A Transformed Life

We conclude our journey along the "Romans Road" gospel presentation with Romans 12:1-2 for a very specific reason: These verses present the Christian life as it should be lived—a life transformed by the Lord Jesus Christ. Throughout the first eleven chapters of Romans, Paul put forth a theological argument as to how sinful man can be put into a right relationship with God. In the remaining chapters, Paul asks the question, "What now?" In light of the knowledge of Christ gained in the first eleven chapters, how should we then live? How does all of this affect our daily lives? For those of us who have repented of our sins and received Christ as our Lord and Savior by faith, what should our lives look like? How do we continue to live by that faith? The answer: By giving yourself wholly unto God or by being fully devoted to Him. But how do we do that?

Romans 12:1 reads: "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship" (NIV). "Therefore" (v. 1a) establishes a connection with the entire first eleven chapters of Romans. Those eleven chapters clearly presented "God's mercy" (v. 1a) to us. That mercy has to do with our salvation. "Therefore," because the Lord has saved us, our lives must change.

"Urge" (v. 1a) is from parakaleo which has the basic meaning of calling alongside in order to help or give aid. It later came to mean exhorting, admonishing, or encouraging. The force of the word lies somewhere between commanding and beseeching. It possesses something of the element of authority that is more forcefully expressed by "command," and has in it something of the element of appeal that is best expressed by "beseech." Hence the KJV rendering: "I beseech you therefore, brethren" (v. 1a).

The word "present" (v. 1b) is actually what is called a final infinitive, meaning the final purpose. According to Colossians 1:21-22 the final purpose of our reconciliation through the death of Christ is "to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight" (v. 22b). "Blameless" (v. 22b) or "without blemish" (NIV) is a technical sacrificial term used of animals that were without flaw and therefore worthy of being offered to God (The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Vol. 11, [Zondervan Publishing House: Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1978], 187). The reference then is not to our personal conduct but to our position in Christ. Through faith in Christ you stand holy and blameless before God and you will be holy and blameless when He takes you home to glory—it is final.

In Romans 12:1, the final purpose of our reconciliation (or salvation) is to "present" (v. 1b) yourself in total devotion to God. Because you are holy and blameless in His sight, you are worthy to "present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God" (v. 1b). The former animal sacrifices of Israel were dead sacrifices that had no lasting value. The new sacrifice is a "living sacrifice" (v. 1b), your body or your entire self. You have been set apart to be "holy" (v. 1b), a reference to being set apart for a special purpose. You have been set apart for God—consecrated to Him for His service. Let the righteousness of Christ dwell in you. Give yourself completely unto the Lord each day, letting Him work through you. That is what is "pleasing to God" (v. 1b, NIV).

"This is your spiritual act of worship" (v. 1b, NIV). God isn't interested in the ceremonial acts, like animal sacrifices. He is interested in a living and perpetual sacrifice—the giving of yourself to worship Him, walk with Him daily, and serve Him in whatever way He leads. This sacrifice of yourself to God is never to be neglected or recalled. It is a day to day, moment to moment sacrifice. Obedient lives is our only "reasonable" (v. 1b) response to God.

Romans 12:2 further explains, "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." Not only your body, but your mind must be given over to God. Only when your mind and body are completely given over to God are you fully devoted to Him, but it all begins with the mind. In the mind, we make choices as to whether we will let our new nature manifest itself outwardly in holiness, or if we will instead let our old nature manifest itself outwardly in acts of ungodliness or sin. Which is it? It all comes down to who controls your mind.

Verse 2 makes it clear that the dedicated life is also a transformed life. Verse 1 has called for a decisive commitment to be devoted to God. Verse 2 deals with the maintenance of that commitment—how we are to live (Ibid, Vol. 10, 128).  According to Psalm 118:27, we need to "bind the sacrifice with cords… unto the horns of the altar" (KJV).

Paul commands us, "And do not be conformed to this world" (Romans 12:2a). "Be conformed" (v. 2a) refers to an outward expression that does not reflect what is within. It is used of masquerading, or putting on an act, specifically by following a prescribed pattern or scheme. It also carries the idea of being transitory, impermanent, and unstable. The negative, "not" (v. 2a) makes the verb prohibitive. The verb itself is passive and imperative, the passive indicating that to conform is something we allow to be done to us, the imperative making it a command, rather than a suggestion (MacArthur's New Testament Commentary: Romans 9-16, [Moody Publishers: Chicago, 1994], 149).

The command is that we are "not" to allow ourselves to "be conformed to this world" (v. 2a). We are not to masquerade as a worldly person, for any reason. Do not pattern yourself or allow yourself to be patterned after the ways of this world. Do not become victims of this world. Stop allowing people around you, who are not believers, to fashion you after their image—an image which is anything but the image of Christ.

Paul continues: "But be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (v. 2b). "Be transformed" (v. 2b) is from the Greek verb metamorphoo and refers to a change in outward appearance. It is the term from which we get the English metamorphosis. Matthew used the word in describing Jesus' transfiguration: "He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light" (Matt. 17:2). Christ's inner divine nature and glory were, for a brief time and to a limited degree, manifested outwardly. Our inner redeemed nature is also to be manifested outwardly, as completely as possible, in our daily lives. Your new inner self must show through in how you live.

The only other appearance of this word in the New Testament is in 2 Corinthians 3:18, where Paul said, "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord." Here we are being changed into the likeness of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit within us. This gives good commentary on Romans 12:2. There, "Be transformed" (v. 2b) is a passive imperative—in this case a positive command. We are commanded to allow ourselves to be changed outwardly into the image of Jesus Christ.

This transformation is "by the renewing of your mind" (v. 2b). The outward transformation is affected by an inner change in the mind. The Spirit transforms our minds through God's Word. In Psalm 119:11, David said, "Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You." God's Word is the instrument the Holy Spirit uses to renew our minds. God's Word is the instrument the Holy Spirit uses to transform our living. "Present" yourself to God daily (v. 1), get into the Scriptures daily, and watch your life begin to be "transformed" into the very image of Christ (v. 2).

Paul concludes verse 2, "that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." Our lives can "prove what the will of God is" (v. 2b, NASB) only by doing those things He approves of—things that are "good and acceptable and perfect" (v. 2c). "Acceptable" (v. 2c) comes from the Old Testament sacrificial language and refers to the kind of holy living God approves, a "living sacrifice" (v. 1b) without spot or blemish. "Perfect" (v. 2c) refers to being complete, or being everything you should be. You are to desire what God desires and to seek to do only what He wants you to do. A transformed mind produces a transformed will, eager to do what God wants you to do, no matter what the cost. This involves the strong desire to know God better and to follow His purpose for our lives.

God wants to change you completely. He wants to take the person you once were and remake you into the beautiful person He designed you to be. To have your old life transformed into the image of Christ, involves a complete change of heart—an entire alteration of your state of mind. This change involves the whole person. It begins on the inside and works its way outward until all can see it. Only when you begin to live outwardly by the same faith by which you were saved, will you be transformed into the person God intended you to be. Amen.