Before and After Christ - February 4

Read Romans 12:2

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Reflect

Prayerfully consider your own transformation story. What were you like before Christ? How have you changed since knowing the Lord?

I love transformation stories. Home renovation shows are one of my favorite things to watch. It’s amazing watching designers and carpenters work together to take a space that is ugly, dilapidated, and dysfunctional and transform it into a home that is beautifully well-crafted, organized, and efficient. Sometimes, when I look at the before and after photos, I can hardly tell that it’s the same house!

I also find weight-loss transformations fascinating. It is inspiring to see how people are able to change their physical appearance with hard work and dedication. The before and after photos tell of their journey from failing health to flourishing health.

But the most marvelous transformations of all aren’t material or physical—they are spiritual! There is simply nothing more stunning than the contrast of a human life before and after Christ. When we accept Christ, we become a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). We go from being dead in our sins, following after Satan, destined for God’s eternal wrath to being eternally alive in Christ, following after Him, destined for the riches of God’s grace (Ephesians 2:1-7). It’s truly a miracle!

We know that the moment we place our faith in Christ, we pass from death to life (John 5:24) and we move from the domain of darkness to the kingdom of light (Colossians 1:13). Our salvation is immediate. But our sanctification? Our becoming more and more like Christ? That transformation is a life-long process.

In today’s verses, the apostle Paul was transitioning from a focus on theological matters to practically living out the faith. In the first portion of his letter to the Roman believers, Paul clearly presented the gospel and thoroughly explained Christian doctrine. Then, he moved on to address how to practically apply the truth of the Gospel to their daily lives. In other words, now that we understand how we are saved, how should we live?

First of all, Paul said that we shouldn’t live like the rest of the world. We shouldn’t let worldly influences form us and shape us. We are God’s people so we should be holy and set apart. There should always be something different and distinct about us.

But it’s really challenging, isn’t it? After all, we live in this world. The culture around us is powerful and influences us in ways that we probably don’t even realize. Social media, TV shows, ads, books, music, podcasts, the news…If you haven’t noticed, our society wants to change our minds and influence our thinking. If we aren’t careful, our culture controls our thoughts, behaviors, and beliefs.

Today, Paul told us that we can’t let that happen. Rather, he said to be transformed by the renewal of our minds. How does that transformation happen? Only by the power of the Holy Spirit as we engage with God’s Word. In the commentary of his study Bible, John MacArthur wrote: “The renewed mind is one saturated with and controlled by the Word of God.”

What about your mind? Is it controlled by the Word of God or by the culture? Brett Kunkle is a Christian apologist and the founding president of Maven Truth. He and his wife host a parent podcast. Recently Brett said this on their show about going back to the Bible to gain insight: “...when we do this, it actually helps to reveal how off we are in our thinking. Our modern thinking does not match up with biblical thinking.” You see, Scripture has a way of exposing the lies and bad ideas that we’ve absorbed from the culture around us.

Thankfully, we don’t have to wallow in how far we fall short in godly thinking just like we don’t have to stare hopelessly at our “before” photos in our physical fitness journeys. God doesn’t just save us. He changes us from the inside out. When we read His Word, His Holy Spirit renews our minds which in turn transforms our actions and behaviors. Through His Word, He conforms us, not into the image of this world but into the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). Wow! What a miraculous before and after story!

Respond

Lord, when I think about who I was before I knew You, I am in awe of how You’ve changed me. By Your Word and through Your Holy Spirit, please continue to renew my mind and form me, closer and closer every day, into the image of Your Son. Amen.

Reveal

There is no greater testimony than a life transformed by Christ. Have you ever publicly acknowledged that you’ve changed only because Christ’s changed you? One of the best ways to do this is through baptism. If you’ve never been baptized, prayerfully consider making your commitment to Christ public that way.