Spiritual Transformation

Bible Text: Romans 12:2 | Preacher: Alan Conner | Series: 2005, Romans

INTRO

I. NON-CONFORMITY – “do not be conformed to this world.”

A. Progressive sanctification is an on-going process. Note present imperatives.

B. What is the “world”?

1) It is literally the “this age”.

2) It is characterized by fallen and sinful humanity.

3) It is the realm in which Satan operates (2 Cor. 4:4 same word “age”).

Christians have been transferred out of the demonic domain of darkness into the kingdom of Christ. Col. 1:13. But we are still under attack by the world.

C. The exhortation.

Don’t be shaped by this present evil age outwardly or inwardly. Don’t let the world squeeze you into its mold. Do not love the world. Apply this to Dress? Values? Attitudes? Desires and lusts? Actions? Speech? Thinking? 1 Jn. 2:15-17.

Some potential dangers.
D. We do this by the Holy Spirit. Gal. 5:16 ; Rom. 8:13.

II. RENEWAL – “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

A. “Mind” – the faculty of understanding, reasoning, thinking, and deciding. The mind is             king in the process of spiritual sanctification.

B. “renewing” – to continue the process of making new.

1) Who does the renewing? The Holy Spirit. Rom. 7:6; Titus 3:5.

2) How does He renew us?

a) His on-going gracious and renewing ministry in our minds and souls.

b) means of grace: Scripture is the soap the Spirit uses most often to renew us. Jn. 17:17; 2 Cor. 10:5; Ps. 119:11; Col. 1:28;3:16; Eph. 5:26; 1 Pet. 2:2.

III. TRANSFORMATION – “be transformed ”

A. “transformation” is the end result. We are transformed more into the image of Christ. This is true both in way we think and the way we act.

B. transformation takes place as our minds are altered by God’s truth. This is a gradual process, see 2 Cor. 3:18. It implies both a PUTTING OFF and a PUTTING ON, cf. Rom. 13:14; Eph. 4.

IV. PURPOSE – “to approve what is the will of God.”

A. The purpose of this spiritual transformation is that we approve God’s will.

B. What is this “will of God” here?

1) v. 1 “present our bodies as a sacrifice to God”

2) all of God’s moral commands for us to live by,

3) discerning His will in areas in which the Bible does not speak.

4) God’s providential and sovereign will over our life.

C. “Approve” – both to agree with God’s will and practice it.
Good
Acceptable
Perfect

CONCLUSION