It’s All in Your Mind

b. him. Many of us have found this to be true for ½'hen we teach separation, and we should, Christians become angry, upset, belligerent, and say, "What right do you have to tell me how to live?., But the moment I present my body to the Holy Spirit and I' m willing to accept Him making me a living sacrifice, He begins to speak to me about nonconformity to the world and then I don't get upset. I do not get upset when the Holy Spirit within me begins to question some of my conduct or activity. But if I withhold presenting my body, such teaching or pressure puts me on the defensive. The word conform is an interesting word. It means. first of all, "to be made like the age." In fact the word could easily be translated, "do riot take the shape and your conduct from the idea and ideals and practice of the world." The Holy Spirit says to me on the basis of my action in verse one, "Don't take your conduct from the world." This is what is taking place in our day, and no doubt in every Christian generation before us. Take the area of music, for example. Christian musicians think they have to take their music from the shape and practice of the world. It may sound good, and it may bring a crowd. but the Bible calls that conformity. Romans 12:2 is a key in our Christian living. It is the key to amusements. to activities, to dress, and to all that we normally talk about regarding separation. If the teaching of separation bothers you, then you have not put yourself in verse one. Conformity to the world does not bring happiness but many Christians will never find this out. The definition of conformity is found in Romans 8:29, "(lo.,. wlwm. lu. did ltJ.URnlJ.ID., Ju. ahi,. did ~ lb I,,_ Mn/.t,n,ud M du. Uttll.fJ£ DI, hu 11m. " The phrasing of that verse has the same basic meaning of Romans 12:2~ "for those he called, he also did predestinate to the conduct, ideals, and practices of the Son." So we see the consistency of our Bible. Paul wrote in Philippians 3:10, "ghaJ. ;J. m.atJ,, knom kim, and l1u.. p.otD## n/ hu UJllJf¥llW'J«, ... luintJ tntI.th ~ unh,. Im thn&." Paul said, "I want to get my conduct, practice, and ideals from the death of Christ. Our third word is transfbrmation. Your reference Bible reminds you that the word transformation is really transfi9uration. It is interesting that everything in Romans 12:1,2 is outward, visible, and observable. Your body can be seen by others. Your nonconformity will be seen. And your transformation will be seen. In Matthew 17:2, Christ "U}.(U tuuu/.itµtn.d fu/t>.ll llum." The disciples saw the transformation. His face did shine and His raiment was as the light. With this word transformation comes another thought found in Second Corinthians 3:16-18. To have a renewed mind is not an instantaneous process. It is a gradual process. "~ wlu,n_ ii [the heart] .JuJl tarn b,. l1u ~ Ute oail. JwlL lu t.,Ju.n. tllDalJ-. rn.om du .J !o.nl it iJud Jpi,i1: and wluu tJu S,i,ll iJ/, th.e Jlnnl iL Hun it lifmr.ft ;. (8uL an all, uJi& "fllM- /.an, ~ ill m a glo.u du gln,y, o/ llu .,,&,J, t1ll Juzn,µd. .. ,, Here is our word transformation. "(Bul 1M all, wiJlt o,un. /.all~ a..1.. in a (lllLU l1u gl.Mg, "'du ..l!imL, llll Juzn,µd [transformed or transfigured] into. llu .lDRtt i.matµ /,nm g/.anJ.. lb- (JllJ#IJ,••• " Who does this transforming or changing? "of... /,.y, du J,,l,nl D/, du .J !o.nl ." You will never become a transformed Christian until you present your body to 40