Lesson 50b

So this is Lesson 50, we're in Chapter 12 of Romans. I want to encourage you to read 6, 7, and 8, which we've covered in this class. But I encourage you to do that, especially in these times that we're in, the crazy times. The Romans 6 about our identification, our co-crucifixion, all those different things. You run into Romans 7. and about self-effort, and then you get to Romans 8, which is, I think, important for us believers during this crazy time that we have right now. When you see some of the things, two things that I've always pushed a lot on are the sovereignty of God and His eternal love for us. And when you look in Romans 8, you see that. in 8, I think 28, where God causes all things together, all things, including these pandemics, all these different things he's using, he's in control. And then you get into the end of Romans 8, where we cannot be separated from his love. So I think those are important times during these self-shelter-ins and all these kind of different things.

There are a lot of important things. So I encourage you to read that. One of the things Mike taught me when I first started coming to Holly Hills was just read Don't do big studies, just read it. So I encourage you to read 6, 7, and 8. For our Romans class, we've been through the interlude now between 9, 10, and 11, where we speak a lot.

Paul is addressing really the Jewish nation and what their position is and what their position will be. We're now back into chapter 12, which is pertaining back to us as believers. So let me see if I can get this up. The questions, and it's just full and we've taken two and a half years to get through Romans and we're still not through. There's so much in Romans. So we'll look at the, well, there's the map that we'll see later with Mike, but Romans 12, one and two, and I'll read them and you can see on the screen if you can read there, but Romans, and it's on your question sheet too.

Romans 12 verses 1 and 2, Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect last week we are last week whenever we last met we went through question one paul urges or beseeches the brethren by the mercies of god what are the mercy at what are the mercies of god he's referring to so i went through the paul is beseeching urging ur strongly trying to get them to uh... do something and he's he's talking to believers now as i said nine ten eleven we went through uh... his is addressing the israel or the nation the Jewish nation. So now we get into, he urges them by what?

The mercies of God. So we went over that. That was pretty cool. In Newell's book on Romans, he goes over what those mercies are. So he's urging us by the mercies. When you look at the mercies, there are so many things that Paul has laid out in Romans. I'll just briefly touch on those.

Justification, including pardon, removal of sins from us, trespasses, never to be reckoned, a standing in Christ, being made righteous of God in him. Identification, we're taken out of Adam by death with Christ, dead to the sin and law, and now in Christ. We're under grace, not law. We have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. There's no condemnation, freedom from law of sin.

We have help and infirmity in any present sufferings on our way to share Christ's glory, how pertinent that is today. our conformity to Christ's image, the coming glory we have, and no separation possible. God loves us in Christ, and the confidence in God's faithfulness is confirmed by his revealed plans. So those are all the mercies. So he's urging us by those mercies.

So we'll get into question two. How do you present your body as a living and holy sacrifice that is acceptable to God? So reading the verse, therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God which have gone over, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. First of all, what is the basis or foundation of us presenting our bodies as a living and holy sacrifice? So what is the basis of it?

Anybody? I was thinking about the fact of Romans 6. Can you hear Mike? Anybody? That would be us accepting Christ as our Savior. That would be the basis. We've got to do that first. Yeah, but what does the verse tell us about that? you're to present your bodies as a living sacrifice. What does it tell us, or what is that foundation? Be willing to. Be willing to? To do so. I don't know. Go ahead and speak, Mike, and see if you can hear Mike. He's in here.

Romans 6.13 says, And don't go on presenting the members of your body as to sin, as it's about righteousness, but present yourself to God. And the key verse is those that are alive from the dead. I think it's a critical point. Can you guys hear Mike? No. Okay. So which verse? It's 6.13.

Romans 6.13?

Yeah, Romans 6.13. Let me see if I can pull that up here. So, it's again about presenting your bodies. So, 613, do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. So, Mike said, alive from the dead. But what does the verse say? What is it by? It's in the verse. What does it say? Right, Brian. Say it louder.

