The word mind is (nous) in Greek, pronounced (noose); it reflects one’s thought consciousness, which is seen as comprised of perception and understanding of all things and rooted in an ability to learn and adapt to one’s environment. Any influences from those around us, such as teachers, parents, peers, etc., affect us. We also have feelings and emotions involved, so the fundamental things influencing our nature affect how we govern accordingly, which for believers is not always by conscious perception.
Since the mind is part of the soul, transformed thinking requires involving a new consciousness in spiritual matters. Jesus points out distinct areas of our creation that need to be agreed upon so that what we are to do is being done as God expects. Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. Math 22:37. Here, we have a different word, translated mind (dianoia), meaning what we think is relevant to any knowing, understanding, and/or faculty of thought reflected in one’s moral character. It is sometimes translated as one’s imagination.
Jesus says we are to have this love fully in our hearts, souls, and minds, relevant to all knowledge and understanding. Traditionally, we view this verse as a command to love our God. But what is important is that this love Jesus talks about here is (agape), meaning love is part of one’s character or nature. This is good news since it means we can be of the same nature, presenting the same manner of love toward the Lord Jesus and our Father God as they express toward us.
No one can express Agape without a new nature reflecting a change within them. In this case, a soul with this manner of love arises only through the consciousness of its purpose in spiritual matters. And hope does not put to shame; because our hearts are full of the love of God through the Holy Spirit which is given to us. Rom 5:5. So, the characterization of such love is only possible through the presence of the Holy Spirit. It is an empowered ability to know and understand its purpose, making it an essential part of our nature.
Now, stay with me and see why your transformation is necessary as a child of God. Because what we do distinguishes us from any deceivers. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. 2 Cor 11:13-15.
Paul refers to those who go around in the body of Christ masquerading and presenting themselves as something they’re not; the Greek word translated “transformed” is (metaschēmatizō), meaning “to disguise oneself.” A good example would be putting on a gorilla suit and running around, acting like one, so that you appear to be something you are not. Believers are not to go around acting as sons and daughters of God through ministry efforts of the gospel. Rather, out of a transformed nature, they are to reveal the very character of their Father God.
So, back to what Paul says in this verse. 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. Rom 12:2. The Greek word Paul uses here (metamorphosis) is translated as “transformed,” which means transforming what is seen into something else that is seen. The best example would be a caterpillar that turns into a butterfly through a process we call metamorphosis. What anyone sees after such a transformation is nothing like what appeared before it occurred.
A believer is now someone who is no longer recognizable by the old nature but is seen by a new nature that characterizes God. Many pulpits today believe that the new birth causes a transformation in our spirit, and not our soul. And yet both are areas the word of truth affects. Scripture tells us that our mind is not part of our spirit, but our soul, and our nature is not revealed as solely part of our soul. Thus, one’s transformation into a living spirit and a delivered soul with a new nature is accomplished in transforming both spirit and soul.
So, if we live according to a divine nature or those fundamental principles that characterize God’s nature, we change ours. Follow me on this to see how we obtain the very nature we’ve had all our lives before coming to Christ. Our human nature is a conformity of manners shaped by various influences in our lives, present or past, that help formulate a fundamental set of principles we choose to govern ourselves. Today’s social environment heavily shapes how we interact with our parents, peers, and siblings, and all the influences from the world around us play a significant role.
Amid all this influence, we will accept or reject certain aspects, forming in us what we are willing to conform to. If our parents were slothful in their work and in managing their resources, we might come to see such behavior as acceptable. Human nature tends to adopt or conform to what influences it, and one’s manner of thinking shapes certain thoughts about how we present in various areas of our lives. Someone who grows up exposed to violence tends to take up characteristics that reflect a violent manner in their nature. On the other hand, someone raised in an environment of love, respect, and honor usually adopts those qualities.
These examples show how one’s nature fashions and forms thinking of those things concerning us, which will become revealed in our character, and how we will live it out as who we are. If we take all this and add sin to it, we have evil on this earth by those who conform to its worldly purpose since all are under the influence of the devil, who’s evil by nature and looking to take advantage of promoting sin through a carnal nature.
BELIEVERS ARE TRANSFORMED BY GOD’S WORD
44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. First, He opened their understanding, which in this verse is (nous), the same as in Rom 12:2, and means reflecting on one’s consciousness. 45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, Luke 24:44-45. He did that so they could understand spiritual matters. This is a different word (syniemi), meaning to bring together or gather what has been perceived as understood so that one’s consciousness of it appears.
In this case, Jesus is referring to spiritual matters. In verse 44, He says those things written about Him are all the things that will be fulfilled, such as those written in the law, the prophets, and the psalms. If we continue through this, verse 45 says that He opened their nuos, their consciousness. So, they could syniemi, bring together a perception of those truths because God will fulfill the spiritual matters concerning the prophecies of His Son.
This reveals that His offspring (believers) must spend time with the Holy Spirit in the word, individually, corporately, or as part of a Sunday school or Bible study group, solely for the purpose of transformation. This process occurs through actively engaging with the Word, so that its authority can change our nature into who He says we are to be. All scripture revealed by the Holy Spirit will, by His authority and power, change our nuos, or our consciousness, by syniemi of all truths written.
This process of transforming our nature is not limited to our soul; it’s also revealed that growth must occur in our spirit. Everything we tend to rely upon for life today is wrapped in issues we seek answers for from the world’s system. These issues are not sourced from spiritual locations but from earthly ones influenced by spiritual forces of darkness, and most are revealed as uncharacteristic of the God who created us.
For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh [craving for sensual gratification] and the lust of the eyes [greedy longings of the mind] and the pride of life [assurance in one’s own resources or in the stability of earthly things]—these do not come from the Father but are from the world [itself]. 1 John 2:16.(AMP) This means the things of the world are not of a manner or character of God purposed to be present in your life. Therefore, you must be able to discern things that are revealed as God or the enemy. Therefore, now is not the time for God’s children to ignore the need to grow spiritually, as this is essential to a believer maintaining their living purpose.
So, understand that your children are to be raised by the Holy Spirit to become spiritual leaders, children of God. They are His future offspring, His spiritual lineage, here for tomorrow. The status quo of day-to-day living does not reveal this; it is only revealed by a transformation, by His power through the authority of the word. Every believer is to be able to perceive things; this comes through a revelation of the word revealed by the Holy Spirit. However, today’s situation is the same as in the past; many rely on their abilities, not His.
By this time you ought to be teachers yourselves, yet here I find you need someone to sit down with you and go over the basics on God again, starting from square one—baby’s milk, when you should have been on solid food long ago! 13Milk is for beginners, inexperienced in God’s ways; 14 solid food is for the mature, who have some practice in telling right from wrong. Heb 5:12-14. (MSG)
Churches have been far more dependent on the systems of this world than on the power of God’s word, simply because the word is contrary to the world’s ways, and much of the body of Christ is familiar with it. The fact is that for such thinking to exist, people are either ignorant of the truth, spiritually stupid, or both, allowing a position as offspring of God to be worldly rather than Christ-like in our lives, by the supernatural order of all things Godly.
So, as everyone prepares for Christmas, there is something to remember: all believers are part of Christ’s body, and as we celebrate His birth on earth, we can rejoice that we are a gift to this world, a living witness of His coming.
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