I’ve been reading a book by Duane Sheriff
(Identity Theft)
And I want to quote a paragraph
From the book:
“From the inside out, you are to be
transformed into the image of Christ
that’s already inside of you – Christ in you,
the hope of glory. The life of Christ in
our spirit is being released in our
daily lives as we have our minds
renewed to that new life. As we align
our thinking with God’s, we’re
conformed into Christ’s image.
If we continue to think according to
this fallen world, we’re being conformed,
shaped, and moulded into the image
of that fallen world in Adam.”
There are two concepts associated
With Duane’s thinking, in this
Paragraph that I have quoted
The first is Born Again
The second is the renewal of our mind
The “image of Christ that’s already
inside of you” is ONLY true of the
Born Again believer
Remember something I have said before
We ALL, all humanity, have been born ONCE
Born of a natural birth, into this world
Descended from Adam
That is something we share with every
Member of Humanity
We are HERE according to the will
Of a father and a mother
There are NO exceptions
But our ancestry, our family tree,
Ultimately goes back to ADAM
In the Garden of Eden
So you could say:
Born ONCE
Born of ADAM
It then becomes our CHOICE
To respond to the Gospel
To respond to Jesus
And to be Born Again
Our SECOND birth
Born of JESUS
That second birth gives us the “image of
Christ” INSIDE us instantaneously
You ARE a NEW creation
However, “The life of Christ in
our spirit is being released in our
daily lives as we have our minds
renewed to that new life.”
This “transformation” takes place
In our minds as we read and study
The Bible, the Word of God
Reading the Bible is where we find
Who we REALLY are in Christ
The transformation that Romans 12:2
Talks about concerns our MIND
NOT our Born Again experience
When we confess Jesus Christ as Lord
We are Born Again in an INSTANT
The renewing of our mind
Being transformed from thinking like
Adam into thinking like God
Takes TIME as we CHOOSE to think
Like Jesus according to what the Bible says
“As we align our thinking with God’s,
we’re conformed into Christ’s image.”
Sadly, the alternative is also our CHOICE
“If we continue to think according to
this fallen world, we’re being conformed,
shaped, and moulded into the image
of that fallen world in Adam.”
So what then does this all mean for us?
Firstly you need to be Born Again
In order to have that NEW life in Christ
You will immediately be the righteousness
Of God in Christ Jesus
And in that NEW life will KNOW
God the Father, Jesus the Son and have
The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus,
Living inside you forever
BUT… Secondly…
Eventhough this is all TRUE
You will ONLY walk and live
In the benefits of this new creation as
You choose to renew your mind and
Change your thinking
To be the same as God’s
And as it says at the end of that verse:
“you may prove what is that good
and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
(Romans 12:2)