God gave His people their request and sent a king JUST LIKE the nations- a king who would rule according to his own will, serve for his own profit and welfare, eventually would kill his own countryman, and even would order foreign mercenaries to kill some of God's own priests! And from this account we learn an important lesson: It is easy to have a love affair with the world.

And so, as the people in Samuel's day we often find that we want our lives to be much "like the nations." When it comes to our families we want marriages like the nations where the men are men and the women are men too. We want children like the nations where self-expression and popularity is valued above knowing God and being faithful to His covenant. When it comes to our churches we want preachers like the nations where how they speak and look is more important than whose they are and what they say. We want Bible studies like the nations where the focus is on becoming a better you. We want worship services like the nations, which are exciting, contemporary, and appeal to the modern ear. When it comes to our relationship with Christ we want a religion like the nations where what we do and say has the ability to merit God's approval. Our love affair with this world runs deep.

Thus, there is perhaps no more relevant message today than the text before us. As Paul has been discussing that which constitutes the Living Sacrifice, he turns his focus to their activity. Notice the text:

Last time we analyzed the first activity that characterizes the Living Sacrifice, dedication! This time, we turn our focus to the second activity: Transformation.

And so, as Living Sacrifices we are to fight against the daily influence of this world which seeks to squeeze us into its mold. And what kind of influence is this? It is the influence of the world (aioni). In the Bible there primarily are two words used to denote world: kosmos and aion. Kosmos generally is used in reference to the physical world or creation: the trees, the animals, and mankind. In contrast, aion references not so much to the physical world, but the AGE in which we live- the quality not the quantity.

G. C. Trench, describing world wrote: "[It is] that floating mass of thoughts, opinion, maxims, speculations, hopes, impulses, aims, aspirations, at any time current in the world, which... may be impossible to seize and accurately define, but which constitute a most real and effective power, being the moral, or immoral atmosphere which at every moment of our lives we inhale, again inevitably to exhale." (Synonyms of the New Testament, pp. 217-218)

And so, to be "conformed to this world" is to be wrapped up in the things that are characteristics of this passing world: it is to be influenced, molded and consumed by it. And thus, Paul's exhortation is that we first must NOT allow this age to influence what we do as Living Sacrifices.

Now let us be clear as to the exhortation here. As Living Sacrifices it is NOT that we are to leave or separate ourselves from this world – i.e. not use its supermarkets, throw away our television sets and radios, make candles to light our houses, etc. Rather, it's that we MUST not be worldly. We must fight against the world's desire to force us into its mold. We must not allow our fallen and evil world to dictate our dress, influence our leisure, or determine our plans, goals, or pleasures.

Our war as God's people is NOT to get rid of the TV set, or a rail against current fashions, or to require no makeup or jewelry, but rather it is against lofty things raised against the knowledge of Christ. Our battle is also against our compulsion to disobey Christ! And yet this is where we as a church have fallen.

Brothers and sisters it is not uncommon for unbelievers to mask themselves as Christians. But "woe to the church" when, out of convenience or pleasure, we wear the world's mask! Yet sadly, this has been the downfall of many in the church. Today the church pew is typically populated by two "kinds" of Christians the IN the world and yet OF it Christian. And the OF the world and not IN it Christians. Or to phrase this another way: Those who have successfully separated themselves from this world, and those who have not taken themselves out of this world, and yet have been sucked into the world's way of thinking and living.

The OF the world and not IN it Christians are those who have successfully separated themselves from this world via their discarding the TV and the Radio. They home school their children, They listen to "Christian" music, and have "Christian" art, and entertainment. And yet, have all the marks of this world in their values, beliefs, and goals.

Listen, the call of Christ is that we are to be IN the world.

Let me challenge you to write out on a sheet of paper your goals, joys, displeasure, or that which most frequently angers you. Write out on a sheet of paper what people group you are able to minister effectively to, i.e. the humanist, the New Ager, the philosopher, etc. Now, look at each list and if the first list could have been written by your next door neighbor who does not know Christ, or if your second list is blank we are loosing the war of Romans 12:2, which says that we must "NOT be conformed to this world!"

Notice the particulars of the exhortation:

And so where does the "transformation" spoken about in this text occur? In the realm of our MINDS! And how does this occur? As we allow our minds to be renewed- literally "refashioned" or "remade." Paul is saying here that sowing to our new nature such that our new life in Christ is what controls our living must change our outward activity. Thus it is NOT that as we mimic the light: we become as the light. We do not mimic being good: we become good. As our new nature is fed, encouraged, and/or cultivated, our outward living is affected.

Charles Hodge wrote:

Notice Hebrews 4:12, "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart"

Thus we read all these verses which show us that God’s word transforms our lives:

In Scripture, when the Holy Spirit works by and with the word, the results are these:

And so, as we resist the World's desire to conform us to itself, we must moment-by-moment submit ourselves to the ministry of the Word of God. The ministry of the Word of God is what constitutes the activity of the Living Sacrifice: Transformation!

Listen to the Word of God:

Brothers and sisters our goal must not be a mental knowing of the Scriptures but the knowing the God of the Word! Our focus must not be the mastery of the content of the Word of God, but its mastery over us! See not until God's word seeps deep into our souls and takes hold of our lives, moves, and compels us will we understand Paul's exhortation here to be "transformed by the renewing of our minds." And so let us understand it is not enough to simply read, memorize, and meditate upon the word of God, we must allow it to control us.

It is not enough to recite God’s Word. God must move us. It is not enough that we know the Bible better than all other men, God’s Word must be our master.

That is why Paul can command that for which we are not ultimately responsible here because it is God who transforms our minds. Yet, He does this as we submit ourselves to His transforming path: the Word of God!

And thus, this is where the war begins: our mind is the battleground for our old and new nature. So your fleshly affections will do everything they possibly can to distract you from the means of Grace – God’s Word. Turn Bible study into an object of worship. But let us not heed our flesh. Rather, let us follow the example of Ezra.

Be as Christ who not only knew the Word of God, but the God of the word. Thus we read Luke 6:12, "And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God."

In essence, we have a choice this day. As Living Sacrifices dwelling in the land of the enemy what is it that will compel us? The worldly system in which we live or the word of God? In what will we invest? Where will our treasure be? Whom will we serve?

As for this church, we must serve the Lord!

Let us walk the walk of faith, seated at the foot of Christ. For as we sit long at the table of our Lord, feeding upon Him, we will participate in and so reap the second activity of the Living Sacrifice: Transformation!