By the mercies. If you read it, therefore I urge you, brethren, what? By the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice. So it's by the mercies of God. And all those things we just looked at. By those mercies, reckoning those, understanding those, you're to present your bodies as a living sacrifice. If we look at Newell, Newell had a pretty good one. A couple different sections on him.

For God beseeches us to be persuaded by his mercies. We must believe that these divine mercies have persuasive powers over our wills. It is not that we can move our own wills, but that faith in God's mercies, personally shown to us, has power. It is the goodness of God that moves us. when we really believe ourselves the free recipients of it. So again, it's the goodness of God that moves us. That's how as we recognize and reckon upon those mercies, we are motivated or brought to a point to present our bodies as a living sacrifice.

Another section from Newell. In the case of a slave, his master owns his own body. So he does what his master says, often with inner reluctance. We are sought to present our bodies, that is, willingly to do so. God who made and owns us, and Christ whose we are, God I say might have said, come, serve me. It is your duty. That would have been law, but instead grace is reigning over us and in us. And Paul says to us, I beseech you, present your bodies.

And there and then, in a believing view of God's mercy, so that's the key, in a believing view of God's mercies, we find our hearts going forth. For there is great drawing power in the knowledge that someone has loved us and given us such divine bounties as these mercies. So from this verse, we're to present our bodies, or present a living and holy sacrifice. So by these mercies, by understanding these mercies, that's what motivates us to present ourselves as a living and holy sacrifice. So, what are we to present?

Our bodies. It's interesting, because it's not about our spirit, it's not about our soul, It's our bodies. So it's a real distinction when we look at that. It's our bodies. And when you look at it, usually we think it's all spiritual, the spiritual ends of it, and that. But here, it says we are to present our bodies as a living and holy sacrifice. In the Greek, the word is soma, referring to the body as the external man to which is ascribed that which strictly belongs to the person, man or individual. So again, we are to bring our bodies as a living and holy sacrifice. We see this also because what comprises us as individuals?

1 Thessalonians 5.23 we see what makes up each individual. If you look at that it says, Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete. So that's who you are as a whole. Spirit, soul and body.

So right now He's telling us we're to present our physical bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, being persuaded by the mercies of God, which are well spelled out by Paul in the books of Romans. So we're to present our bodies based on all these amazing mercies and things that God has done. So the question is now, what does it mean to be a living sacrifice? And more importantly, that it's acceptable to God.

So how is this in contrast to what the Israel and Jews have been doing? Anybody? They've been presenting dead things, aren't they? Dead things. So they had sacrifices of animals and so now we're called to be living sacrifices. So Paul is now addressing something completely different than what had been transpiring in Israel at the time. So this is brought out also in 1 Peter 2, 4-5. And coming to him as a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God. You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."

So again, the contrast here for Paul is now, we're not going the old way where you sacrifice bulls and goats and sheep and everything else with dead sacrifices. We are now called to be living sacrifices. A big switch. Now again, I always go back to the audience. When Paul, you know, you're a Jew, you're maybe a new believer, and your whole life you've been told about the sacrifices to make. And that, you know, you go to the temple and the sacrifices and all those things, and the covering that you had for sins. Now, we're called to be living sacrifices.

And again, is this just a covering? We're talking about body, soul, and spirit. It's a life. Is this just a covering of our sins? No, no, no, it's gone. So again, very stark contrast to what Israel had done and had been doing with the dead sacrifices, and that was merely a covering. Paul now says we're living sacrifices and our sins are taken care of by all the things in Romans 6, where he looked through that chapter where we're co-crucified, our sins have been paid for, we're now through our identification, we're in Christ. those sins have been taken care of or to reckon ourselves dead unto sin and alive unto God. It's completely different now. So, the question is, which I kind of went I was going through this, how is this acceptable to God? It's in Christ. Because we're in Christ. Okay. We're in Christ.

Others? Anyone? It's our reasonable service. Reasonable service? But how is that acceptable? Because it's Christ, and Christ is accepted by God. Good. Because I always look at this, how is my service acceptable to God? That just seems, you know, I still have a sinful flesh, all this, how is that acceptable to God? I've always wondered about this one, that's acceptable to God, that seems like a pretty high standard.

