Be Ye Transformed, Part 2

Be Ye Transformed, Part 2

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:1, 2
The first step in the transformation process is to present our bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is our intelligent, spiritual service of worship. The second step in the transformation process tells us what not to do. We are not to be “conformed to this world” (verse 2). To conform is to act in accord with the prevailing standards, attitudes, practices, etc., of society or a group. 1 John 2:15, 16, says, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world”. The world with its wicked desires, lusts and pride seeks to seduce and would have us to use the members of our bodies to sin as instruments of unrighteousness. For this cause we ought to present ourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and our members as instruments of righteousness to God. We need to make a covenant with our tongue and “stop all your dirty talk. Say the right thing at the right time and help others by what you say” (Ephesians 4:29 CSV), “because everyone will have to account for every careless word they have spoken” (Matthew 12:36 CSV). The prophet Jeremiah describes the heart as deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked (17:9). We need to make a covenant with our hearts to counteract our natural tendencies by asking God “to search us and know our hearts: try us, and know our thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in us, and lead us in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24). We need to make a covenant with our hands to use them to glorify God by opening them wide unto our brother, to the poor, and to the needy, in thy land (Deuteronomy 15:11). We should keep our feet from every path, so that we might obey God’s word (Psalm 119:101). We need to make a covenant not to commit sin with our eyes (Matthew 5:28) but will keep “looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). We need to make a covenant to increase our faith by using our ears to hear and hear the word of God (Romans 10:17). We need to make a covenant with our bodies and keep our sexual expressions within the boundaries of marriage (1 Corinthians 7:1-8).

For the Christian to conform to this world is like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. It can’t be done except by one method and that is to shave the corners. Let me explain the spiritual meaning of shaving the corners. In Numbers chapter 6, we read about the laws pertaining to the Nazarite vow. The Nazarite vow could be taken by either a male or female. It was a vow of separation. During their time of separation one of the things a person could not do was shave their head. They let the hair of their head grow long. Long hair in the society of that day symbolized that a person was living under the authority and covering of another. Today, we demonstrate submission through the way we conduct our lives - under the authority of another through dependence and obedience. We seek Him for guidance and counsel. We obey His word. We live our lives to serve Him and to please Him. Living this kind of lifestyle today is a greater testimony to the world than the ritual act of growing long hair.

My friend, today take the next step in your transformation process don’t conform to this world. Shaving the corners means to remove yourself from under the authority of Jesus and place yourself under the authority of the world, the flesh and the devil. Make a vow to love and serve the Lord with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all of your mind.