christ? It’s been said that you cannot prevent a bird from flying over your head, but you can prevent it from building a nest in your hair. So it is with wrong thoughts. The lies and deceptions of the world will never nest in your mind if you crowd them out with the truth of Scripture. When Potiphar’s wife made her improper advances to Joseph, Joseph said, “How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” The mind that conforms to the world system says, “It’s consensual. It’s natural. Everybody does it. It can’t be wrong if we love each other.” But the mind that’s renewed with Scripture says, “It’s immoral. It’s sinful. It’s wrong no matter how much we say we love each other because it goes against the clear teaching of God’s Word.” The purpose of renewing the mind with Scripture is not a gathering of information; it’s a transformation of life. When your mind filled with Scripture, Rom.12:1 says it will morph you into a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, which is your reasonable act of worshipful service. Rd Romans 12:1-2abPaul says, based upon the saving mercies of God in Rom.1-11, I urge you to do three things: First, give your body to God. Second, give your mind to God. And here’s #three—give your will to God. If you want to live for God, your will must give way to God’s will. That’s the idea in the last phrase of v.2: Rd Rom. 12:2cPaul is saying, “I urge you to present your body as a living sacrifice to God and to renew your mind with the Word of God”. Why is Paul urging, begging, and pleading with you to do this? So you may prove the will of God.” The apostle is not talking about finding or discovering the will of God; he’s talking about proving or approving what the will of God is. Let me clarify this further. Paul is not dealing with questions such as: Should I get married or stay single? Should I go to college or a pursue a trade apprenticeship? Should I buy a house or rent an apartment? Should I move to Wausau, Madison, or stay in Rapids? These questions are important, but they are secondary when it comes to God’s revealed will. The “will of God” here deals with obedience to His known will as stated in Scripture. Make no mistake about it. The Word of God is the will of God, and the will of God is the Word of God. The two will always agree, never disagree.As you obey the known will of God as stated in the word of God, God may give you direction in the specific areas of your life such as who to marry, where to go to school, and where to live. But if you refuse to obey what is clearly God’s will in Scripture, there’s no point praying for God to reveal the specifics of what is not clear. As one commentator put it “If you obey the clear injunctions of this text, God’s will ‘finds’ you!” (4) Another commentator said “If you’re serious about knowing God’s will, then you can’t say no to God’s will.” (5)Now, we have a decision to make. Do I do God’s will or my will? When Jesus agonized in the Garden over His pending death on the cross He prayed, “Father, if it be your will, let this cup [of suffering] pass from me; not My will but Your will be done.”In like manner, the heart-cry of the Christian is “I want what God wants, no more, no less! Not my will but Your will be done!" Consider these will-of- God statements in Scripture:1 Thess.4:3 says, “This is the will of God…that you should abstain from sexual immorality.” To put that prohibition in positive terms, it is always God’s will to keep sexual pleasures within the protective borders of a one-man-one-woman marriage. For example, Joseph had a decision to make. Potiphar’s wife tempted him with sexual advances. Would Joseph do his will and engage in extra-marital sex, or would he do God’s will and flee youthful lusts? His mind was filled with the Word of God, so he made a conscious decision to do the will of God. He conformed His will to God’s will and fled the scene. Here’s another “Will of God” statement in Scripture. 1Thess. 5:16-18 says this: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”. Whatever the struggle, whatever the trial, whatever challenges your Christian Faith, you are to be joyful, prayerful and thankful. This is God’s will for you. Now let’s go back to that word “prove” in v.2. When you give your body to God and give your mind to God and give your will to God, you will be able to “prove what is that good, acceptable, and perfect will of God.” The word “prove” means to approve by testing. When a believer’s mind is transformed by the Word of God, he’s given spiritual insight to discern his circumstances. He has the ability to assess the situation and respond in appropriate ways. He thinks through his problems from a biblical point of view and accepts only what conforms to God’s will which is good, acceptable and perfect. Good, acceptable and perfect. These three qualities are not attributes of God’s will. “Good,” for example, is not an adjective as in God’s “good” will. Good is a noun, meaning that God’s will is good for the believer. It’s good for you because disobedience is harmful; sin damages you. But obedience is helpful; obedience is holiness and holiness will blesses you. God’s will is not only good, it’s acceptable. Acceptable means that God’s will is well pleasing to God. And when it’s well pleasing to God, it’s good for you. God’s will is the best thing for you. Here’s an example of how that works. When I want to prove or approve the will of God, I may ask God "God, what do you want me to do in this situation? How do you want me to deal with this temptation or respond to this trying circumstance?” When my will desires the will of God, I realize how well-pleasing this is to God. In time, I will discover that it’s much easier to bear up under my circumstances when I know what God really wants. When it’s well pleasing to God, it will be good for you.There’s one more descriptive quality of God’s will. God’s will is not only good for us and well pleasing to God, its perfect—it’s perfect and complete in every way. Nothing needs to be added to God’s will. That’s why we must submit our imperfect wills to God’s perfect will. How does that happen? It happens when we dedicate our bodies to God and renew our minds with the Word of God. This spiritual transformation of our body, mind, and will must be constant and ongoing. Because we are bombarded with worldly values day after day, we must pursue and practice biblical values every day. The Holy Spirit will help you to do so. Rom.12:1-2 was written primarily to Christians. Christian, have you dedicated your body to God? Are you renewing your mind with the Word of God? Is it your desire to submit your will to the will of God? Let me encourage you to make those commitments to the Lord today, right now? Tell Him! Depend upon the Holy Spirit to help you fulfill any commitment you make to God. What do you think about that? Remember, you are what you think.Some of you may have never trusted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. You're not a member of God’s family. You’re not sure whether you’re saved and going to heaven or lost and going to hell. Here is God’s will for you: 2Pet.3:9 says that God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Repentance means a change of mind that leads to a change of behavior. It’s God’s will for you to change your mind about sin and trust Christ as Savior. Admit that you’re a sinner and believe that Christ died for your sins and rose again. What do you think about that? There is wisdom to the saying “Sow a thought and you reap an action; sow an act and you reap a habit; sow a habit and you reap a character; sow a character and you reap a destiny.” (6)I hope and pray that you think long and hard about where you are in your relationship with God. Your present joy and eternal destiny depend on it.(1) (2)Lightner, R. P. (1985). Philippians. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 664). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.(3)ibid(4) (5) ) (6) ................
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