LIGHT FOR LIFE TRANSFORMATION (1)

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be TRANSFORMED by the renewing of your mind” – Romans 12:2a

Renewing the mind by the Word of God releases LIGHT for LIFE TRANSFORMATION: “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” (Rom.12:2). Transformation means a manifest change in character, form, nature, or appearance, usually for the better. To be transformed is to change in condition, composition, or character. Life is essentially about transformation: an awkward wiggling caterpillar turns into a colourful winged butterfly; the tiny baby grows into a bubbling child, teenager, and adult, a spiritual novice into a dependable disciple and disciple-maker.

God, the Unchanging Changer, specialises in transforming lives, hearts, minds, bodies, character, status, stories, and destinies. He is: “the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb.13:8). He is not subject to alteration, deflection, or variation (Jam.1:17). The self-existent God cannot be changed by any force outside of Himself. He is eternal – independent of time and temporality: “who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen” (1Tim.6:16). God says, “Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure’” (Isa.46: 9-10).

For the Believer in Christ, Spiritual Transformation is from inside-out: “old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Cor.5:17). Without this, Christianity would be just another religion. God superintends the Life Transformation process: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10). At salvation, our eternal destiny is altered, with a radical reorientation of priorities, a new life purpose, and the indwelling Holy Spirit. However, rather than instant liberation from every vice or flaw, what occurs is more like the landing of an army on a beach and the routing out of the enemy as the army forges its way inland. With progressive and persistent pressing, total occupation occurs in time.

God uses His Word and His Spirit primarily, and circumstances secondarily, to transform Believers. Therefore, we must commit to living according to the Bible: to read, study, memorize, meditate on, and apply the Word. The Holy Spirit provides the power, conviction, and direction for life transformation. He acts like an internal warning system when we’re tempted to take wrong steps and like an applauding audience when we take the right steps toward becoming like Jesus. God's number one purpose in life is to make us like Jesus Christ. God sometimes orchestrates circumstances such as challenges, conflicts, and pressures, to transform and bring out the best in us.