Transformed to withstand sin

Romans 12:2 (NLT)

2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Matthew Henry says of this verses, “"Be you transformed by the renewing of your mind; see to it that there be a saving change wrought in you, and that it be carried on.' Conversion and sanctification are the renewing of the mind, a change not of the substance, but of the qualities of the soul. It is the same with making a new heart and a new spirit-new dispositions and inclinations, new sympathies and antipathies; the understanding enlightened, the conscience softened, the thoughts rectified; the will bowed to the will of God, and the affections made spiritual and heavenly: so that the man is not what he was-old things are passed away, all things are become new; he acts from new principles, by new rules, with new designs. The mind is the acting ruling part of us; so that the renewing of the mind is the renewing of the whole man, for out of it are the issues of life.

As a very little dust will disorder a clock, and the least sand will obscure our sight, so the least grain of sin which is upon the heart will hinder its right motion toward God.

—John Wesley, English theologian and early leader of Methodist movement (1703–1791)

We are told in Romans 12:2 that we are to learn to know God’s will for our lives, which is good and pleasing and perfect. We do this this through have a relationship with Christ instead of the world. Instead of following what the world demands – we instead allow our minds to be transformed by the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Our perfection in Christ comes from putting away the ways of the world and allowing Christ to work within us, transforming us, and becoming more like Christ.  Ephesians 4:24 tells us “Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.”

I know a young man about the age of my son who went through a period of life addicted to pain medication that started with serious injury.  There came a moment he realized he needed to change and gave himself over to Christ to allow the change to occur. He became free of all the pain medication and found a transformed life. Sadly this young man has just recently been diagnosed with liver failure. His mind is so against the medication that once took hold of him that he has been having liver biopsies without any narcotics to deaden the pain. It’s a very painful process, but he said he would rather endure the pain than to face the pain of becoming addicted to pain pills again.

If only we could have the mindset to say, “I will endure what I must to withstand the temptations of sin we would find a remarkable transformation taking place in our lives.”

P.S. Please pray for the young man above. He doesn't have insurance to cover the cost of a new liver, and is currently being prepared for a  liver transplant in the event he is able to find insurance to cover his future medication costs for anti-rejection medications. Pray that God would miraculously heal this young man and give him hope for a future with his wife.