So what's that? He's the one doing the doing through us. Yeah. So Newell had it this way. It is very blessed to know that any believer's yielding his body to God is called a holy, acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing unto God Himself. That any creature should be able to offer what could please the infinite Creator is wonderful. But that such wretched fallen ones as the sons of men should do so is a marvel of which only the gracious God Himself knows the depth." So, when I read that, I agree with Newell with one caveat. His representation as wretched fallen ones. How does God see us now? In Christ. So is that wretched? Is that terrible? Is that horrible? Not even close, Tom says.

We are complete. He sees us in Christ now, so when we manifest Christ, when we do this as a part of our living, when we manifest that, that is acceptable to God. Because He sees us in Christ, that's who He sees us. So what we do in Christ is acceptable. So again, I kind of took issue with Newell on that, that he doesn't see us as wretched individuals now. He sees us in Christ. So when you put that in perspective, we're in Christ. When we do things, you know, through our life manifesting Christ, then it is acceptable to God.

So I think that the other aspect of it is we are complete now. In first Peter 5 10 after you've suffered for a little while the God of all grace Who called you to his eternal glory in Christ will himself? So who's doing it perfect confirm? strengthen and establish you So are we are we complete in him? Yes Yes, yes, we are So again, if we're completing Him when we are acting, walking according to the Spirit, and we manifest Christ, these are acceptable things, our living sacrifice. Yeah, Mike, did you have something?

Well, I was thinking, and I don't know where it is in Colossians, but there's a discussion about being complete in Him, and as Christ is, so are we. Yeah, I may have that a little later. So, again, we are to present our bodies, which is interesting, not the soul or spirit, but we are to present our bodies as living sacrifice. So we are to live out our life in Christ through our everyday life. So, everybody good with that? Alright, question three.

How does our spiritual service of worship different from the past service or worship. Therefore, I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship."

So what was the typical worship in Paul's time? What did that look like? I'll repeat yours. What was the typical worship in Paul's time? Typical worship... Say again, Alan? Going to the temple? Yeah, going to the temple. You had rituals, you had ordinances, you had ceremonial observances, all these different things. Was that the right worship at that time? Yes? No? Yes.

The sacrifices and worship of God were laid out by God. God was in the Holy of Holies and the sins were merely covered, not removed. So now Christ has died and paid for all of our sins. God has been satisfied with Christ taking our sins and paying for them. Now for those who accept the free gift of salvation, they have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Now we serve in the Spirit. The spiritual service of worship is way different than what it was before.

Do we need to go to a temple? Do we need to go to church if we need? No. No, we don't. And that's, it's completely different. So again, I go back to put this in the timeframe of Paul and what he's telling his audience. Now you don't have to go to the temple.

You don't have to go and sacrifice. You don't have to do all these things, the ceremony of the, you know, all the different feasts and, and things that they had, they had at that point. Think how monumental this is to that audience. that he's suddenly now telling him, you don't need to do that. You don't need to be at the temple. Which, to the Jews in Jerusalem at the time, being thrown out of the temple was, you know, kind of you were cut off from all life at that point it seemed like. So he's really telling him something very stark and very drastic to him right now. You now have your spiritual service of worship is through your life now. You don't have to go to a temple. You don't have to go through the rituals. You don't have all these ordinances. You don't have all this. Your spiritual service is manifesting the life of Christ through your life. So, again, I put it in perspective.

These people probably were rocked by what Paul is telling them at this point. You know, Courtney, it's in John somewhere with the whole interaction between the woman at the well and the Lord Jesus. Yes, Samaritan woman. And the lady was talking about, the woman at the well was talking about that they worship, because they're Samaritans, they worship. And he chastised her a little bit and said, well, you know, you don't worship at the temple.

But he said, God seeks those who will worship him in spirit and in truth. And that's the difference, I think, the spirit, worship in the Holy Spirit and truth, and the Lord Jesus being the truth, God is the only one that can worship God, and if you're in Christ, you are, because of being involved by the Holy Spirit, you have the capacity to worship God in spirit and in truth.

