12/27/2009 Human Observations
Romans 12:1 actually tells us to “present your bodies a living sacrifice holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 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.” The entire process is predicated by presenting our bodies for God’s use; for in so doing, our focus is not on becoming like “the inhabitants of the land” (Deut. 7: 1-4), but rather on becoming the children of God, taking on the attributes of our Father, as did Jesus; His Son and our Messiah. These attributes are not traits that can be imitated; they are outward manifestations of what we desire the most. If we do not want these things more than any other (“Peter, do you love me more than these?”), it will shortly become evident. That’s why the transformation process is real, working first from the inside, then outward; openly displaying what we truly desire. Emulation is for the pretenders ("They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us." 1John2:19). That’s why we are exhorted to “seek first the kingdom of God”, so that we will begin to understand what we truly want, as opposed to our carnal habit of satisfying the desires of our bellies; or egos or vanity. Transformation, therefore, occurs not because of what we do, but rather due to what God reveals within us, we change what we want.
Romans 12:1 actually tells us to “present your bodies a living sacrifice holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 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.” The entire process is predicated by presenting our bodies for God’s use; for in so doing, our focus is not on becoming like “the inhabitants of the land” (Deut. 7: 1-4), but rather on becoming the children of God, taking on the attributes of our Father, as did Jesus; His Son and our Messiah. These attributes are not traits that can be imitated; they are outward manifestations of what we desire the most. If we do not want these things more than any other (“Peter, do you love me more than these?”), it will shortly become evident. That’s why the transformation process is real, working first from the inside, then outward; openly displaying what we truly desire. Emulation is for the pretenders ("They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us." 1John2:19). That’s why we are exhorted to “seek first the kingdom of God”, so that we will begin to understand what we truly want, as opposed to our carnal habit of satisfying the desires of our bellies; or egos or vanity. Transformation, therefore, occurs not because of what we do, but rather due to what God reveals within us, we change what we want.
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