In some areas of our country, as in several other places in the world,
people not only speak of four seasons but recognize a "fifth season",
that of Carnival or Mardi Gras. A very dominant aspect of carnival is that of
putting on costumes and dressing up as someone else. Some of those folks take
great care and invest a lot of money in order to become unrecognizable and to
be another person behind a perfect disguise. Hidden behind such a disguise
quite often people are willing to do things which they otherwise most likely
would never do.
A little while back I came across a very interesting and helpful book, Word
Studies in the Greek New Testament by K. Wüst, and in reading I found
a study about Romans 12:2 dealing with the renewing of the mind and the
transformation or change of the Christian believer. K. Wüst does go back
to the words used in the Greek text and gives their meaning and then proceeds
to portray the meaning of the passage in his own rendering using today's
English vocabulary. By some of his exposition I was reminded of the carnival
because he too was speaking of "masquerade" and outward disguise.
Romans 12:2 is a well known verse for many believers in Christian groups and it
is often mentioned when we speak of applying the Word of God and using God's
power in our daily lives. This section is centered around three main terms or
expressions: "not conformed to this world", "be
transformed" and "renewing of the mind". In this short study I
would like to dwell on each on of these three terms a bit and try to expound in
the core of the teaching of these verses for the readers. I will mention and
speak about some of the Greek words and their meaning, because a deeper
understanding of those words really opens a real treasure chest of insight and
knowledge about God's will which has been declared in these verses.
Romans 12:2:
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.
The first point in this statement is the exhortation, "And be not
conformed to this world …"! Already here a look at the Greek text
proves profitable. The word for "conformed" is the word
suschematizo, a word which describes an outward process. This speaks of
a "scheme", an outward form. The outward form however does not always
relate to the inward reality. This aspect is of real interest and importance in
this passage.
Another verse shall be included in our study in which another word, connected
with schematizo is used and which clearly shows that this word does have
reference to an outward form which may not always be conforming to the inward
reality.
2 Corinthians 11:14:
And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed [metaschematizo] into an angel of light.
The outward form is one of "light", but this is solely a
"costume", "masquerade", a disguise which is in absolute
contrast to that which is really behind it. The devil's domain is darkness, he
is the highest of the rulers of this world which reign in darkness. There is no
light in him, he is darkness. And yet, he pretends, assisted by clever
disguise, to be a messenger of light.
In Romans 12 we were given the exhortation "not to be conformed". We
are absolutely not to take an outward form which is not in correspondence to
the true inner reality.
This outward "form" is not to be "according to this world". "World" is the translation of the Greek word aion, which means "world age", "epoch", "aion", etc. That which makes up this age, the "spirit and tendencies of this age" is not what we are supposed to put on and wear outwardly. This world, this age, with all its habits, its values, its lusts and other desires was once upon a time our real world, as a look in Ephesians reveals.
Ephesians 2:1–3:
And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins:
Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
Here we are shown again wherein we "in time past walked" — when we were not Christians as of yet, when we did not believe on Christ yet, when we were not children of God yet. Then we lived according to "the course of this world" which is controlled by the prince of the power of the air, who is the devil, the adversary, the prince and god of this world. The "course of this world" is characterized by a life in lusts of the flesh, the desires of the flesh and of the mind, but not by God's Word and those things made available by the spirit of God. By nature we were, as everyone being a descendant from Adam, "children of wrath", i.e. reserved for the judgment of wrath, lost, under condemnation.
Ephesians 5:8 and 9:
For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
Here again we are told in a few words what we once were – we were "darkness". But we also are told what we now have become and are – we are "light in the Lord".
1 John 2:15–17:
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.
And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
In this section we are exhorted "love not the world". The world is
in absolute opposition to God, and that which is in the world - the lust of the
flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life, is not of God.
As believers on Christ, as Christians, we are no longer of this world, we are
no longer darkness. We are now the exact opposite of that which we once were
– we are now light in the Lord. When we now would conform ourselves to the
world, if we outwardly conform to the methods and principles employed by this
world, then we really behave like the clown in the circus or those who put on a
costume at carnival. We are dressing up in a costume which has really nothing
to do with who we really are. It is like a disguise, a masquerade, by which we
would disguise ourselves and hide that which we really are. We would be
pretending to be something which we really are no longer. Now, we must realize
that this here is not a costume party and not an opportunity to just have some
fun. This concerns a denial of what God has worked in us in Christ.
Romans 12:2 then continues, "but be ye transformed". This "be
transformed" is in the Greek text metamorphoomai, and it describes
a complete change, a complete transformation of the outward appearance.
