Conform, Reform, or Transform

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Note:  This is a slightly longer study.  Worth the effort to print off and use as a basis for group discussion and study.  Worth the effort to go through it in stages.              _________________________________________________________

You’ve arrived at transformation when you realize you’re on an eternal journey of spiritual experience and discovery.                                                                 ____________________________________________________

 Romans 12;1,2  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable  (logical) service (religious service)  And be not 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 Greek word which is translated “conform” is made up of 2 Greek words.  Sun, meaning with, and Schematizo, meaning to fashion or form.  This verb is present tense infinitive in the middle voice, meaning this conforming is something you do to yourself continually.   We’re not to fashion ourselves on the inside to try and fit in with what the rest of this world looks like on the outside.

Let’s say that you’re new at college, or at a job, or in a city, or to a group of teammates or friends.  If you want to be accepted, to fit in, you decide to act like you think people around you want or expect you to act.  That is conforming yourself.  It’s like jello being made.  It takes the shape of the mold it’s poured into, with you determining the mold to use.

“World“ is the Greek word aion (from where we get eon),  better translated age, or age of time.  There is nothing wrong with this world itself, only the age in which we live, in which Satan is its god – II Cor 4:4.  Satan is the evil of this age, not of this physical world.

“Transform“ is metamorphoo, (meta-between and morphoo-change or morph…metamorphosis is used of the change of a caterpillar to a butterfly).  This verb is also an infinitive, but is in the passive voice.  You (understood) is the subject of the sentence.  You are being implored to be in a continual state of allowing yourself to be acted upon by another influence, which is not outside yourself.  From the greater context (understanding that chapters 9, 10 & 11 are a parenthetical thought), this influence is the act of your mind being renewed by the truth of God, which is Christ Jesus our Lord, (as per Romans 8:31-39), which will change you from one thing into another.

In the jello example above, the shape is decided by the conforming you’ve chosen.   Changing the shape after it’s been conformed is the reforming.  The hardening from a liquid into a solid gel is the transforming.
Conforming is internal; involved with determining a form or scheme which is more concerned with how things look  (Satan is the god of appearance), which results in unproductive feelings and thoughts, because the mold being used is not to your benefit, being based on lies.
Reforming is external, changing the form, trying to improve how things look.
Transforming is internal, intrinsic, a change of the quality of a thing; which then results in a general change of behavior, as well as fruitful and productive feelings and thoughts.

Prove means to put it to the test (used of assaying gold….to melt ore to ascertain what percentage is gold).  An example of proving would be a father who puts together a bicycle for his 8 year old son for Christmas.  Before he gives it to his son, he tries it out,  to make sure it works the way it’s supposed to.  We are not to prove (test) God, but we are to prove His will in our own lives. That won’t happen until we’re transformed by God into a spiritual being that desires to grow in God’s will.

Being transformed is never an end in itself.  Its purpose is always to see the will of God come into being; to experience the presence and full expression of God.  “That you might be filled with all the fullness of God.“  (Ephesians 3:19).  You’ve arrived (spiritually, at transformation) when you realize you’re on an eternal journey of spiritual discovery.

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A note:  In this day and age, the word “prove” has come to involve the idea of a verbal argument of some kind.  Of bringing up facts or what others say about a subject, in order to add weight to your argument.  But this type of “proving” has no place in the kingdom of God.  The only way to actually prove the will of God is to see it accomplished in,  and/or through,  your own life.                            ___________________________________________________________

CONFORM ….  How are we conformed to this age (of evil)?

We react with anger, frustration, mistrust, hate, disdain.
We lie and cheat and steal because we do not believe anyone is looking out for us.
When we make a mistake we allow Satan to condemn us.
We allow thoughts of depression, guilt, doubt and worry to come visit, then move in and live, then dominate our thinking.
To deal with what we do not see and cannot know (the future) we choose fear and worry.
To establish our own place in this world, we boast, debate, argue, fight, demean others.
For health we trust doctors and drugs.
For joy we gamble, drink and take drugs, indulge in sexual promiscuity.
For peace we give place to homosexuality, political correctness, terrorism, fear.
For love we go from bed to bed, imbibe pornography, lust lasciviously after pictures and fantasies.
To deal with our inabilities we allow intimidation, fear and shame to inhabit our souls.

