“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.” Rom 12:2
Humanity was originally made in the perfect image of God; the psalmist says, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” This echoes what God said about the work of His hands, the chief of which is human (Gen 1:31). God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.
However, the insidious influence of sin from Adam and Eve marred our human nature. Our temperament, characters, and personality became corrupted. As Romans 3:23 reminds us, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” The consequences of original sin have tainted our character and distorted our perception of truth, leading us away from God’s perfect design for our lives.
This is the reason humanity yearns in our brokenness and sinfulness; we yearn for transformation—for a renewal of the heart and mind that only Christ can bring. As the apostle Paul laments in Romans 7:24-25, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” It is through the sacrificial love of Christ that we find redemption and restoration.
When someone is born again, a miraculous transformation takes place—a regeneration of the heart that brings newness of life. As 2 Corinthians 5:17 proclaims, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” Through faith in Christ, we become new creations, partaking in the divine nature (2 Pet 1:4) and escaping the corruption of sin.
As we actively participate and cooperate with the Holy Spirit, we get transformed. Ephesians 4:22-24 exhorts us, “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.“
To abide in Christ is to remain connected to Him, rooted and grounded in His love. As John 15:4-5 declares, “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.“
Beloved friends, let us actively participate in the journey of transformation, trusting in the redemptive power of Christ to work in our hearts and mould us into His image. As we surrender to His will and abide in Him, filled with His Spirit, may we bear witness to the miraculous work of His grace in our lives, bringing glory to His holy name. Amen.
Author
kay.alli@legalview.co.uk