It is vitally important to feed on the Word of God; meditating on, confessing, declaring, embracing, and affirming His Word; committing His Word to memory, in order to have a healthy love relationship with the One Who is the Word, Jesus (John 1:1). As we sow His Word into our hearts, we come to know Him more deeply. Through the truth of His Word, God is faithful to reveal any area of our heart that is inconsistent with His truth; this enables us to walk in the healing, power, victory, and freedom, that is already ours in Christ, that we may be salt and light and represent Him well to a lost and dying world.
In Romans 12:1, we are called to no longer be conformed to the pattern of this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds: “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.”
Shrouded in God’s mercy, we are called to offer up our bodies as living sacrifices to God, we are called to set ourselves apart from the ways of the world. The word used for conform in the original text means to conform one's self (i.e. one's mind and character) to another's pattern, (fashion one's self according to). We are cautioned against fashioning our mind and character after the ways of the world.
The Greek word used in this passage for transformation is the word metamorphoo, which is where we get our word metamorphosis. A metamorphosis occurs when there is a complete change of form, structure, or substance as seen in the life cycle of the butterfly. Just as the butterfly undergoes a metamorphosis or transformation, we, too, undergo transformation as we are faithful to renew our minds by the washing of the water of the Word (Eph. 5:26).
The word used for renewing in the original text means to renovate. Renovation is the process of making new after decay, destruction or depravation. Renovation is a time consuming process, requiring a stage of deconstruction which precedes the actual reconstruction.
When we purchased a home in California, the kitchen was in such disrepair, we were compelled to renovate. We met with a designer and drew up the plans for our new kitchen, choosing cabinets, countertops, appliances, etc. in order to reconstruct our new kitchen.
We hired a carpenter, but before he arrived, we spent a day clearing out cabinets, the refrigerator, and the pantry to prepare for the renovation.
On the appointed day, the carpenter appeared, laden with tools, and renovation commenced. Dust flew and debris accumulated as Mr. Carpenter tore down old cabinets (in such decay they were unsalvageable!), hauled out old appliances, and sledge hammered old countertops. He toiled until the kitchen was just a skeleton of its former self. The deconstruction was complete. The next phase of renovation began; the task of reconstruction.
Mr. Carpenter went to work rebuilding the new kitchen, installing new cabinets, appliances, and countertops we had selected. Several days later, the project complete, he swept up the mess, calked the last hole, applied the final trim and gave us the bill. We then were able to enjoy our beautiful new kitchen.
Just as in the case with our dilapidated kitchen, God calls us to a heart renovation. He calls us to tear down the decaying, destructive, and depraved thought patterns of our minds (deconstruction) in order to reconstruct patterns of thoughts (which produce feelings, emotions, and actions) which are consistent with His Word and with His way.
Hebrews 4:12 tells us: “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
God’s Word is the primary tool necessary for the renovation process of our minds. God’s Word acts as a carpenter’s knife that cuts through lies we have embraced, it pierces us with conviction, separating what is of the Spirit from what is simply of the flesh, and His Word distinguishes between and separates out the thoughts and intents of our heart.
It is by His Word we are transformed. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14) and the Word is in us (Rom. 10:8). The Word cleanses us (Eph. 5:26-27), sanctifies us (John 17:17), keeps us from sin (Psalm 119:9), directs us (Psalm 119:105), delivers us from destruction (Psalm 107:20), revives us (Psalm 119:25), tests us (Psalm 105:19), and gives us life (Psalm 119:50)! The Word is a person and His name is Jesus (John 1:1; Rev. 19:13).
As we renovate our minds through the washing of the water by the Word, we are changed from one form to another (metamorphosis)—we are transformed into the image of the Word!
