“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,” Romans 12:2
Conform– to be or become similar in form, nature, or character; to act in accord with the prevailing standards, attitudes, practices, etc…
Here the Bible warns us not to become as this world is.
Transformed– to change into another form.
Here the Bible instructs us to be changed.
We were born with a sinful nature, meaning we are naturally sinners. In Romans, the writer instructs us not to be conformed to this world but to be transformed, or changed into another form. He goes on to tell us that we do this by the renewing of our minds.
Renew– to revive, say, or do again. To restore to a form state;
How can we do this?
Refreshing our minds with new perspectives. One has said, “If you’re tired of the results you are getting in life, then change the pattern of your life.” If you keep doing the same things you are doing you will continue to get the same results.
One great way I have found to refresh my mind is with the Word of God. Even if you don’t read it you can listen to it. A daily dose of The Word of God shifts our focus to him and off of the sin and evil around us.
Embark on fresh beginnings with purpose. I am a goal-oriented person. It helps me to set new, or “fresh,” goals in my life. I try to always put a timeline on when I want to accomplish them because if I don’t, I will never finish them. Setting a timeline gives me purpose to finish the goal. It ALWAYS helps to renew my mind when I have accomplished what I set out to do.
Next week, we will examine the last three letters of RENEW to gain a little more insight into how we can live as transformed people with renewed minds.