By: Prof. Bellon
Romans 12: 1-2 ‘Therefore, I urge you brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship. Do not be conformed 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.’
Call to transform society begins with individuals. God places the burden on their hearts and God is able to reach so many people. That is how God calls us. Transformation is a biblical concept.
What is transformation?
Transformation is not only change. It comes from metamorphosis (meta – change, morphe – form). Transformation is metamorphosis. Transformation is like transfiguration, It is an invisible process that takes place in a Christian until we form into a new person e.g. a fearful Peter transformed into a bold Peter.
The process of transformation. Rom 12: 1-2
Willingness to submit self
We must be willing to submit ourselves to God. God gives us freewill. We need to exercise this will. If I want to transform my society, I have to make myself available and willing to allow God to use me anyhow he wants. We need to give up our right. We sacrifice our rights. For society to change it has to take the people who know Christ. We have to surrender 100% our lives to God to do what he desires.
Avoidance of conformity
We have to stop conformity. Conformity comes from outside. Pressure from outside causes us to conform. We are afraid to do what God asks us in our lives. There is peer pressure everywhere. The peer pressure can kill your fire. External pressure pushes us in and makes us not do what God has called us. It renders us ineffective, impotent, powerless. God tells us not to conform to this world. The battle over your life is the intimacy with God.
Intimacy comes in various forms, for others it is TV, magazines, sports, clubs etc. Those things that control our intimate life call the shots.
Renewal of mind
Renewal means that you are replacing what is there with something new. Replace 100% what God says and live by that. Aligning your thoughts, feelings, practices with God’s mind. Let God’s mind dwell in us. Renewing of mind will not come from outside but it is an inside process. You have to make a decision; decide to take what God says. Once you make the decision, replace the old way of thinking with the new one. You are renewing by living the principles of God all the time. Internalize God’s principles in your heart. Once we renew our mind, then we are able to know the good and perfect will of God. We begin to see things differently and we get different results.
Living the will of God
Results of transformation appeals to moral values and raises our consciousness about ethical issues. This also mobilizes our energy and resources to reform institutions. Transformation begins inside out and helps us to be in a position to impact our country. As we transform, we carry a light that shines out into the country. We have a powerful force available; we live and form a great example to others. In the process we are in a position to transform others too.
The word of God has to take pre-eminence position in our lives.
** Let us be men and women willing to submit ourselves to God.