Anywhere, anyplace, anytime. Anyplace, it doesn't matter, because we're the temple. You know, and again, think about the time frame of this. Had the temple been destroyed yet? No. No, but was he preparing him for that? You know, when you think about the timeline, it was going to be destroyed. And so Paul is setting him up already right now to the temple. You know, they didn't know at the time the temple would be destroyed. So I think, you know, he's, he's all these different things are adding up for him when you look at the timeframe and God's knowledge of all this. So again, it's just, I look at it as the earth shattering. We may look at it as kind of normal. is our spiritual service. We don't have temples. We've never had to sacrifice animals. We've never had all these things. But we now serve in spirit.

So at the time of the message that Paul gives us, it's, I think, earth-shattering to them. I agree. Question four. What does it mean and how do we become conformed to this world? So in verse two, Let me put it up behind me here. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. So what does conformed mean? Anybody? I've always heard it as squeezed into a mold. Good. Others? What happens when you're conformed? You're part of something. being a part of something? JD, you have something?

I was just going to say, I think this is not like a loss of salvation and something that removes our identity in Christ, but I think it's also something that should be treated as serious because it's quite easy for us to go back into the patterns and the lifestyle. of an unbeliever.

And I think, I mean, we experience it daily, right? I mean, that's the sin pattern. And so being conformed into a pattern that we knew very, very well prior to being a believer is, I believe, what's being talked about here. It's that sin pattern that we can fall back into as believers because it still is familiar. It's not who we are, but it's still familiar.

Yeah, so it's the conforming word, you know, and I think you used one of the words, and Patty used one of the words too in here. The Greek word is suskomatso, which means to fashion alike. And one of my worst things you can ever do is use the word in the definition. Conform to the same pattern outwardly. So from this verse, from Zodias, the expanded rendering might read, stop being molded by the external and fleeting fashions of this age. So again, the pattern and the molding. So it says, do not be conformed to this world.

So first of all, who rules this world? Who? Satan rules this world. Satan. And we know that in Ephesians 2, 1 and 2, and you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formally walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. So if you're conformed to the world, who are you being conformed to? The devil. The devil, and just all the bad aspects of that.

How would we be conformed to the world? Do we really think the world is conforming us? Don't we have the attitude that we're the ones that are the drivers in this thing and we don't realize that it's the world that's doing it to us? Yes and no. I think we are to be salt, we're to be light, we're to be one's drawing, we're the ambassadors for Christ, we're to bring people. But we're living in a world that is run by Satan.

And so we're going to get into this about conforming and how you get conformed and what transpires in that process. So we'll get into a little bit of that. So I guess the thing is, how do we become conformed to this world? says, do not be conformed. So that's, you know, he's telling you don't do this if you're doing it. So how do we become conformed to the world? Aren't we already conformed? We're conformed to it.

Speaking for yourself. Yeah. Well, I mean, when, when I, when I came to Christ, I was totally conformed to the world and the process of through the process of death, burial, and resurrection with Christ now, there's a process going on in which I'm being conformed to the image of Christ. Well, it was from the world to Christ. I don't think, thinking that I'm somehow in the middle and I'm deciding who's going to conform me, I don't think that's the picture. The picture is I am already bought into the world's system.

The verse I'm thinking about in Ephesians chapter six, Paul says in verse 11, put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand against the wiles of the devil. The wiles of the devil is this trying to get believers, I think, to go back into the world and let it conform you. It isn't that we're being spiritually attacked because we're such a big threat to Satan.

The deal is is to get us back in the world where we came from and we're of no use to God at all. Right, and that's the warning here. Don't be conformed. Don't go back to what you were. We're supposed to manifest Christ. There are many verses where we're ambassadors. We're all these different things. We're supposed to show that. But he's giving us a warning here, don't be conformed to the world. So that's a possibility. And so it's like you know, who rules it, but then how would we be, I guess the question is how, how do we become conformed to it? What is the process? I think it's, I think it's a choice.

Didn't he say, set your mind on things above. If you don't set your mind on things above, then you're going to be setting your mind on things of the world, whatever it is. And you let that become your problem. Right. Just focus. Yeah. Yeah, it's the focus. That's the key. What is your focus?