None of the above is our fault.  We didn’t invent or originate evil.  Since the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the blame for all of the above has been laid at the devil’s feet… where it belongs!!  And in Christ, we learn to walk free from that evil influence.

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REFORM  (a subset of CONFORM)  How do we try to reform ourselves?

We try to please God by changing our behavior; by trying to “be a better person” by our own efforts.  But when we try to reform ourselves,  we end up like this…

Romans 7:14-20 For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am carnal, sold under sin.  For that which I do I don’t permit myself; for what I will to do, that I don’t do; but what I hate, that’s what I do.  If then I do that which I will to not do, I consent unto the law, that it is good.  Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwells in me.  For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwells no good thing; for to will is present with me, but how to perform that which is good I find not.  For the good that I will to do I don’t do; but the evil which I will to not do, that I do.  Now if I do that I will to not do, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwells in me. 

Does this sound a little bit like you?  A very well-intentioned you?  A very well-intentioned yet very frustrated you?  The arena of reforming is fraught with danger and failure.

Leviticus 26:23-25  And if you will not be reformed by me by these things, but will walk contrary unto me; Then will I also walk contrary unto you, and will punish you yet seven times for your sins.  And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of my covenant; and when you are gathered together within your cities, I will send the pestilence among you; and you shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy.

Thank God we don’t live in the Old Testament times.  Yet many Christians today live like they do.  They are constantly trying to reform themselves, or expecting God to reform them… with a little success but a lot of failure and frustration.

If the law of the Old Testament had worked, we would not have needed a Savior!.  Now that Christ has come, stop trying to reform yourself!

Romans 8:3,4  For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own son, in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit.

And so now:

Galatians 5:4  Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; you are fallen from grace.
Galatians 3:13a  Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law,
Galatians 3:24,25  Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster until Christ, that we might be justified by faith.  But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
Galatians 4:4,5  But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
Romans 10:4  For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

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TRANSFORM… What do we have to do to be transformed? 

II Corinthians 3:17,18  Now the Lord is that spirit; and where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty  .  But we all, with open face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the spirit of the Lord.

We become what we look at… what we study, stare at, dwell on, focus on.  Look unto the Christ within.  Seek, study, desire, love, want the spirit of  Christ.  That is why in my home fellowship that is always, always, the focus of our study, of our time together… seeking the spiritual understanding and dominion of our Lord Jesus Christ.  And that is the reason so many lives are changing from the inside out.  We are being transformed by the spirit of our Lord.

II Corinthians 4:16  For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.
Galatians 4:19  My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you.
Ephesians 3:17a  That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith:
Ephesians 1:22,23  And (God) has put all under his (Christ’s) feet, and gave him to be the head over all for the church, Which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
Colossians 1:27  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 

Transformation takes time.  Transformation involves change.  Transformation can be uncomfortable.  But boy is it worth the patient wait!

Think of a seedling breaking ground, withstanding rains and winds, then bearing lots and lots of fruit.
Think of a caterpillar, becoming a butterfly.  Flying, flitting, all over.
Think of a car factory….  beginning with mining and manufacturing, and then the assembly line, and then out comes this machine which will take you thousands and thousands of miles in comfort.
Think of a tire factory (ever been in one of those?  Boy do they stink, but then you travel all those thousands of miles like on air.

Think what Jesus Christ went through… and now there are millions, maybe billions of members of his body.  Birthed in and by the spirit of Christ, destined to live forever as extensions of God’s grace and love.  Alive and bonded together and knit together in the spirit of His love, exploring and discovering and experiencing untold riches for all eternity, reaching unto the ends of the cosmos, which are unendingly expanding.  We are the greatest of all of God’s creation… MAN, transformed into the likeness of his Creator!
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