Important is that the new outward appearance corresponds absolutely to that
which really is present on the inside.
Metamorphoomai describes in other than Biblical literature for example
the transformation which takes place in the development of a butterfly. When
finally the butterfly comes out, it really is a butterfly, not a disguised
worm. A complete transformation has taken place, from the inside out. The
butterfly is no longer a worm, and it has completely left that appearance
behind. It once was a worm, but now is a butterfly. This is not a costume party
nor a masquerade, no — here we see outwardly the manifestation of that
which is inwardly really present.
This word is used in the Bible in one other place, which is speaking of the
"transfiguration" or "transformation" of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 17:2:
And was transfigured [metamorphoomai] before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
Mark 9:2 and 3:
And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured [metamorphoomai] before them.
And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.
Luke 9:29:
And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.
These passages describe what happened on the mountain. It is apparent that
Jesus' outward appearance completely changed. This outward change reflected
what was happening inwardly. These moments were very significant, this
transfiguration gave witness of the installation of Jesus into the office of
highpriest, and the inner purity of his being was manifested outwardly in this
transfigured fashion.1
Romans 12:2 exhorts us that we do not put on a disguise in that we put on the
costume of the world which really is no longer ours, and then we are encouraged
to put on instead the costume, the clothing, which really behooves us to wear.
We are to be outwardly clothed in a manner corresponding our inward being. Our
inward being after the new birth is no longer that which is determined by the
world, our old man, we rather are a new creation in Christ Jesus.
2 Corinthians 5:17:
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Our real "us" is now the new creation in Christ Jesus. The old has
passed away, it has no more power over us. In us we have a new creation –
the spirit of sonship which we received when we believed on Christ. There is a
new man in us, we have a new nature. This is called "Christ in you, the
hope of glory" in Colossians 1:27.
For us the "worm" state is over, we really have already reached the
"butterfly" state. If we were to conform ourselves to the world that
would be the same as if the butterfly was going to crawl back into the cocoon
and wanted to disguise itself as a worm. What God's Word really exhorts us to
do is that we spread our wings, that we show our butterfly colors in full
manifestation and beauty and that the new creation which we really are comes
into manifestation in our lives.
How does this process come about? How is this achieved? How can we put on the
fullness of this new creation outwardly? How does this change come about and
how is this transformation accomplished?
Romans 12:2 calls this process "renewing of your mind". From the mind
and heart we direct our lives. The key to the manifestation of that which God
has given us in the new nature is in the renewing of the mind. The
"mind" is not "the brain", rather it could be described as
the "sum of the thoughts". The mind of each believer must be renewed,
which means that then our whole life, our walk of life, experiences change. It
is not so much a matter of changing our conduct, our works or our actions. The
real deciding matter is that we change what we think of ourselves. What is
happening in our mind? What is going on between our ears? We must think of
ourselves what we really are in Christ!
The result of this transformation, of this change in thinking is then "so
that ye can prove what is that … will of God". What a tremendous
truth is revealed here! This complete change of our thinking by renewing of our
minds, the putting off of the costumes and masquerades of the old nature with
its lusts and the putting on of the clothing belonging to the new nature in
Christ makes it available to us to prove God's will.
Now what can we put on in our minds? How can we renew the mind? The mind is an
organ in which information is received, collected, processed and stored. The
mind must now be given the information about the new nature in Christ. The mind
must be fed with the truth of that which spiritually is already a reality. Thus
step by step the already mentioned complete transformation takes place, and we
begin to radiate and shine due to the joy and enthusiasm about the accomplished
work of Christ.
This transformation brings with it that we no longer are clowns or those who
just disguise themselves, but that we will wear that clothing which really
belongs to us and is befitting us with all its abilities and rights which we
have been granted in Christ. We are no longer at a continuous costume party,
but we really live that which we are by God's working in Christ, and we now can
enjoy what God has given to us.
Bright colors of cheap fabric, bizarre costumes and masques and a loud shout of
whatever carnival cheer which were done by the old man — what is that to
mean for us any longer? We do not want to disguise ourselves by conforming
ourselves to the world. We shall put on our true garments and radiate somewhat
already as we are changed by the renewing of our minds and radiate in the
brightness of the glory which we already have in Christ.
(1) The high priest of Israel of the line of Aaron underwent a symbolic washing before their installation into the office of high priest. After the washing they put on a white garment of fine linen. This was only a foreshadowing of that which became reality in Christ. He was here clothed not in white linen but in the glory and honour bestowed upon him by his Father in heaven. The purity of his inward nature was manifested outwardly already for a short time in this outward transfiguration.