If you're focused on Christ, are you going to be conforming to the world? No. No. If you're focusing on the world, what are you going to be conformed to? The world. The world. So that's why I think his warning here is if we focus on the world and not on Christ, if we look at the world and look to it for comfort, peace and blessings, we will be conformed to the world.

I think, you know, especially in these times of the crazy times we're in right now, I think it would be a lot tougher to be a non-believer in this time when all this is going on, all the craziness. What we have as believers, we know that God is sovereign. He's in control of all this. And again, my two isms, he's in control and he uses all things, blessings and trials, but then in the end of Romans 8, we cannot be separated from his love.

So if you feel that you're separated from God's love during this time, is that correct? Answer? No. No. Go back to the question, we'll be conformed to the world. So, I looked at 1 Corinthians 15, 33. It says, do not be deceived. Bad company corrupts good morals. So, this sounds like what my parents used to say.

Who are you hanging out with? Who are you hanging out with? You want to stay away from Billy, he's just trouble. You know, and if you hang out with that group, you're going to be associated with that group. It's not good. Stay away from those. So, you know, you are who you hang out with. So I think my parents' warnings... is very good. You stay away from those things that are bad, so you're not associated with them.

You're not conformed to them. You're not identified with them. So it's not to say that we're not to go out in the world and Christ went to all different people, sinners and everything. It's not to say that we're to not associate with them, but if you hang out with them and you start to be part of that group and your focus gets off Christ and on the group or whatever the world is, then you begin to be conformed to the world.

So Paul is giving the warning here. Do not be conformed. Do not hang out and pick up all these things from the world. You'll start manifesting that through your life, your body, which is a living and holy sacrifice. So he's giving us this warning about do not be conformed to the world.

I take my parents' warnings, you know, who you hang out with, who you're identified with. What's the positive aspect of that warning? If you hang out with Jesus, you're right where you need to be. I don't know if you heard Tom in the back. If you hang out with Christ, that's where you're going to be identified. That's the one you're going to be identified with.

So I think the positive of this is don't be conformed to the world. Don't put your focus on the world, but if you have your focus on Christ, Who are you going to be identified with? Who are you going to be conformed to? So I think it's a very, you know, my parents' warning is valid.

Who you hang out with, you're going to be associated with or identified with. So if I hang out with Christ, spend time with Him and His Word, I'm going to be identified with Him. I'm going to be conformed to Him. And that's what we're, we'll get into those about to be conformed to the image. I said, during these crazy times in shelter in place, isn't this a great time to hang out with the Lord? We got a lot of time.

You know, now is time to just read the Bible. And read, you know, Mike's direction to me years and years ago is just read it. And I encourage you again to read 6, 7, and 8 during this time, today or whatever. Just read 6, 7, and 8. Don't think it is a big study. Just read it and you'll get amazing, just positive things from reading 6, 7, and 8.

Where 6, all the different things about our identification, taking care of sin. 7, where it says, is this your self-effort? No. Is it by law works? No. Who's the one? Thanks be to God. and then get into 8 and just read 8 for all the things that are true about us in Christ. It's awesome. So I encourage you during these times, shelter in. Shelter in and hang out with Christ. So, question 5. Are we all good with that? With the question? What does it mean? What does it mean and how do we become conformed to this world? Everybody good? Yes. Alright.

5. What does transformed mean?

And what are we to be transformed to? So reading the verse, and do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. So the Greek word here to be transformed is metamorpho. What does that word sound like?

Metamorpho. Metamorphosis. So what happens in metamorphosis? Change. Complete change. You go in as a caterpillar and you come out as a butterfly. So we're to be transformed. We would have a complete transformation. So the word again, metamorpho, denoting change of place or condition or to transform, transfigure, change one's form. So the question I have is what's the difference between conform and transform? Conform and transform. Maybe conform is from the outside and transform is from the inside.

