Eyes on JesusSampl

What do you think of when you hear the word "transformed?" For me, I think of Superman. You know, the Clark Kent running into a phone booth and poof! He is instantly transformed into Superman, ready to beat up a bad guy and save the damsel in distress.

However, transformation does not have to be instantaneous. It can be a process, taking seconds or even a lifetime. As Christians, once we receive salvation, we have the Holy Spirit inside of us that transforms us and gives us the mind of Christ and the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead. However, the rest of our life, after salvation, is a process we call sanctification. Sanctification is a life-long process of pursuing perfection, as Jesus is perfect, while knowing we will never obtain perfection. So why pursue a goal if you know you will never achieve it? Seems pointless, right? Well, no it’s not . . .

The Christian transformation is, or should be, more like a caterpillar to a butterfly. The old has gone, and the new has come as 2 Corinthians 5:7 tells us which is also interesting because the Greek word Paul used in Romans 12:2 for transform literally means metamorphosis! It’s a process to get there, but there is beauty and freedom on the other side. 

To discern the will of God we need to renew our minds; we cannot make decisions that honor God if we are still thinking with our sin nature or with influences of the world. We have to put to death the sin which so easily ensnares (Col 3:5) and be transformed into thinking like Jesus.

Reflect: In what ways have you transformed your mind to not be like the world? What areas are you still working on? Pray to God about them.