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, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
— ROMANS 12:1–2 —
Jordan Standridge: Italian Theological Academy | Italy
It is a sweet joy to wake up and think of the blessings the gospel brings! If you have been saved, hell has been defeated and you are guaranteed a perfect eternity with Christ in heaven. What a glorious thought. But the second we put our feet on the ground, we remember that each day brings difficulty. Not only do uncomfortable circumstances come up in our lives, and not only are there people that are difficult to deal with, but one of the greatest obstacles we face each day is the world trying to press and conform us into its mold. To be transformed, we must know the word, fill our minds with it, and continually use it in our fight against the world and against our flesh. This battle is constant throughout our day. But it is a battle worth fighting through resistance and renewal. We are reminded by Paul that believers are to be holy. Holiness is the way we can present to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving for what He did for us on the cross. This means that we must fight against the world and its lies and temptations. We must not let it squeeze us into its mold! The way to resist this is through the word of God. The word and world are incompatible. God’s word is the instrument to transform us in holiness. To be transformed, we must know the word, fill our minds with it, and continually use it in our fight against the world and against our flesh. Only then will we be able to display God’s will to the watching world. Take a moment and ask God if the world is conforming you or the word is transforming you.