Wow. Good. That's exactly what I would have said. Spot on. You guys are good. Conform, to fashion like conform to the same pattern outwardly. Transforming, denoting change of place or condition or to transform, transfigure, change one's form. Complete change, new. inward and complete metamorphosis. So, exactly right. Patty, you get the gold star. And JD, I guess, too. So, the conform is the outward, transform is the inward. So, what are we to be transformed to? It says we're going to be transformed. What are we going to be transformed to? The image of Christ. The image of Christ? Okay. Anyone else? from being in Adam to being in Christ. That's quite a transformation. That is a complete metamorphosis. Anyone else? What do we transform to? So we're to be transformed.

We get a glimpse of this in Romans 8, 29, and 30, the outward change. So this is the outward. We see this, for those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to become conformed to the image of his son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brethren. So that's the conformity, so that was the outward.

What about the transforming? What are we supposed to be transformed to? Anybody know a verse? Wayne, you had the conformity part, which is the outward, would be conformed to the image. What's a good verse for the transforming. What are we transformed into? Mike, if you don't get this, you're getting a checkmark.

Second Corinthians 3.18. Thank you. And what does that say, Mike? Or do you want me to read it? I am transformed into His very image, even as by the Spirit of God. Mike wins. I knew this one. If you missed this one, I was going to put the checkmark against you here.

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed, metamorphosized into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord and the Spirit. So that's the transforming. That's the metamorphosis inside of us that is happening. And what is the mirror and what are we looking at? Mike well, I think there's a couple of points here number one if you look at the metamorphosis of a Caterpillar Metamorphosis into a butterfly you still have the same I'm gonna use the term DNA you still have the same species this transformation and second Corinthians 318 is actually a from one creation to a new creation. So being transformed into the image of Christ of such a character, it's like Romans 6 says, it's newness of life. It's a whole new existence with none of the old left as the transformation takes place.

Yeah, and I go to 2 Corinthians 5.17. We are new creatures, new in kind. So this metamorphosis, if you want the DNA analysis, it's totally new DNA. It's not just reformulated, it's totally new, new in kind, new in quality.

2 Corinthians 5.17, we're a new creature in Christ. Completely new. The transformation.

And now this, the outward is the image that we manifest Christ, because what's happening inside of us, the transforming of us, inside of us, this renewing, this metamorphosis, that is now being manifest, conforming us to the image. So again, the transformation is where we're being transformed, a new DNA, as Mike says. We have a new DNA. We have a new federal head, which is Christ. We have totally new, and we're being transformed into that. So again, we're being transformed into Christ.

And again, the warning about conforming to the world if we're being transformed internally, should we be manifesting or conforming to the image of Christ? Yes. Yeah, and as we focus on Christ, hang out with Him, we're identified with Him, we manifest Him, we're not going to be conformed to the world and reflect what the world has.

We're not going to do that if our focus is on Christ and if we have our identification, hanging out with Christ, we're going to manifest Him, we're going to be transformed just as 2 Corinthians 3.18 says, we're going to be changed, we're going to be renewed, we're going to be transformed. So again, very powerful verses. So, question six, how do we, now the question is, yeah, go ahead. Yeah, just one thing.

The idea with this transformation is that because it's passive, it's something that happens over time, right? So I think one, One note would be to just recognize that it's not something that we are instantly transformed. It is a process. It's a daily inward process that happens over time.

So just another note to add to that transformation. Right. It's like the metamorphosis of a caterpillar to a butterfly. It doesn't happen in 30 seconds. It goes over time. It's a process that goes our entire life, our entire life here. is going to be that process. So that's a good point. It's not, you know, as I say in our fast food microwave culture, we want things to happen right now, 30 seconds and done. This transforming is going to go over a long period of time. It's going to be over our entire lifetime.

It's going to be transforming us to eventually when we shirk these shells and step into eternity, we'll be transformed instantly at that point. So yeah, that's a good point. Didn't you say part of that is we're living in this body or in this temporal, well, even world, and we still have that same nature, even though we're dead to it, or not powered by it. That's part of that conforming is, well, someday we'll have a new body, so we won't have this old tent that's wearing out. Oh, yeah. What a glorious day that is.

