Romarbrevet 12:2

Previously the thought of "dedication" was the subject in mind. Now in this second verse we see just as clearly that "sanctification" is the portion of truth with which the Spirit would engage us. If our dedication is to be carried out in conditions suitable to God, the need for sanctification is seen to be imperative. We cannot hope to serve God acceptably except as marked by the features enjoined upon us in this verse.

Two words stand out in contrast to one another, "conformed" and "transformed." The prefix "con" indicates "together with," and the prefix "trans" indicates "apart from." This makes the meaning of the exhortation clear. We are not to be together with this world, but wholly apart from it… Why should we who are "called from above, and heavenly men by birth," desire to be like the men of this world? Why be anxious to dress like them, talk like them, associate with them, when we belong to God whom they neither know nor desire to serve?

The word "form" used in the compound word "conformed" means a similitude on the surface; whereas the word "form" in "transformed" means a radical change in the person who is in that form… We may thank God that we are persons who have been delivered from the world; why then should we be anxious to be like it in appearance?

In Matthew 17:2 it is translated "changed"… It was not merely an outward garment which was manifested, but what the Lord was in Himself shining out. Thus it should be with us. As the subjects of the word of God, and with the Spirit of God dwelling in our hearts, what we are as saints of God should be seen shining out.

Our bodies are controlled by our thinking faculties, and our very thinking faculties need to be renewed; a striking witness this of how deeply and fundamentally the fall has affected us… The reference here, however, is not to the new birth, for that has been accomplished in the case of every true child of God, and is consequently never a subject of exhortation, but to that progressive and daily renewing wrought by the Holy Spirit as our minds are enlightened by and brought into subjection to and into harmony with the Word of God.

How many of us give sufficient time and place to the Word of God and prayer to get our minds renewed in any thorough fashion?… Are there any of us secretly afraid to give more than a perfunctory surface reading to the Scriptures, lest too much light should shine into the conscience and disturb it?

Oh, let us earnestly seek that our minds be so enlightened and renewed that we not only see what is the will of God, but come to delight in it… The will of God is good and perfect, no matter what our attitude may be; but then we shall know it to be not only good and perfect but acceptable also, and we shall not only know it to be all this, but we shall prove it to be so. The will of God will be practically wrought out to the point of demonstration in our lives.

This is not merely that I will not do wrong, but that which is the perfect will of God. It is the knowledge of Christ and of the mind of God proving what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God… It is not saying, That is wrong; or, There is no harm in that; but it is knowing the perfect will of God.

Surely, such a justification as the believer has in the risen Christ, demands the joyful surrender of body, soul, and spirit to God… "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."