Audio File: 

2012-01-01 AM - Ps Gebhardt Berndt.mp3

Sermon Notes

Introdcution

Romans 12:2  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of  your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect .

• Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold. (Phillips )
• And do not fashion yourselves after this world (EMTV)
• Stop being molded by the external and fleeting fashions of this age
• The believer's lifelong goal and "motto", ...Not Conformation but Transformation.

1. DO NOT BE CONFORMED

Conformed (suschematizo ) means to form according to a pattern or mold, to fashion alike, to conform to the same pattern outwardly. The meaning is to form or mold one’s behavior in accordance with a particular pattern or set of standards. It simple terms when one has conformed you look like the world, speak like the world, act like the world, work like the world, conduct yourself like the world, handle your spouse like the world , raise your children like the world etc.

The result of being conformed to this age is not a renewed mind but a depraved mind, and a depraved mind:
• Do those things, which are not proper.
• Are filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; and, although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them." (Rom 1:28; 29; 30; 31; 32).

2. BUT BE TRANSFORMED

Be transformed: (metamorphoo ) has the basic meaning of changing into another form. Paul is saying that as we make the conscious presentation of our bodies to God, shun the pressure to be squeezed into the world's mold, and allow God to renew our minds, then that which is on the inside begins to show forth outwardly so those around so that they see more and more of Christ in us and less and less of our self.

The Christ in us should be the true reflection through us. Whatever is not Christ Centered in nature should be changed.

The world seeks to change our mind, and thus exerts pressure from without. But the Holy Spirit desires to renew our mind and He does so from within as we take in the Word and obey truth illuminated in the Word.

3. LOOK TO JESUS AND BECOME LIKE JESUS

Christ dwell within us – Col 1 : 27

The same power that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you – Rom 8 : 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.

We are the Temple of the Holy Ghost – 1 Cor 3 : 16 Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?
This means that Heaven’s ability is made available in Jesus, in and through us . The reason why we don’t see this manifestation is because we look like the world.

Many of us won’t visibly have the appearance of the world , nonetheless we still carry around things that we should have laid down and repented off . For example bitterness , rage , anger , malice , deceit , lying , offence , pride , self – righteousness.

Be free in 2012, and become like God’s Son, His power is resident in every believer and that power has the ability to transform you into the image of Jesus Christ

Rom 8 : 29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.