Be Transformed

Be Transformed

Romans 12:1–2

“Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…”
—Romans 12:1–2

In light of the gracious justification Christ has accomplished for us, the only reasonable conclusion is that we should present ourselves wholly to God—as walking, breathing, living sacrifices.

Paul begins with a warning: Do not be conformed.
The word conformed carries the idea of being with the structures, patterns, and philosophies of this world—sharing its assumptions, values, and logic. This is not a call to superficial nonconformity. Even the Pharisees were nonconformists in appearance. Paul is speaking about something deeper: resisting the world’s way of thinking.

Then comes the command: Be transformed.
To be transformed is to move across and beyond the forms of this world—to rise above them. This is a call to transcendent excellence, not cultural withdrawal. The Christian life is not merely different; it is elevated.

That transformation happens through the renewing of the mind.
This is nothing more—and nothing less—than serious, in-depth formation. A growing mastery of the Word of God. Lives change when minds change. We are called to have the mind of Christ.

Justified and Being Transformed

Justification means that we are declared righteous before God even while we are still sinners. We place our trust in Christ alone—and God places Christ’s righteousness into our account. That is the gospel.

Not only does Jesus take our sins, debts, and demerits, but He also gives us His obedience, assets, and merits.

Imagine it this way: each of us wears a sign around our neck displaying everything we’ve ever done or failed to do—every word, every thought, every motive. As Jesus hung on the cross, He gathered the signs of all people—past, present, and future—and placed them on Himself. He bore our sin fully. That is when He cried out,

“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

At the same time, He took the sign that bore His perfect obedience and placed it on us.

“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
—2 Corinthians 5:21

The Evidence of True Faith

True faith always produces real conformity to Christ.
If there is no sanctification—no growing likeness to Jesus—then there was never justification to begin with.

Justification is instant.
Sanctification begins instantly.

Jesus said,

“Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness…”
—Matthew 6:33

Righteousness is the goal. And righteous people are known by their fruit:

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”
—Galatians 5:22–23

The Cost of Worship

True worship requires death—death to self.

Dying to Christ will likely be painful.
It means abandoning my own wants, dreams, and ambitions in order to pursue His will.
It means refusing alignment with the futile thinking of the world.
It means submitting to the mind-renewing work of the Holy Spirit.

Only then can our thinking be transformed.
Only then can we discern and embrace God’s good, pleasing, and perfect will—for our lives and for the world.

Reflection

In what ways have I allowed my thinking to be shaped more by the world than by the Word?

Transformation does not begin with changed behavior, but with a renewed mind. What voices most influence my assumptions, my fears, my ambitions, and my definition of success? Where do I resist God—not outwardly, but quietly—by holding on to patterns of thought that feel familiar or safe?

True worship costs more than attendance or agreement. It requires surrender—daily, ongoing, and sometimes painful. Yet it is in that surrender that freedom is found.

Am I willing to be transformed, or do I merely want to be affirmed?

Prayer

Father,
By Your mercy, I offer myself to You.

I confess that I am often tempted to conform—to think like the world, to reason like the world, to protect myself the way the world does. Renew my mind. Expose what is false. Replace it with truth.

Form in me the mind of Christ.
Teach me to love what You love and desire what You desire.

I yield my will, my ambitions, and my ways to You.
Transform me—not for my glory, but for Yours.

Amen.