Romans 12:2 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.
There is a popular cultural way of thinking, that is a flow, that most people of the world find themselves in. It is living our lives how everyone else lives and not wanting to be different. Consequently, billions upon billions of people find themselves engulfed in what is an ungodly pattern of living. Paul tells us not to adapt and follow this pattern but be transformed by renewing our minds, repentance, changing our minds about how we live our lives. There is a constant battle we face between conforming to the pattern of this world and being transformed by God. It is won or lost in the minds of believers in Christ Jesus.
Someone might ask, “how do I stay away from the configurations of this evil world and be transformed?” The answer is simple, by the renewing of your mind. It is a sad state of affairs, but most Christians today are more concerned about their feelings and focusing more on following a particular set of rules. “How do I feel about my work, my family, my church,” and the list goes on and on. Some say I do not want to hear about all this theology, all this Bible Study; I want to know what to do, so give me a 12-point system that I can follow. In this false premise, good works over faith, we will never find a renewing of our minds. There is nothing wrong with doing or feeling; God commands us to be doers (James 1:22). He is a God of passionate feelings. However, when we focus our lives on doing or feeling, we will never comprehend what the true gospel is saying to us, what God is trying to tell us.
We cannot find God’s will in a particular set of rules or how we feel about following those rules. We can only find His good, pleasing, and perfect will in a consecrated prayer life connected with a committed life of Bible Study (Psalm 119:11). Romans 12:1- 2 are essential verses for the life of a true Christian, they lay out our primary responsibility towards God, and that is total commitment and complete surrender. Unfortunately, the popular saying “God is My Co-Pilot” has God in the wrong place in our lives; people want to use God as an advisor, only calling on Him when things get entirely unhinged. They want God to set in their co-pilot seat until they want a break from flying the plane. The bottom line is this, if God is your co-pilot, then you need to switch seats.
This total dedication to God is because of our love for our Savior, that loves us with a love that our human minds cannot even fathom. Not all Christians make this commitment; we cannot find it in some set of rules; it is voluntary. (Romans 12:1; 1 Peter 3:15).
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