Romans 12:1-21

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind, that you might prove what the will of God is, that which is good acceptable and perfect.”

At the age of 25, I was a young zealous disciple who had memorized this verse and was busily memorizing others in a systematic way which, along with inductive bible study, was how I would manage my transformation. It felt good to be on the cutting edge of authentic Christianity.

I didn’t fully appreciate verse 3 where Paul instructs us “to not think more highly of yourself than you ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgement…

A lesson I hope I can continue to learn is that our minds and our hearts must be closely related. While the mind can acquire truth, its the heart that must live it. While I had enscribed the first 2 verses of Romans 12 on my mind, it was the remaining 19, having to do with relationships, that God would use to inscribe His words onto my heart. Here is a summary of those verses;

So we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of the other; be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; bless those who persecute you; be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly;  do not be wise in your own estimation; if possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.”

I think of truth as a seed. When I memorized it, I would like to think that it had been planted in my heart and was now a part of the renewed me. In truth though, as the seed was stored in my mind, it was really just resting on the surface with any fruit it might bare, hanging in the balance. At 25 I had no idea, that how I would respond to the relational commands of verses 3-21 would determine if the hard shell around that seed would deteriorate so that it might germinate and produce any kind of crop.

One of the ways we are conformed to this world is the way we see ourselves. In Adam, in our “flesh”, we are already predisposed toward selfishness. From that place, the devil and the world conspire with our flesh to keep us in competition with each other so that comparison is second nature. This is ground zero for the transformation God has in mind. (check out 2 Cor 10:12.)

While it appears to us that some have more and some have less, in God’s sight, it has more to do with where he has placed us in His body and how He has distributed gifts among us. God is inviting us into a kingdom without class-distinctions as we know them. In His counterintuitive kingdom, if we aspire rightly, we must embrace the lowly and even our enemy.

So that the biblical knowledge we have stored in our minds ends up in our hearts and ultimately in our motives and actions, God will see to it that we will encounter the lowly and opponents whose views and agendas differ with ours. If we are listening and obeying in the ruff and tumble of human interaction, the hard shell of the seed will break and truth will be birthed; the Word will become flesh; the Light of the world will be seen; love will prevail and the gospel’s claims of freedom will be validated.

God’s good, acceptable and perfect will being done on earth is more dependent on our loving each other than on the mastery of more bible knowledge.

By the time I was 35, I had amassed a lot of bible knowledge but I had also amassed and afflicted a ton of pain in personal and family relationships. Amazingly, in the midst of the contention, my lips were moving and I was mouthing those biblical truths with intense conviction but the true sound being transmitted was a lifeless, noisy religious gong. It was not until I responded at the heart level to Paul’s command to, “if possible, be at peace with all men“, that transformation really had much of a chance.

A very familiar part of me violently opposed this plan but I knew exactly what God was asking me to do. This story is too long to relate here but I can testify that God’s grace literally poured into my life and into my relationships when I obeyed this instruction. It was one of the hardest things I have ever done but it resulted in an amazing transformation. While I am describing an event in time, I believe God is calling the citizens of His kingdom to embrace this process as our way of life, so that men will see our good works and glorify our Father who is in heaven.

Here is a mystery regarding relationships, the cross and transformation. Prior to this watershed event, I was at serious odds with people very close to me. I was dead certain that if a jury of my peers were assembled and were to hear my case I would be found inncocent in heart and deed; vindicated on all counts. I was certain of this.  If truth and justice were on the job the real guilty parties would be brought into the light and held accountable.  As I said, I was dead-certain.

I learned in this encounter with God that His ways are very different and much higher than my own.  He was not in the least bit interested in my jury idea. In fact, as far as He was concerned my interest in seeing others brought to justice was the only offense on the books that He would hear. I knew that if I didn’t let go of this that God and I would be at odds. When I finally let go, I died to something. I think of this as having taken up my cross and followed Him. Consequently grace flooded into this impossible situation and set the stage for a new season free from the previous ten years of debilitating strife. Had I insisted on being right, I would have been walking in the flesh and I would have reaped death for myself and others. I would have had to sell myself some story about my opponents depravity to justify my own self righteousness. Being right is highly overrated.  While it will good to our flesh,  it will be a pathway to death to our spirits.

Father, help us to see that all the ingredients for our transformation are at hand; that our circumstances together with Your Word and Your Spirit are sufficient. May this world see Your resurrection life demonstrated as we find ourselves in right relation to each other; individually members one of the other. In so doing, may we overcome evil with good.

Application Is the Lord bringing anyone to mind just now? Here is a prayer-route to higher ground;

Lord, I forgive (fill in the blank for yourself – you know the names),

I give you permission to take the judgement and the bitterness out of my life. I do not wan this in my life.  I surrender it to You and ask You to remove it – to heal me where I have been wounded, to forgive me where I have sinned. I choose not to blame or hold the action of others against them. I hereby surrender my right to be paid back for my loss by the one who has sinned against me, and in so doing, I declare my trust in You alone as my Righteous Judge. Father bless them in every way. In Jesus; name. Amen  (This prayer is contributed by Charlie Finck of Liberty Cross Ministries, Liberty Lake, WA) 

 

 

 

 

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