The indubitable Value of Transformation

When I made the decision to receive Jesus Christ slightly before joining secondary school, I had been in church all my life, serving in the Sunday school and had graduated to the main church after successfully attending the confirmation classes as is the requirement in the Anglican system.

My walk of salvation started at a point when I realized that I had been in church but did not know the savior, and on that day, at a crusade ground, I responded to the call and conviction in my heart to receive Jesus as my Lord and Savior.

I had no idea how my life would be from that point, but thank God, I was not alone. There were available people then who were willing to disciple and mentor me. These people gave me direction, guidance and all the resources I needed to grow in my new walk with God.

I remember between my Senor 1 and Senior 2, I had joined the Scripture Union and I was serving in the choir; but I was still struggling with a few habits from my old life, and had not really known God for who He is. During that time we used to have conferences organized by the Scripture union and during my Senior 3 while attending one of those regional conferences, I realized that much as I had received Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, I had no relationship with him and this had defined my walk with Him. Much as I revered Him, He was not part of my day, I had not surrendered fully to His Lordship, my heart was not yet wholly surrendered to Him. I then made the decision to be serious with God and started to walk with him as a father and a friend. My life never remained the same from that time and that has impacted my life of service to God till this day.

The process to this realization was not without the help of the people that God had surrounded me with. These people would hold me accountable if I missed a fellowship or service or morning glory sessions that used to happen every Sunday morning before service time at school. They made sure I served in the fellowship, they made sure I attended every necessary Christian meeting at school and there was a deliberate effort to see my commitment to the things of God.

I am giving this background because it has been on my heart to talk about the essence of transformation in the life of a believer. I find it very paramount that any person who is in Christ should truly become a new creature.  But I have realized that believing that truth is only a foundation of its reality. There are many things God has provided in His word for our growth and transformation.

I have realized that being born again is the start of a spiritual journey that requires ongoing discipleship, Bible study, prayer, and fellowship. Without these, we might struggle to grow and mature in their faith. When God gives you the right message and the right teachers, it is only expedient that you should be able to use these resources to grow in God. While salvation starts with an invitation by God, inward transformation is a deliberate decision to believe and make the right choices for yourself through the help of such avenues and resources.

“When John realized that a lot of Pharisees and Sadducees were showing up for a baptismal experience because it was becoming the popular thing to do, he exploded: “Brood of snakes! What do you think you’re doing slithering down here to the river? Do you think a little water on your snakeskins is going to make any difference? It’s your life that must change, not your skin! And don’t think you can pull rank by claiming Abraham as father. Being a descendant of Abraham is neither here nor there. Descendants of Abraham are a dime a dozen. What counts is your life. Is it green and flourishing? Because if it’s deadwood, it goes on the fire.” Matthew‬ ‭3‬:‭7‬-‭10‬ ‭MSG

One of the things that helped me grow and transform was the idea of community and fellowship. These really play a crucial role in spiritual growth. Without a supportive Christian community, many  individuals might struggle to stay committed and grow in their faith. I find that going to church only is not enough for a Christian; it is important to find a supportive community for fellowship in order to grow in certain disciplines like prayer, evangelism and accountability. A community that pushes you to study the word, holds you accountable when you are not making wise decisions, answer some of the questions you have about this new life and many other aspects of life.

My point is that it is important tot realize that you can be touched and not changed, you can be in church and not be transformed, yet it matters to God that your life is changed by the renewing of your mind. Paul emphasizes this in his letter to the Romans saying “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” It is possible to be conformed to the pattern and standard of this world, to think like the word thinks and consequently behave the same way if you do not allow God to renew your mind for the transformation of your life.

So you must ask yourself, “Is my mind being renewed daily?” “What is renewing my mind daily?” 

In the book of Titus 2, we are reminded that, that is the way we should live, because God’s grace has come. That grace can save everyone. It teaches us not to live against God and not to do the bad things the world wants to do. It teaches us to live on earth now in a wise and right way—a way that shows true devotion to God. We should live like that while we are waiting for the coming of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. He is our great hope, and he will come with glory. He gave himself for us. He died to free us from all evil. He died to make us pure—people who belong only to him and who always want to do good.

There is so much that contributes to our transformation that Paul tells the Colossians to let the teaching of Christ live inside them richly. He tells them to use all wisdom to teach and counsel each other. To sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with thankfulness in their hearts to God. This is easier done with a community and through fellowship.

I am saying this because there are many people who are getting born again now and doing this life of salvation alone; no accountability, no discipleship even when these opportunities are available for them. While it is true that God loves you, it will take you long to grow our of certain things, and you will only be limiting your transformation and the extent to which God can use you.

There are people who think that it is okay to be born again but still walk in their former ways: while God is patient with us and his grace abounds, at some point, there must be transformation. You should look at your life from the time you made the decision to follow Jesus, and register some tremendous changes in how you think, how you speak and how you behave. Like Paul says “Examine and test and evaluate your own selves to see whether you are holding to your faith and showing the proper fruits of it. Test and prove yourselves [[a]not Christ]. Do you not yourselves realize and know [thoroughly by an ever-increasing experience] that Jesus Christ is in you—unless you are [counterfeits] disapproved on trial and rejected? But I hope you will recognize and know that we are not disapproved on trial and rejected. 2Corinthians13:5”

I pray that this makes sense to anyone who has made the decision to follow Jesus recently or has been walking with Him but not seeing transformation and change in their lives. The word of God has the power to change you, but you must be available for it to change you, you must yield to it and partly the easiest way is to be discipled, and to find a community that will help you grow, encourage you, pray with you, but also maturely hold you accountable when you are not doing the right thing. 

If you can look at your walk with God for over a period of time and you are not seeing any change in your life, it is probably time to examine yourself and make deliberate decisions that provide for this inward transformation. it matters to God that your path is shinning brighter every single day. It matters to Him that you are progressively becoming a better person in character, attitude and heart as a child of God. It matters to Him that you are living and walking in His purpose.

May God help us to constantly realize the importance of this truth every day of our lives. May His grace continue to transform us by the renewing of our minds through His word and through our experiences with Him.

Stay Blessed.

#WiGTyT