BE
Transformed
“I beseech you therefore, brethren,
by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,
acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2And be not conformed to
this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may
prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
2. As we consider this text, several questions
come to mind...
a. What does it mean to
be transformed?
b. What is the goal of
transformation?
c. What should motivate
us to undergo transformation?
d. What does one do in
order to experience transformation?
I. THE DEFINITION OF
TRANSFORMATION
A. THE WORD...
a. What happened to
Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration –
“And after
six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up
into an high mountain apart, 2And
was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his
raiment was white as the light.”
b. What is to happen to
Christians in their service to God
““I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of
God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God,
which is your reasonable service. 2And be not conformed to
this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may
prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
B. THE CONCEPT...
1. The idea being
commanded by Paul is this:
a. Christians are to
undergo a complete change, which under
the power of God, will
find expression in character and
conduct
b. Not something we do
by our own power alone
c. Rather, we submit to
God's power and by His grace...
1) We are "changed
into another form"
2) We become a "new
creation" –
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
II. THE GOAL OF
TRANSFORMATION
A. TO BECOME LIKE
CHRIST...
1. As expressed by Paul –
“But we all,
with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into
the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
2. The purpose of being
a disciple (to become like his teacher)
“The disciple
is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.”
4. The goal of Christian
living
“Lie not one
to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 10And have put on the
new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that
created him:”
**When you become
saved, you put off all your sins (Old man) and is renewed as a new man; renewed
in knowledge after the image of God. **
B. TO LIVE LIKE
CHRIST...
1. To present our bodies
as living sacrifices, holy, acceptable to
God
-So we are to offer ourselves
as living sacrifices
“I beseech
you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a
living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable
service.”
2. To prove that God's
will is good, acceptable, and perfect
a. Was this not Jesus
sought to do on earth? –
“For I came
down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.”
b. So we are to demonstrate that God's will is right –
“And be not
conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,
that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will
of God.”
No comments:
Post a Comment