Transform Your Thoughts, Speech, and Actions: Aligning With Jesus

Defining Transformation

What is “transformation?”

Webster defines “transformation” as a change in disposition, heart, character, or the like conversion, the change, as of an equation, or quantity into another form without altering the value.

 

Biblical Foundation: Romans 12:2

Now let’s look at the Scripture reference: Romans 12:2: “Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.”

Let’s unpack these 2 words in particular and gain knowledge of exactly how they are similar, but yet different!

Conformed vs. Transformed

1. Conformed: syschema, sooskhay, matidzo, =to fashion oneself, mind and character to that of the world, to please the flesh=carnal desires, emotions, and passions.

Of which we know to be friends of the world is to be at enmity with God. James 4:4:” Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?”

2. Transformed: metamorpho = to change to another form, that form being the character of Jesus. Transformation results in “quality!”

Who is Called to Transform?

So, who, what, and how does this transformation come into being?

The who, is everyone that accepts Christ as their savior and then “chooses” to make him their Lord.

What? You say “making” him Lord? Yes! You see, Lord means kyrios, kooreeos, Supreme authority, controller, Master, respectful title, he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has the power of deciding, Master Lord, the possessor and disposer of a thing, the owner, one who has the control of the person, the Sovereign Prince, Chief Emperor, title of honor, expressive of respect and reverence with which servants greet their Master, this title is given to God The Father, and Jesus.

So, right away, we see there is an obligation, a responsibility on the part of each person who accepts Christ as their Savior. Now, they must choose to make him their Lord!

Becoming Disciples of Christ

First, one must become His disciple after acceptance of Jesus for salvation. A disciple is a student, a learner, a believer, who follows Christ and applies what he has learned, a disciple in the ancient biblical world actively imitated both life and teaching of their Master. In 1st John 2:26 in the (AMP) it states, “Whoever says he lives in Christ, that is whoever says he has accepted him as God and Savior, ought to make the moral obligation to walk and conduct himself, discipline himself, and apply the discipline just as Jesus walked and conducted himself.” Also, in Ephesians 5:1 (AMP) states “therefore become imitators of God.”

Second, one must copy Him and follow His example as well-beloved children imitate their father.

Imitating Christ: Thoughts, Speech, Actions

Imitate what? Imitate the thoughts, speech, and actions of Jesus Christ.

Thoughts: 1st Corinthians 2:16 “For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him, but we have the mind of Christ.” Philippians 2:5 (ESV) “have this mind among yourself which is yours in Christ Jesus.”

Speech: Ephesians 4:29 “do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs that it may benefit those who listen.” Colossians 4:6 “let your speech always be gracious season with salt so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”

Actions: 1st John 3:18 in (NLT) “dear children let us not merely say that we love each other, let us show the truth by our actions.” Galatians 6:4-5 (FBV): “Carefully, examine your actions, then you can be satisfied with yourself, without comparing yourself to anyone else. We have to take responsibility for ourselves.”

Walking in the Spirit

 

We are to walk, conduct, and discipline ourselves to “be” imitators of God! So how do we do this?

Jesus promises the Holy Spirit. In John 14:16, 17, and 26, it states, “I will ask the Father and he will give you another helper to be with you forever, even the Spirit of Truth whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you, and will be in you…”  “The helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” Also, in Acts 2:38 Peter states… “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

When we accept Jesus as our Savior, we receive the Holy Spirit, which is the character of Jesus that we must choose to operate in.

The apostle Paul wrote, “Do you not know that your bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God?” “You are not your own, you are bought at a price.” “Therefore, honor God with your bodies.” 1st Corinthians 6:19-20.

This tells us we have the Holy Spirit living in us spiritually. As the Holy Spirit lives in us, he brings about life-changing results! As we yield ourselves and are guided and controlled by the Holy Spirit, we will not obey the desires of our own flesh, and we will no longer be in bondage to the law. Paul told the Galatians in 5:16 “IF” you walk in the Spirit you WILL NOT gratify, satisfy the desires of the flesh.” Again, in Galatians 5:18 (TAB) “but if you are guided, led, by the Holy Spirit you are not subject to the law.”

As we continually choose to yield ourselves and to be guided and controlled by the Holy Spirit, we are able to walk and conduct and discipline our lives in obedience and no longer live under condemnation and guilt because… “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are “in” Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1

Living a Transformed Life

When we choose to be obedient to God’s word and choose for His Holy Spirit to control us, we will be transformed into the character of Jesus Christ!

We must choose to obey and live our life according to the Word of God. This will bring about Fathers instructions to be transformed into His image.

1^st John 2:6 The one who says he resides in Jesus, must walk=conduct, discipline their life in Thoughts, Speech, and Actions as Jesus did!