How the Transformed Mind Thinks

Over the last couple of weeks we’ve been looking at how we prove the perfect will of God in our lives. It begins with

Sacrifice “present your bodies as a living sacrifice which is our reasonable act of true worship to God.

Do not be conformed to this world. Resist it with all that you have in you. But guess what. You are already way behind because from the moment you entered into the world you have been being conformed. You were born as a son or daughter of Adam

Romans 5:12 NKJV

12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—

That carnal mind that you were born with by nature hates God.

Romans 8:7–8 NKJV

7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

So when Paul says don’t be conformed to this world he may just as well say stop being conformed to this world.

But rather be transformed.

See to be transformed is to be changed from one thing to another. This show us that we have already been conformed to this world and a change must take place where we are transformed into something else. And this happens through the renewing of our mind. We think wrongly and the way we think needs to be totally renovated. our mind needs to be remapped.

Colossians 3:10–11 NKJV

10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, 11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.

This transformation is called sanctification elsewhere.

1 Peter 1:2 NKJV

2 elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

So we see that this transformation is a work of the Holy Spirit within us.

Ephesians 5:25–27 NKJV

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.

So we see that this renewing of our mind done through God’s truth which is God’s Word.

So then in doing all this

Sacrifice you bodies

resist being conformed to the world

Be transformed by the renewing of your mind

We prove the good and acceptable and perfect will of God in our life.

That is we live the will of God we become the will of God.

This is what does Paul means by the perfect will of God?

He means God purpose for you day by day and His ultimate purpose for you. He means the purpose of God for you which he stated in

Romans 8:28–30 NKJV

28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

This is God’s perfect will for you.

1. That you would be transformed into the image of Christ.

2. That Christ might be the first born among many brethren

The purpose of God for you does not revolve around you. You are not the centre of the universe. Christ is.

Colossians 1:16–18 NKJV

16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

So we prove the perfect will of God by surrendering our bodies to God as a living sacrifice, not being conformed to this world. And being transformed by the renewing of our minds into the image of Christ so that He might be the firstborn from the dead among many, that He might have the preeminence in all things that He might have all glory and honour and power.

So what does this renewed mind look like? Thats what we begin to look at today in verse 3.

Romans 12:3 NKJV

3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.

The Transformed Mind Thinks Soberly

So the first thing that Paul address concerning what the renewed mind looks like is pride. Pride is the underlying issue behind all ungodliness. This is the number one issue with the corrupt mind.

Romans 1:22–23 NKJV

22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

So it’s fitting that Paul would begin his description of the renewed mind by saying that it is humble.

First he give the negative and then the positive

Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought

Think soberly according to the measure of faith that God has given you.

just like verse 2 gave the negative then the positive

Do not be conformed to the world

Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

So to think to highly of yourself is to be conformed to this world that’s the way the world thinks and thats the way the world conforms us to think.

Put yourself first, look out for number one, You must put your happiness first.

So to think soberly according to the measure of faith God has given you is to think with a transformed mind.

Philippians 2:1–8 NKJV

1 Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

The mind of Christ is a humble mind so the mind transformed into the image of Christ is humble.

But notice the wording, Paul says to not thing more highly than you ought but think soberly.

A humble mind is a sound mind a sober mind. Humility is not thinking of myself lower than I am. Thats just pride trying to disguise itself as humility.

Self pity is not humility. Poor me, look how hard things are for me, look how bad people treat me. Nobody cares about poor me. That is pride!

Humility is knowing the truth about who we are and thinking of ourselves accordingly.

So how do we evaluate ourselves so that we can think soberly about ourselves? The measure that Paul tells us is based of the faith we have been given

Romans 12:3 NKJV

3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.

The Transformed Mind Thinks According to the Measure of Faith

To think soberly about ourselves we must base our understanding of ourselves according to the measure of faith

Why did Paul say according to the measure of faith? Why not according to your obedience? Or according you how much you have surrendered your body as a living sacrifice? Obedience and surrender are fruits of faith. Faith is the source. Also a sober/transformed mind knows that they were disobedient and have only received the mercy of God. If we have obeyed God it was not of our own doing but it was the grace of God at work in us. When we think of ourselves with a transformed mind we acknowledge that we have nothing in which we can boast.

Ephesians 2:8–10 NKJV

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

1 Peter 5:5–7 NKJV

5 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” 6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

Paul is about to take us through the gifts of the Spirit and how that the various members of the body of Christ have different gifts according to the grace that is given to us. It is essential that we do not think too highly of ourselves but we think soberly according to the measure of faith that God has given us so that we don’t become prideful and jealous over the gifts that God has given. We are nothing but what God makes us by His grace and for His glory.

May God renew our minds to think soberly according to the measure of faith He has given us.