Chapter # 12 Paragraph # 1 Study # 6
September 22, 2019
Humble, Texas
(012)
1769 Translation:
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.
1901 ASV Translation:
2 And be not fashioned according to this
world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is
the good and
acceptable and perfect will of God.
- I. The Extended Summons.
- A. There is, of necessity, an initial "presentation" before there can be significant development.
- B. Then, there is, also of necessity, some degree (thirty, sixty, hundred fold; Mark 4:8) of "follow-through" in harmony with the "presentation".
- 1. "And..."; the necessary "follow-through".
- a. "Stop being configured by the patterns of this age" [Note (009)].
- b. "But be being transformed..." (Present Tense, Passive Voice).
- 1) This verb is found in four texts of the New Testament.
- a) Two of them (Matthew 17:2; Mark 9:2) are in the records of the "transfiguration" of Jesus upon the mountain so that the "inner circle" of the disciples might "see" Him "glorified" with garments of extreme whiteness and radiance and accompanied by Elijah and Moses. This experience was a fulfillment of Jesus' declaration that "...some of them that stand here...shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power" (Mark 9:1). The verb, then, is illustrated by the "transformation" of Jesus' appearance from His typical earthly appearance into what He is going to look like when He comes in the power of the Kingdom of God.
- b) The other two are instances where Paul addresses the "changes" he is seeking for his readers (Romans 12:2; 2 Corinthians 3:18).
- i. In neither of these texts do we see anything about changes in the bodily appearance of his readers except in the sense that the changes that he does seek might have some degree of visibility in the body (as in the physical difference that exists between a smile and a frown). In other words, the changes that Paul seeks are within, but have at least some ramifications for the outer physical appearance. The body often reveals the heart (as tears reveal both joy and grief).
- ii. Paul's actual meaning is that "the inner man" (Ephesians 3:16) is to be gradually changed (as in Paul's "from glory to glory") as the believer follows through on both of the "summonses" of our current study: come alongside; present yourself to Him. Thus, as Paul's prayer in Ephesians 3:14-21 is actually answered by God, there will be an inner transformation of the person that, occasionally, will be seen on the surface of the "outer man".
- 2) The meaning of the verb (gradual alteration of the "inner glory" from one level to the next) is given a "methodology".
- a) At the very core of this "methodology" is the present tense, passive voice realities.
- i. It is present tense: on-going, gradual.
- ii. It is passive voice: the "believer" is not the active agent of the changes. In both of Paul's references to this word, there is a clear indication that the "active agent" is "the Spirit of the Lord" (2 Corinthians 3:18).
- b) However, there is, in this core of "method" also the reality of the "imperative mood".
- i. Imperatives indicate a certain level of responsibility for the person's being "commanded".
- ii. In this case, the "human responsibility" swirls around "the renewing of the mind". Paul's choice of "renewing" is significant: it is a verb that he alone uses in the New Testament and he only uses it twice (Titus 3:5 being the other text where it is found). Significantly, in that text, Paul attributes "renewal" to the Holy Spirit, not the "believer". But, this does not mean that the "believer" has no responsibility; such is placed upon him by Paul in our current text. The question is, "What, precisely, does Paul intend to communicate about the believer's responsibility?" And, the answer is: whatever the believer must "do" in order for the Spirit to "act". And, what is that? Because it is the "mind" that is to be "renewed", there is clear indication that the "mind" must be subjected to what "minds" are always subjected to: thoughts. In this case, "thoughts" that come from God in contradistinction from "thoughts" that come from men. This has to mean that at least a part of the believer's responsibility is to expose his/her "mind" to God's truths. But, there is also another "responsibility" or two. One, he/she must do due diligence to establish the origin of the "thoughts" to which the mind is being subjected (Acts 17:11) and, having so done, "believe" them (i.e., "cease the inner resistance to truths" that is automatic to the "old man").
- 3) Conclusion(s).
- a) "Metamorphosis" of the "person" by the growth in strength and impact of the "inner man" (Ephesians 3:14-21) is accomplished when the "believer" is self-exposed to the truths of God in a way that "presents" those truths to the "mind" as "truths", and the possessor of that "mind" ceases to resist because of the inherent objections of the "old man".
- i. "Self-exposed" involves two basic issues: 1) The issue of Acts 17:11; and 2) the issue of Hebrews 10:24-25.
- ii. "Ceases to resist" is the most basic concept of "faith" ["faith" is not knowing something is true; it is ceasing to resist that "truth" because of inner conflicts of the flesh].
- b) This "metamorphosis" is, technically, only of the "new man" within, but it does "show up" through the responses of the "vessel of clay" as those responses are generated by God's Spirit Who indwells those "vessels". The inner man is made known by the outer man.