Rom 12:1-2 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 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. 

Here Paul told us, because of all he said in the previous 11 chapters, this is what is expected of us. It is only reasonable that we should present our entire spirit, soul, and body to the One who gave His life for us. Let’s take a look at verse 2 first.

Becoming transformed requires us to turn from the world or be not conformed to this world. Look at the contrast between being transformed and being conformed. Conformed is the Greek word suschesmatizo and as used here it means to fashion ourselves into or accommodate the world’s pattern (the present state of things). It’s a life without God or, at best, a life with God in second place behind our own selfish interests. It’s letting our character become like those in the world, like the god of this world. Remember, we have a new Father as a result of our new birth, and Paul told us not to conform “back” to the character of our previous father; Satan. If we do, we’re regressing back into the things from which God has delivered us: pride, vanity, selfishness, etc. We can prevent this by taking the opposite action… be transformed.

Transformed is the Greek word metamorphoo, from which we get our word metamorphosis: the caterpillar to the butterfly—Jesus on the mount of transfiguration. Webster said that one of the primary meanings is to “change in character or condition.” The implied meaning in the Greek is a radical, thorough, and universal change both inward and outward. We are to be transformed as opposed to choosing conformance to the world. We are to allow the Holy Spirit to transform us into the image of Jesus, and just like the caterpillar submits to this process by building a cocoon, so we submit to God’s transforming hand by submitting to the teaching of the Holy Spirit; entering into our cocoon if you will (the Holiest Place). As a result we will emerge completely changed “on that day.” This is what Paul referred to as the renewing of your mind. Just as the caterpillar moves from the bondage of the cocoon to the freedom of flight, we move from the bondage of the Law to the freedom of the Spirit. It starts from the inside out, and has as its goal becoming entirely new, being conformed into the image of Jesus Christ (Rom 8:29). This is God’s plan, His will for each of us.

But, we need to understand that renewing our minds is a process, which each of us must choose to undergo. It really means that we are to bring our soul into agreement with the new spirit within us. In so doing we prove to the world that our Life In Christ is the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God.

If I may digress here for a moment, let’s not forget that one of the key elements in this renewing process is what comes out of our mouth. The Word tells us that, out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Matt 12:34). Whatever we’ve put in there is going to have a profound impact on the transformation of our mind. I like what James has to say about our tongues:

James 3:5-6 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!  6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

And that little instrument is controlled by our mind. Can you imagine our caterpillar, once inside his cocoon, beginning to eat away at the cocoon itself? He would never make it to the butterfly stage if he did. The words we speak are just like that, they have the power to fulfill or hinder the transformation of our minds. What is in our heart got there through our eyes and ears, and guess who controls what they see and hear?

That’s sanctification, allowing the Holy Spirit to slowly change us from what we are to who we are in Christ. What we need to keep in mind is that that beautiful butterfly is the image of our bridegroom; the image we are to become. And all along the way we are living in a transparent cocoon, being observed as we move toward that day… being transformed by the renewing of our mind.