Romans 12: Part 2
In Romans 12:2, Paul urges Christians to resist conforming to the world's pattern and instead to be transformed (by having our minds renewed). When this happens, Christians will be able to test and approve what is God's will (and what isn't). As a refresher, God's will is good, pleasing, and perfect.
Rejecting the World's Pattern
We are not supposed to conform to the world's pattern. As Christians, we are not supposed to do things like the world does, seek after the things that the world does, or follow along with the world's methods. Yet, far too often, we are guilty of using the world's methods to try to achieve godly goals. (This ties in with the concept that "the ends DON'T justify the means" from last week's blogpost.) In order to reject the worldly pattern, we must first be able to recognize it.
One litmus test we can use is our emotions. If we are feeling annoyed, angry with, disdainful of, or judgmental at a person, we probably are using the world's pattern. If we are feeling compassion, merciful, and gracious towards a person, we are probably using a godly template. If we look at those rejected by society and aren't moved with compassion, this is a huge red flag, because Jesus consistently felt compassion for those on the margins of society.
Another litmus test we can use involves weighing on whose behalf are we acting. If we are consolidating power for ourselves and those like us, we are acting in a worldly way. If we are using our position, power, and prestige to speak up to defend those being ignored, marginalized, and oppressed by the systems of power, then we are probably using a godly template.
Transformation
May the renewing of our minds lead to our transformation. If we just reject the negatives of life without embracing the positives, then we will finish our lives empty. We wouldn't have made a positive or negative impact on the world. There are two types of sin in the world: sins of commission (doing the bad things) and sins of omission (neglecting to do the good things). If we just avoid doing the bad sins and do not actively do the good that God has called us to do, then we aren't being fully faithful. We don't just want to reject the world's pattern without filling ourselves with God's transforming power.
Transformation involves change. We were worldly creatures, but when we submit to God, He transforms us into Christ-like disciples. We shouldn't approach God hoping that He will change others around us, but we need to approach Him wanting to be changed ourselves. Transformation is hard and messy. Instead of getting a trophy and a "no need to change" card for being an exemplary example of a Christian, we are called to bring our minds and our bodies back to God, as we allow God to form us in accordance with His desires.
We need to renew our minds, by exposing ourselves to the Bible and then putting it into practice in our lives. We can read all the books in the world about being a patient person, but we must actively practice patience and imitate patient people in order to live this out. Many of us are familiar with the saying "garbage in, garbage out". When we put hate in our minds, we start to spew out hate. When we ingest a steady diet of fear-mongering, we begin to worry and stress over everything we encounter. When we browse social media, we tend to leave feeling discontent, dissatisfied, and depressed.
BUT if we ingest compassion, we will show it to those we encounter and ourselves. If we look for things to be grateful for, then we will pour out thanksgiving to God. Then we can recognize when the world is trying to manipulate us with images of what things we need to buy to be happy. Then we can identify when the world is trying to control us through fear. Then we can reject the worldly patterns as we practice contentment, faith, and hope.
Testing God's Will
What is God's will? This question has sent theologians and laypeople into long discussions. When our minds are renewed and we are transformed, then we should be able to test and approve of God's will. Jesus summed it up best when He said we are to 1) Love God fully and 2) Love our neighbors as ourselves (See Matthew 22 and Mark 12, keeping in mind that Jesus did all He could to broaden our definition of neighbor). So let us weigh our actions in accordance with these. Is this purchase loving my neighbor and glorifying God? What about this social media post? Would voting for this politician show love to my neighbor?
The world actively dehumanizes people. People are treated as objects, cogs in a machine, or something we can use to benefit ourselves. God humanizes people and calls us to do the same. Instead of hating or fearing our enemies, God commands us to love them. Instead of spurning the poor, we are called to care for them.
Furthermore, God wants A) to be glorified and B) for sinners to repent and be reconciled with Him. God is worthy of our worship, honor, and thanks. He is good and also great. So if our actions are worshiping, praising, exalting, magnifying, and honoring God, then we are in line with His will. Since the fall of mankind in Eden, God has been at work to reconcile us humans to Himself. He has made a way (THE WAY in fact) to Himself, through Jesus. Repentance. Reconciliation. Redemption. God WANTS people to repent and be saved. So if we are sharing this Good News with others, then we are in God's will.
God's Will
God's will is Good. It is Pleasing. It is Perfect. Notice that this verse did NOT say Easy or Cheap or Convenient. When we take His commands seriously, whether it's caring for the earth or giving to the poor, we are not taking the easiest, cheapest, or most convenient path. It is hard, but good. It can be expensive, but pleases God to see us loving Him and our neighbors as we steward the earth. It can be inconvenient, as we get off the conveyor belt of consumerism and greed to instead follow God's path. We probably will change our buying habits, goals, and methods as we shift from the world's ways to God's way. But His will is good, pleasing, and perfect. That beats easy, cheap, and convenient by a landslide.
Questions to Wrestle With
Take time this week to consider:
-What patterns of the world have you absorbed?
-What can you do to reject these worldly patterns?
-What worldly negatives are easy for you to reject?
-What godly positives have you replaced them with?
-How has God transformed you in the past week? The past month? The past year?
-What are the messages of the worldly patterns that you are susceptible to?
-What are the godly messages that you can reach for instead?
-What do you do to show God love and glorify Him?
-What do you do to show your neighbor love?
-What are you doing to share the Good News with people?
-What actions do we do that dehumanize people?
-What do you need to do to shift from easy, cheap, and convenient, to good, pleasing, and perfect?
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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