Romans 12:1-3 Transformed by Christ

I received EMAIL last night with a request for materials to aid a new Christian to grow. "Is there a book? Where should this person start and what should they do?" These are questions commonly asked when someone is working with a person newly investigating or committing their life to Christ. As I thought about the issue I decided to share some principles with all of you, with a view to renewing our own commitment to these things.

I believe the first place to start is with the need to understand that we must get rid of our previous world view, our "stinkin' thinkin' ". We often want to come to Christ and "add" Christianity to who we already are. This practice always ends up in disaster because Christ comes to give us a NEW life. We must be BORN AGAIN. The OLD US must DIE. How do I know that "adding" Christianity onto my own life doesn't work? The evidence clear. When the old nature is tolerated the believer lives no differently than non-christians; they have same divorce rate, the same moral failures, children who rebel and don't serve God, etc. Look again at Paul's message in Romans 12:1-3.

Notice that Paul says believers must be transformed by the renewing of the mind. One Bible teacher told of going to Sweden and touring a crystal factory. This factory allowed no seconds to be shipped. If a piece was flawed it was crushed and reground so the elements could be used again to create a perfect crystal piece. The name of the machine that reground the flawed piece translated into English as "Contriting Machine". That evening the Lord showed him that he was like a flawed crystal and that God wanted him perfect. In this illustration God sent him to the "contriting machine" but the entrance to the machine was small. He pointed this out to God, that it was only big enough for his head. God said, "That's big enough".

The first step to genuinely knowing and walking with God is to commit to being reshaped by God, to eliminate our own stinkin' thinkin' and have our mind remade in God's pattern. You won't like it! Some of your favorite philosophies and world views will soon be seen as alien and enemies of God. You will have to abhor things you once loved. You cannot love the world and love God, you must reject the old ways of doing things and embrace Christ's plan for your life exclusively. While that may seem a high price, the joy of a life without bondage, the sense of purpose and freedom found when fully serving Christ is more than worth it. It is true life!

How do we do this? What are the steps to accomplishing this renewal of our mind? Determine to have it and seek God for it.

"Lord Jesus, forgive me for my insistence on my own way. Enable me, by Your power and grace to turn from my own ways to your plan, to adopt Your world view that I might genuinely experience the joy of my salvation. Amen"

Bob Goldsby

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City Harvest Church Vancouver, WA