TransformedTransformedBy The GospelBy The Gospel

Romans 12:2Romans 12:2

Romans 12:1-2Romans 12:1-2

““Therefore I urge you, brethren, by Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. spiritual service of worship. And do And do not be conformed to this world, but not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”good and acceptable and perfect.”

““do not be conformed to do not be conformed to this world”this world”

METROTHEISMMETROTHEISM

Become more like the world so the world will Become more like the world so the world will be attracted. Make sure we are being cool.be attracted. Make sure we are being cool.

Take out all the hard truths and retranslate Take out all the hard truths and retranslate His words so that the world will not be His words so that the world will not be offended.offended.

Emphasize such things as emergent, Emphasize such things as emergent, existentialism, universalism, relativism, and existentialism, universalism, relativism, and ecumenicalism so that the world can be ecumenicalism so that the world can be impressed.impressed.

Dress up Jesus a little bit so that He seems Dress up Jesus a little bit so that He seems more friendly and agreeable…rather than the more friendly and agreeable…rather than the King of kings and Lord of lords.King of kings and Lord of lords.

““A great deal can be learned about people by A great deal can be learned about people by observing who and what they imitate. The observing who and what they imitate. The weak, for instance, imitate the strong, never weak, for instance, imitate the strong, never the reverse. The poor imitate the rich. The the reverse. The poor imitate the rich. The self-assured are imitated by the timid and self-assured are imitated by the timid and uncertain…all tend to imitate what they uncertain…all tend to imitate what they admire. By this definition power today lies admire. By this definition power today lies with the world, not with the church, for it is with the world, not with the church, for it is the world that initiates and the church that the world that initiates and the church that imitates what has been initiated. By this imitates what has been initiated. By this definition the church admires the world. The definition the church admires the world. The church is uncertain and looks to the world for church is uncertain and looks to the world for assurance. A weak church is aping a strong assurance. A weak church is aping a strong world to the amusement of intelligent sinners world to the amusement of intelligent sinners and to her own everlasting shame.”and to her own everlasting shame.” ~A.W. ~A.W. TozerTozer ““The Danger of World-Worship”The Danger of World-Worship”

““Most people today attempt to make a sales Most people today attempt to make a sales pitch for the gospel as if it were sweet plums pitch for the gospel as if it were sweet plums and fairy dust…the modern thought is woo and fairy dust…the modern thought is woo the masses in with Starbucks franchises the masses in with Starbucks franchises stationed in the church lobby, movie-based stationed in the church lobby, movie-based sermons, beer and hotdog potlucks after the sermons, beer and hotdog potlucks after the service, and the cool pelvic-thrust of a semi-service, and the cool pelvic-thrust of a semi-moral garage band leading everyone into the moral garage band leading everyone into the worship of Jehovah God.”worship of Jehovah God.”

~Eric Ludy~Eric Ludy “The “The Bravehearted Gospel”Bravehearted Gospel”

““What might happen if we were to just let the What might happen if we were to just let the gospel be what it is---a gritty, bloody, gospel be what it is---a gritty, bloody, revolutionary call to die?”revolutionary call to die?”

But be transformed by theBut be transformed by therenewing of your mindrenewing of your mind

Transformed:Transformed: ((metamorphoo)metamorphoo) ““a change in outward appearance”a change in outward appearance”

Transformation is aided by the Transformation is aided by the renewing of our minds.renewing of our minds. Emphasis on truth….the Scriptures…Emphasis on truth….the Scriptures…

renewing our minds and NOT our minds renewing our minds and NOT our minds and opinions renewing the Scriptures!and opinions renewing the Scriptures!

Sola scriptura vs. WikibibliaSola scriptura vs. Wikibiblia

““How blessed is the man who does not How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! the seat of scoffers! But his delight is But his delight is in the law of thein the law of the LORD, and in His law LORD, and in His law he meditates day andhe meditates day and night. He will night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not in its season and its leaf does not wither and in whatever he does, he wither and in whatever he does, he prospers.”prospers.” Psalm 1:1-4Psalm 1:1-4

That you may prove what That you may prove what the will of God is, that the will of God is, that

which is good, acceptable which is good, acceptable and perfect.and perfect.

GoodGood (agathos): useful, pleasant, (agathos): useful, pleasant, generous, joyful, excellent, generous, joyful, excellent, distinguished, honorable.distinguished, honorable.

AcceptableAcceptable (euarestos): well (euarestos): well pleasingpleasing

PerfectPerfect (teleios): having reached its (teleios): having reached its end; mature and complete; end; mature and complete; consummate human integrity and consummate human integrity and virtue.virtue.