The call to be transformed by the renewing of your mind in ROMANS 12 implies a better way to live. It also begs the obvious question: How do you do that? ◊

I heard a phrase when I was very young that I did not understand at the time. The phrase was “You are what you eat.” When I was just a little bit older I heard a variation of that phrase that was “You are what you think.”

Over time I learned the value and meaning of the first phrase.¹ Early in my sales career I was exposed to books on the power of positive thinking and so came to understand the true meaning of the second phrase.

Well into my adulthood, as a Christian, I got exposed to the directive to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind” as presented in the opening paragraph of the BOOK of ROMANS, chapter 12. As I always easily gave this passage a nod of approval and acknowledgment of understanding that this was a good thing and a better way to live, it is only in recent years, deep into my maturity as a Christian, that I developed a crystal clear sense of what that phrase is all about.

And it absolutely begs the question: How does one do that?

This Phrase in Context
Here’s the phrase buried in the first 2 verses of ROMANS Chapter 12: 

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God — this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:1-2)

Again, as explained in the previous post, this opening paragraph follows eleven chapters of deep content and guidance presented by the Apostle Paul in this rich letter to the Christians in Rome, circa AD 57.

Essentially, Paul is teaching that, given Jews and non-Jews’ universal sin (ROMANS 1 and 2), and our individual need for redemption through Christ by faith alone rather than deeds (ROMANS 3, 4 and 5), with support and enablement to live a vital and rich life by the power of God’s Holy Spirit (ROMANS 6, 7 and 8), with mutual humility and gratefulness for all of mankind in light of God’s grace and mercy (ROMANS 9, 10 and 11), now here’s what we have to do at the beginning of ROMANS 12:

• Do submit yourself as a living sacrifice to God.
• Do not conform to the ways of the world.
• Do be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

In fact, these actions are the key to living a life aligned with the good will of God.

Ok, So How Do You Do That?
Again, life transformation comes only after one’s submission of their life and will to God. And that transformation involves the renewing of one’s mind. This type of transformed life does not have to happen outside the mainstream of a normal life. A transformed life can operate in the midst of a corrupting world by not submitting or conforming to the pattern of that corrupted world.

Easier said than done. But doable nonetheless.

And only through the power of a mind influenced daily by the transforming Word of God and power of His Holy Spirit and the natural vehicle of prayer.

Mind Control?
Actually, yes. Within the past century with the discovery of DNA, there’s a scientific discipline called epigenetics – the study of changes in organisms caused by modification of gene expression rather than alteration of the genetic code itself.²

Studies are showing that our DNA is adjustable, if you will. Of course, logically, our minds can be impacted by what we think, what we read, what we see, what we hear, what we experience, what we do.

We can actually turn “on” and “off” genetic switches and impact our mental and physical health and well-being:

So, epigenetics is the study of how DNA is expressed by switching genes “on” and “off” as directed by our environment. We humans have an environment which is diverse: diet, atmosphere, stress levels, fear, music, love, microbiome, belief system, prayer, and faith. All these elements of our environment have the capability of switching our genetic switches “on” and “off.” ³

Therefore, given that, when we consciously surrender our will to God, when we literally mentally intake the Word of God by reading the Bible, and when we submit our minds in alignment with God/Jesus/Holy Spirit through the mental creation and transfer of focused thought in the spiritual act of prayer, are we not impacting and adjusting our minds?

In fact, are we not actually freely given an opportunity to renew, even reprogram, our minds every day to be conformed to the heart and mind of God, our Creator, who loves us and whose will is good and perfect? 

So why not do this daily?

A Daily Mind Transformation Exercise
Try this out for a few mornings this next week and see what happens:

1. Wake up in the morning and spend 5 minutes lying in bed and pray to God in thankfulness for being alive and acknowledge your desire to surrender your whole mind and will to God for this new day. (Consider yourself at this moment a living sacrifice to God.)
2. Before you have breakfast, spend 15 minutes reading the Bible. Start anywhere with a simple prayer for God to open your heart and mind to what He wants to show you this morning.
3. Now spend just another 5 minutes praying to God and asking Him to renew your mind, soften your heart, reset your will, and give you His strength to accomplish what He would want to accomplish today as you go about the rest of your day. Amen.

The cumulative effect of small daily actions over time is profound. The impact of these small daily actions will help in the proactive submission of yourself to God as a living sacrifice, be less conformed to the ways of the world but rather the ways of God, and actually allow God’s Holy Spirit to literally transform your life by the renewing of your mind and will.

It is a better way to live.

Categories: Abundant Living, Body of Christ, Books of the Bible, Calling, Church, Creation, Devotion, Discipleship, End Times, Evidence, Evil, Faith, Family, Fathering, Forgiveness, Israel, Jesus, Manhood, Marketplace, Old Testament, Parenting, People, Prophecy, Purpose, The Church, Theology

Tags: epigenetics, personal behavior, Renew, Romans 12, Surrender, Transformation