SkateChurch Recap: In The World Not Of The World (Part 2)

In the World but not of the World

True Godliness & Transformation: RECAP

"Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you]." Romans 12:2 Amplified Version

As the verse above explains, transformation in your life comes with the renewal of your mind. Change in your life always starts in your mind. The way you think determines the way you feel, and the way you feel determines the way you act; the way you act determines your character.

If you want to see change in your life, change your beliefs first. Jesus said in John 8:32, “You will know the truth and it will set you free”. If we are feeling sad, or afraid, or angry we need to ask ourselves what thoughts are causing these emotions. We can change our feelings about the situation by looking to the Bible and what it says about our given situation.

When we saturate our minds with God’s word, we are thinking His thoughts, and we begin to act more like Christ. However, trying to change your behavior without changing your belief is a waste of time. Occupy your mind with the truth, or the enemy will fill it with lies. The holy spirit inside of you is what will give you the strength to overcome old, destructive habits (sin in your life). We cannot do it by ourselves. We cannot do it without Christ.

The Bible calls this ‘change of mind’ repentance. So technically, repentance is not a behavioral change. The change is a result of repentance. Life change happens only AFTER you change your thinking. We have the Word to find out what God thinks, and we must simply accept the way God thinks, even when we don’t fully understand.

True Godliness is:

The opposite of worldliness is godliness or heavenly-mindedness. When we trust the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Savior, we are born-again by the Holy Spirit and we can see spiritual things (John 3:3 "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God"). Through Christ's finished work at the Cross, we are reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:18-20). He ceases to be the Judge that we flee from but the Father that we flee to. Our center shifts from "I" to "Him." We realize that everything that we have is from Him, every profitable thing that we do must be done through Him and that we should do everything for Him. We realize that we "are complete in him" (Colossians 2: 10). We are in the world but we must not be "of the world' (John

17:16), we must "use this world, as not abusing it" (I Corinthians 7:3 1) and must "set our affection on things above, not on things on the earth" (Colossians 3:2). We must be willing to be "made all things to all men, that we might by all means save some" (I Corinthians 9:22).

So let’s as Christians be the change in the world, let’s be in the world but not of the

world.