Squeezed into a mold ∙

Squeezed into a mold ∙

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind. – Romans 12:2

1 Peter 1:13-23

 13 So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.

 14 So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then.

 21 Through Christ, you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory.

 22 You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.

 23 For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God.

Josiah Wedgwood, an English potter born on July 12, 1730, revolutionized pottery with his renowned Wedgwood line. Establishing the Wedgwood company in 1759, he implemented various innovative techniques to enhance pottery production, earning him the title “Father of English Potters.”

One significant technique he utilized was press molding, which allowed for the mass production of ceramics with consistent shapes. He introduced the art of creating embossed decorations on his distinguished Wedgwood pottery.

Press molding involves placing clay into a mold and pressing it to adopt a specific design. Once the clay dries, the mold is removed, revealing an exact copy of the mold’s interior.

The concept of press molds is far from novel. The enemy has used this technique for around 6000 years. He devised it to undermine and subvert the human race. He is at work 24/7, pressing people into conformity with the world system.

For those who are not yet children of the King, the world has already shaped them, continuing its influence without pause. They become entrenched in the world’s system, remaining so unless the Father intervenes. Once we become children of the King, we are given the power and authority to reject this mold. We can choose to renounce this conformity. This is precisely what Paul encourages us to do. Such a change requires a total paradigm shift and perspective transformation.

It is essential to realize that we do not conform ourselves to the world’s patterns; instead, external spiritual forces work to mold us into them. We are subjected to the enemy’s relentless press molding. Regrettably, we are targets of a potent, abusive, and malevolent personality intent on causing us harm. He has our worst interests at heart.

We cannot change ourselves; the Father is the one Who performs the transformation. Our role is to allow Him to perform His transformative work. When we choose to stop being conformed, we decide to allow ourselves to be transformed by the Holy Spirit through the renewal of our minds.

REFLECT & PRAY

Galatians 5:16 Walk by the Spirit, then you will not be doing what your sinful nature craves.

Father, thank You for Your ability and willingness to overcome the relentless pressures we face. Encourage me to let You transform me through the renewal of my mind.

INSIGHT

Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.

Two significant internal processes are influencing humanity. The first involves being conformed or molded, as external forces apply pressure to shape our inner selves.

The second process is indescribably incredible, involving the Holy Spirit’s transformative power. Through spiritual metamorphosis, the Holy Spirit renews our minds from the inside out, morphing us in ways we could never have imagined.

The Greek term for “conformed” is syschematizo. Syschematizo refers to an internal process that shapes one’s behavior according to a specific pattern or set of standards. It aligns thoughts and actions to a diabolically inspired design.

It’s as if the adversary has crafted a unique blueprint for each person’s life, persistently striving to mold individuals into his desired outcome. This extends beyond mere behavior changes. It is an inner process at work that shapes one’s psyche, thought processes, and belief systems, encompassing values, ideologies, motivations, objectives, beliefs, worldviews, and so much more.

The Greek verb form syschematizo deserves more attention. It is an imperative, meaning Paul is issuing a command, not merely a suggestion or recommendation. It is in the present tense, which implies an ongoing, repeating, continuous action. It is also passive, indicating the conforming forces are external, pressing upon the individual rather than being self-generated.

In simpler terms, we must cease permitting ourselves to be continually pressed into the mold crafted by our adversary. We should endeavor to thwart his attempts to mold us according to his will.

Take a moment and let that sink in. The malicious and malevolent adversary of our King relentlessly exploits every opportunity and strategy to subvert the children of the King. He warps their minds, emotions, beliefs, and actions.

How appalling is that?

The Greek term aionis translated as “world,” signifyingthe system of worldly customs and principles adhered to by those who are not connected to or in alignment with the Father, the living God.

The world can be described as follows: “All that floating mass of thoughts, opinions, maxims, speculations, hopes, impulses, aims, aspirations, at any time current in the world, which it may be impossible to seize and accurately define, but which constitute a most real and effective power, being the moral, or immoral atmosphere which at every moment of our lives we inhale, again inevitably to exhale, – all this is included in the aion (age) . . ., the subtle informing spirit of the kosmos or world of men who are living alienated and apart from God” (Trench).

The Greek word for “transformed” is metamorphoomai. Metamorphoomai means to change the essential form or nature of something; be transfigured, changed from the inside out. As the inner being changes, so does the outward expression.

This Greek verb is also a command, not a suggestion. It is also in the present tense,    which signifies continuous action, something to be done repeatedly. It is passive, meaning the transformation is received rather than self-produced. The person being transformed is not responsible for producing the transformation; instead, they are receiving it.

As children of the King, we are not entirely passive; we actively cooperate by allowing the Holy Spirit to work within us, transforming our hearts and lives.

The process of metamorphosis in butterflies serves as a compelling metaphor for this inner transformation. The life cycle of a Monarch butterfly involves several stages of growth leading to adulthood. The most intriguing phase of metamorphosis is when the pupa, or chrysalis, transforms into a fully developed butterfly.

The caterpillar selects a suitable branch, attaches itself, and hangs there, shedding its skin to become a chrysalis. This final phase showcases the miraculous process of metamorphosis, a testament to the Father’s intelligent design. In this stage, the chrysalis is filled with undifferentiated cells and amorphous goo. It has no eyes, antennae, or legs and remains immobile. During this transformation, significant changes in form, size, and structure occur, allowing the chrysalis to effortlessly become an adult butterfly.

How, then, does spiritual transformation occur? The Father renews the mind of each child of the King. The Greek word for “renewal,” anakainosis, refers to a process that makes something new, different, and presumably better.

Instead of being molded by the worldly system under the enemy’s influence, we are transformed “more and more to that new spiritual world into which we have been introduced, and in which we now live and move” (Trench).

In this journey, the Lord Jesus Christ becomes the focal point of our lives.

The alteration of outward behavior relies on the renovation and complete change of the believer’s cognitive functions. This is achieved through the work of the indwelling Holy Spirit (Wuest). When we intentionally and consistently yield to Him, He “puts sin out of the believer’s life and produces His fruit. He does that by controlling the mental processes of the believer” (Wuest).

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© Dr. H 2024