The Bible says we are changed from “glory to glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18), and I’ve started to really understand what that means lately. Naturally, when God moved in my life last year, and led me to surrender everything to Him, there were quite a few changes. A lot of those changes happened rapidly, but the majority have happened over the course of the year, and continue on to this day. It would be impossible to even describe all of the changes that have been made in my life. You would first have to know what kind of person I used to be! That person is in the past though, and it’s weird to even think about him. I remember when I was first being led to surrender to God. It’s almost as if I knew what was coming. I remember asking my friend Gina, “will I still be me?” I was so worried that I was going to lose myself. In a lot of ways I did. However, when I look back I have to ask what was I really holding on to? Smoking, swearing, drinking, inappropriate jokes, making fun of people, impatience, gossip, etc. These are the things that I thought made me who I was; the things that I thought other people liked me for. Yes, I said goodbye to those things, but it didn’t happen over night!
How does it happen? In my prayers, I always ask God to continue His transformation process. I pray to be conformed to the likeness of Christ. Of course, I’ll never be perfect. Ever since I fell in love with Jesus, I have had the desire to see Him glorified through my actions. I remember once last year when I was getting upset with someone, and unleashing my usual fury, my friend said to me, “you might be the only Bible they ever read.” The phrase has stuck with me ever since. I constantly have to remind myself that the way I appear to people is very important for my testimony. Christians shouldn’t look just like everyone else. We are set apart, and we are supposed to be walking upright and in good standing with God. Of course, I still feel the urge to scream at someone who cuts me off in traffic. Ever since I put that Jesus fish on the back of my car though, I have greatly improved my road rage issues. It’s accountability. If we aren’t held accountable we will all fall down. If someone saw me flip someone off, and then looked at the fish on the back of my car, what would they think? The first word that comes to my mind is, “hypocrite”. That’s a harsh word, and one that I never want to be called! Now there are some who might say, “well, I’ll never see them again, and no one will find out”, but if that’s your attitude, then your not a Christian. You read that correctly. If you are more worried about what people think, you are not a true Christian! Do I need to say it one more time?
I don’t bite my tongue to please others, I do it because I want God to have the glory in everything that I do. We need to be focused on what He would think of our actions, not what others would think. Then, and only then, will we truly start to see the glorious transformations happening!
Be not CONFORMED to the world but be ye TRANSFORMED by the renewal of your mind. [Rom 12:2]
The root and key not to be conformed to the world is to renew our minds. This is what takes us from glory to glory. The word used here for “transformed” is “metamorphoo” and that’s the same word for “metamorphosis”. Transformation is a process, but the truth is you can’t stay in one state for too long you just keep changing as you renew your mind.
Sidharth
Comment Submitted: February 21st, 2008 at 10:01 pm
Sid,
You said, “The root and key not to be conformed to the world is to renew our minds. This is what takes us from glory to glory.”
I have to disagree with this statement. In 2 Corinthians 3:18, right after “glory to glory” we are told that the transformation is from the Lord. It is not by renewing our minds. It is by surrendering to His will, and in the process our minds are renewed.
Comment Submitted: February 21st, 2008 at 10:57 pm
The Greek word “metamorphoo” is used in 3 Scriptures:
(1) When Jesus was transfigured on the Mount with Elijah and Moses
(2) Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. [Romans 12:2,3]
(3) 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 Cor 3:18]
The transformation is definitely done by the Holy Spirit, but there is a requirement and a condition and that according to Romans 12:2 is by “renewing our minds”, and only by doing this can you “know the perfect and pleasing will of God”
Sid
Comment Submitted: February 21st, 2008 at 11:05 pm
If you noticed God puts the responsibility to be transformed on us “BE YE TRANSFORMED”. =)The Holy Spirit can transform us and is willing to do it anytime, but the question is: will we meet His condition for transformation?
Sid
Comment Submitted: February 21st, 2008 at 11:10 pm
Sid,
I stand firm with my first response. I am not in disagreement with what you are saying about Romans 12:2, but you stated that renewing our mind is what takes us from glory to glory, and that is simply wrong. I do not believe that these two scriptures are talking about the same thing. I could be wrong, but either way, it has nothing to do with the point of this blog post.
I appreciate your input (as always), and I was happy to study both of these scriptures more. They are both packed with power!
Comment Submitted: February 21st, 2008 at 11:38 pm
There is nothing to stand firm in it or disagree with
We are talking about two sides of the same thing. They are interlinked, two sides of the same coin.
You are talking about what God does, and I’m talking about our response to what He has done. If you will come on Gmail, we could talk on it now.
Much love,
Sidhu
Comment Submitted: February 21st, 2008 at 11:47 pm
If in case you don’t come on Gmail, I’ll type it in here…
To be transformed from glory to glory implies that we are changed into His image or in other words being clothed with more of His life
Eph 4:17-19 teaches us what can “alienate us from the life of God”
So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.
All these three are in the realm of the mind.
Paul goes onto say, “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds ; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” [vs 22-24]
How do you put off the old self and put on the new self created to be like God? The answer is sandwiched between: by renewing your mind .
This is why Gospel has the message ‘Repent and believe” [Mark 1:15; Hebrews 6:1,2]. Repentance always percedes faith. What is repentance? The Greek word for repentance is metanos and it means to “Change your mind”. Many Contemporary churches teach an “only believe” Gospel, and that is robbing people of the eternal life of God.
Yes, I said goodbye to those things, but it didn’t happen over night! -Justin
How did you say good-bye to it? By repenting.
Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him,and to our God, for he will freely pardon. [Isaiah 55:6]
These principles are well-seen in Scripture. God has everything for us, we are blessed in the heavenlies with every spiritual blessing. Read Eph 1 to part of chapter 4 and you will see what God has done, but that’s not all it. God demands a response….read Eph 4 from half to Eph 6, you will see what response God expects from us. And if you look closely into that book it goes in this order:
(1) renewing our mind
(2) speakiing truthfully to one another [in love]
(3) being filled with the Spirit by speaking to oneself with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs
(4) which then will affect our relationships and then finally our struggle with darkness.
How do we renew our mind? By the Word, and who transforms us? No doubt the Spirit who is Life.
I hope this explains my stand.
Sid
Comment Submitted: February 22nd, 2008 at 12:21 am
Very good post Justin. I love the quote “you may be the only bible they will ever read” I’ve never heard that one before and it’s really really good. Thanks for using it so I can learn something new everyday =)
Comment Submitted: February 22nd, 2008 at 4:02 am
Sid — You explained yourself well.
Jeremy — Thanks for the comment. I’ve always liked that quote too, and I’m glad it can help you!
Comment Submitted: February 22nd, 2008 at 9:55 am