Romans 12:2…be you transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Romans 8:6…to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
John 6:63It is the spirit that quickens; the flesh profits nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
2 Corinthians 3:5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; 6Who also has made us able ministers of the New Testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter kills, but the spirit gives life.
Those who are born again can become the sons and daughters of God by doing His will; always. Some start in the Spirit and end up in the flesh because pride enters their heart and covetousness becomes a way of life. People who think that they are sufficient of themselves reserve judgment of Truth to themselves. Though they many profess to be led by the Spirit they are conceited; they are led by their own mind.
Romans 12:3For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith… 16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.
1 Corinthians 14:36 What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?
If we are to “prove” God’s will, it will bear witness of God’s acceptance. God will confirm His words with signs and wonders. Those signs are our proof of God being with us. Small or large it is God’s “Way”, His “will” to those who believe. The danger in this is the “big head” of pride; thinking that we are special rather than God’s way is to confirm His word.
Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as you have: for he has said, I will never leave you, nor forsake you.
Covetous: Excessively and culpably desirous of the possessions of another; jealous.
“Covetousness” is the practice of wanting what God has given another man. It is the sin of Cain. A man wants the blessings, honor and acceptance of God without “proving” God himself. God gives to all liberally if we believe Truth but the covetous set their eyes on the gifts (tongues, interpretations, words, visions, prophecy, dreams, healings, miracles, ECT…) rather than the Giver. To God it is idolatry; the same as worshiping the creation rather than the Creator; worshiping the serpent in the wilderness rather than the giver of healing. Mans eyes of judgment look at the vehicle of blessings rather than the way of blessings. Man is always caught away with his own “lusts”. It is the revelation of the darkness within that a man held onto rather than die to.
Mark 7:21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 23All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
1 Corinthians 6:9 Know you not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
Ephesians 5:5 For this you know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
God in His foreknowledge of these very days spoke through Paul to Timothy about these days.
2 Timothy 3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
Being “Transformed” is not memorizing God’s words, it is replacing our natural way of thinking to receiving the voice of God; the Holy Spirit. Being transformed is dying to man’s opinions and expectations to pleasing God. Being transformed is accepting that we alone work out our salvation or not. Covetous wanabee’s reserve their own thoughts as higher than Truth; they deceive themselves. They covet what God has given to another man. They idolize the power of Truth without the faith in Truth and they walk among us today.
If we are “Transformed” we have no fear because we know the voice of God. We know the voice of the deceived and their covetous works. We know the voice of the One who bears witness to Truth that we judge all things by. We were “Transformed” by faith in Truth, who is Faithful and True. Not of our own works because in this flesh, apart from God, dwells no good thing.
L,J,P&HG
Dave