Firm Foundation with Bryan Hudson
2018-09
Episodes
Sunday Sep 16, 2018
From Conformed to Transformed
Sunday Sep 16, 2018
Sunday Sep 16, 2018
From Conformed to Transformed
Romans 12:1, 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. 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.
We have read this verse for years. It describes a process at work in you through Christ. It is NOT a “to do” list. God is working with you, where you are, as you are, with what you have now, to TRANSFORM (or transfigure) you! He doesn’t need any other ingredients other than you and Him!
You cannot conceive of what God empowered transformation will do in you, because the process has to be lived.
Getting into the process of being positively transformed begins with recognizing how you are being negatively conformed. Conformity to unhelpful things is the biggest enemy to transformation in helpful things.
Conformed definition: Fashion alike, i.e. conform to the same pattern (figuratively):—conform to, fashion self according to.
Conformity is often forced upon us or presented as “normal.” Conformity is often the price of acceptance by others.
Jesus faced it:
Luke 4:21 And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” 22 So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, “Is this not Joseph’s son?”
The people were astonished at the transformation in Jesus life, but could not accept it because, in their mind, he was only Joseph’s son. They did not know what was inside him. He was more than Jospeh’s son. He was not limited to doing what Jospeh did.
Note that what the people thought and said had no bearing on who Jesus was or what he did. You are the only person who can impose a limit on your transformation.
Conformed also denotes instability. This verb has reference to that which is transitory, changeable, unstable.
Transform definition: To transfigure, to change into another form
Sunday Sep 02, 2018
Clear Mind. Clear Path. Pt. 2 Newness of Life
Sunday Sep 02, 2018
Sunday Sep 02, 2018
Romans 6:4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.
Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
The new birth brings new life and a new spirit to our inner man. However, the word “transformation” literally means “a metamorphosis.” We best understand metamorphosis in what occurs when a caterpillar becomes a butterfly. The caterpillar is the same insect as the butterfly, but it undergoes a complete transformation in form.
Let’s look at Romans 12 again, this time from the New Living Translation:
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” (Romans 12:1-2, NLT).
Ephesians 2:10 (NLT) “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”
Renewing the mind is about changing ones lifestyle (Conversation). The “old man” cannot be changed, he has to be put off. We have to “put on” the new until the change becomes comfortable and “normal.’ Be renewed in the spirit of your mind