When we shirk these shells, we don't have to worry about the sinful flesh that we're in, this body that we're in. So Bill is giving me a time here that we have only a couple more minutes. I don't know if that's the time on the Zoom. We've got one more minute to the buzzer.

Oh, wow. Okay. There it is. You've got five minutes, Gordon. OK, five minutes. Brian, he's taking over your job, Brian. You heard the bell. So don't worry. You get your job back when we come back. I'm not going to let Mike do that. You'll be the man, Brian. So OK, let's get him.

Because I think following up to what JD was saying about the process, who does that? So how do we renew our minds? Question six. First of all, who's doing the renewing? Is that us? The Holy Spirit. Now, we always want to get in the way of that all the time. We always want to try and do it our way and get, you know, God needs a little help with this. I can do this. That's why I say read Romans 7 and see how self-effort does. Paul, who is the greatest apostle, He couldn't do it. How's that fair for you? He spent time alone with the Lord, and he said, I want to do this, but everything in my body is telling me otherwise. So did you have something, Roy? How does he do it?

Okay. What did we see in 2 Corinthians? We saw this is from the Lord, the Spirit. So it's the Spirit who does this. And that's the key. The key is yielding, walking according to the Spirit. It's the Spirit's job. We always try and get in the way of all this. Now, so my question, good segue, Roy.

So what does this mean? Do we just sit around in a room and wait for the Lord to renew us? Is that what happens? I don't believe so. So, what is our part in this? I mean, it's the Spirit's job, so what is our part? To believe what the Spirit reveals, and I think He uses His Word to reveal Christ. Exactly. We don't just sit around and meditate in a room and wait for the Lord just to do this, renew us. It always comes down to this. It's faith.

And we must believe by faith what God has told us is true about us. It's the non-meritorious act of faith. And as you go through, as I've gone through from John up to Revelation, how many times it's based on faith. If you realize that everything is based on faith, there is nothing that is not based on faith. And the faith is in the veracity of what God has already done, and is doing, and will do. So again, it's our belief in that, our faith, our trust in what God has told us. So the renewing, let's see if we can get this. the Holy Spirit takes the things of Christ and gives them to us through the Word. I believe that might sum it up a little bit.

Yeah, I mean, you look through all of this, and it's always by faith. Again, anything you look through on this, you know, fight the good fight. What is that? What does the end of that verse say? Faith. Good fight of faith. Faith. You know, we always think it's like we've got to go duke it out with Satan. It's fight the good fight of faith.

You know, my famous, I memorized one of the few that I memorized was James 1. Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter what? Various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith. So when you encounter various trials, it's not about you doing anything, it's testing your faith.

And I can go on for hours about faith and all through and what, if we have faith in all the things that's true about us, just think about the Lewis Ferry Chafer list of 33 things that are true about you right now and then I think there's another list with a 212 things.

Just think of the, if we by faith trust in God, what he's told us, that's going to be the renewing of our mind. That's going to be the transformation of us. That's going to be the conformity of us to Christ's image. So again, when we look at it, it is the spirit doing it. But our part of it is, as always, just believe. Time's up. OK. Thank you, Mike. Can I interrupt for a minute, Courtney? Yeah. No, it's time's up.

What's going to happen is we're going to shut the whole thing down and then reissue invitations to the main service. And that'll come out in about five minutes. You're going to have to reconnect. That's the only way we can do it. Okay, and then also, so next week we'll continue on. There's more on question six. We'll do six, seven, and eight. And then we'll probably get another question set out to you for next week. All right.

How about a quick closing prayer? Heavenly Father, we thank you for this time. We thank you for any time that we can gather, either together or virtually. We thank you for that. We realize that, again, these are just strange times, but we rest in the fact that you're in control of them. May we have great peace and just rest in the fact that we know that. And so that gives us, as opposed to the world that doesn't know you, the unrest and the lack of peace. We thank you for the peace that we have, understanding who you are, and that you're a sovereign God, and that you have an eternal love for us that we can't be separated from. We thank you for all these things, and again, just the opportunity to gather together this way to just study your word. We thank you for this, in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.