On my back’s a sixty pound stone. On my shoulder a half mile of line.
Revelation has been reduced to the idea of God whispering something into your ear, but this is not what we find in the Bible or in the deep tradition of Christianity. Revelation is not something that makes manifest an idea. Revelation is what transforms us. We know a revelation has taken place when there is incomprehension, bedazzlement, and transformation.
Wow, I would love to feel bedazzled after a revelatory encouter with God. When we experience Christ, change must happen. It is inevitable transformation.
Romans 12: 1-2
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. 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 key elements in this passage are:
- present your body as a living sacrifice to God
- transformation, not conformation, through the renewing of your mind
- becoming an example of God’s will
Christ is the example. He sacrificed His body to atone for our sins. With that sacrifice He experienced transformation and was made perfect again. He now sits at the right hand of God. So we, now, can follow suit and sacrifice our bodies. Not in the same way as Jesus (as He took on our sins and died in that), but by resisting temptation and submitting our lives to Him in every way. Staying on the little traveled and often lonely path of righteousness, not looking to the left or right to be distracted away from our calling. This is where we can experience continual transformation until we are made perfect in Him.
An interesting thought: In the Old Testament all sacrifices were already dead when put on the altar. Here we see Paul instructing us to present ourselves as living sacrifices. As living sacrifices we can feel the heat and flames from the “altar” and also have the choice to climb down from that altar at any point. Therefore we need to continually be in an attitude of renewal (prayer) to walk in transformation.
The last part of the scripture talks about proving His good, acceptable and perfect will. As Christ was an example of God’s perfect will in His sacrifice when He died as a sacrifice, we can be examples of His perfect will as living sacrifices. The guessing game of “I wonder if I’m in God’s will…” is over! It’s simply a matter of daily submission of ourselves as a sacrifice to God. Easier said than done right? That’s why it’s called a sacrifice. Now that’s Transformation!
7 Comments
unsureity of salvation is just as prevalent as spiritual stagnation. i loved your last couple paragraphs.
A couple thoughts:
-Bruce is seriously a genius.
-What tuning is that?? I NEED TO KNOW!
-This was a good post, how do we renew our minds, do you think?
@Kristopher: Agreed. Even further, unsurety of salvation can be a pitfall that leads to spiritual stagnation.
@Josh: At least a major part of renewal of our minds is living in an attitude of continual prayer.
I’ve been trying to figure out the tuning for a while.
Also, the renewing of your mind can only take place by reading the Word (which is also a sacrifice).
Great post!
JudiFrees last blog post..Blurting
This is an awesome post and great vid of the Boss.
Great thought. I’ve never pictured being a living sacrifice with the element of free will quite like that.
I think another part of renewing our minds is to focus on developing our relationship with God. Which happens through prayer and reading scripture, but also talking and walking with God throughout our day. Sharing our heart and mind with him on a continual basis so that he has the opportunity to renew it.
@Zack: Dude, that’s awesome because Pastor Aaron basically preached on that same concept last night.
@Brady: Gotta love the Boss.