Over the course of the past year, I
have dedicated much of my time of study to the book of Romans. The book of
Romans is considered to be the masterpiece—the pinnacle of the Apostle Paul’s
writing. Many of the early church fathers held the book of Romans in the
highest regard. Martin Luther wrote, “Night
and day I pondered Romans until I grasped the truth. I felt myself to be
reborn. This passage of Paul became to me a gateway to heaven.” John Wesley
said of the book, “I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in
Christ, Christ alone for my salvation; and an assurance was given me that He
had taken away my sins….” John Calvin said, “When one gains a knowledge of this
Epistle, he has an entrance opened to him to all the most hidden treasures of Scripture.”
Famous 16th Century Bible translator, William Tyndale, commented,
“It is the principle and most excellent part of the New Testament... No man can
read it too oft, or study it too well; for the more it is studied, the easier
it is; the more it is chewed, the pleasanter it is. . . the more it is
searched, the more precious things are found….” The reason that I spend so much
time in the book of Romans is because Paul includes the Gospel from Old to New
Testament in its entirety, and does not only explain it in its basic detail,
but gives instruction as to how we are to live the Gospel in our
everyday lives.
Recently, while sitting in my Church History class at New Orleans
Baptist Theological Seminary, the question was raised “Has Christ ever transformed
a culture?” Some would enthusiastically respond, “Yes!” While others would,
just as ardently, disagree with them. The professor was sided with the ones who
suggested that Christ has never transformed an entire culture. One
student, who I consider a friend, was passionately opposed to the professor.
The next thirty minutes were intriguing as we heard the opposing arguments to
this question. To me, this question seemed to be an easy one in the beginning
as I thought, “Yes. Sure Christ has changed a culture.” This brought up
thoughts of the Welsh Revival and the Great Awakening. Then, hearing the
professor’s arguments, my thoughts seemed to affirm the position against
Christ transforming a culture. Then, a question arose within my mind that I
truly feel was from the Holy Spirit. What is the difference between transforming
and influencing? This is the question that shook up my pre-conceived
notions towards the original question. Let’s think about transformation; it is
a complete, permanent change. It is when something or someone that has been one
way since the beginning is completely altered into something new. What is
influence? Influence is the capacity or power of persons or things to have
effect on someone or something, lasting or not. The new question that arose in
my mind, then, was “Has Christ ever transformed a culture, or has
He simply influenced it?” Then as my mind always does, I kept chasing
rabbit trails. I cannot answer with certainty the original question, because I
departed mentally from the conversation to follow a new question; “Has Christ
truly transformed me, or do I simply let Christ influence my
life?”
How does this at all tie into
Romans? In Romans 12:2, the Apostle Paul writes “Do not be conformed to this
world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, so that by testing you
may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
How many times in ministry have I heard churchgoers ask the question, “What is
God’s will for my life?” I cannot count the amount of times that I have heard
exasperated church members complain, “God has not shown them what to do.” To
that, I used to say, “Just wait. He will show you.” That suggestion is true,
but I also realize now that the statement is also incomplete. For us to really
discern the will of God in our lives, we need to definitely wait on the Lord,
but we also must ask ourselves, “Have we been transformed, or simply
influenced, by Christ?”
I am a musician who enjoys many
different styles and genres of music. It is very easy to tell what music I am
currently listening to by how it influences my style. But that’s the problem
with simply being influenced. Every time a new style becomes the predominant
style that I listen to, I begin to imitate that style. The problem with having
Jesus as simply an influence in your life is that wind of something shiny and
new and more appealing to our flesh can carry us away. We see this in
Ephesians, where it is written in verse 14, “…so that
we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about
by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful
schemes.” Jesus did not die and rise again to be an influence in your life.
Jesus is not just a good teacher. Jesus is not a self-help expert. Jesus died and
rose again so that you could be transformed by making Him the Lord of your
life. See, when we follow Christ, it is no longer you or I that live, but
Christ living in us. We are completely transformed. Our way of thinking is
transformed into how Christ thinks. Our way of viewing the world is transformed
into how Christ would view the world. Our view of love and forgiveness is
transformed into how Christ would love and forgive—which, by the way, is
unconditionally (and quite frankly, a big deal). Our view of giving becomes one
of humble sacrifice, just as Christ’s was. We are completely transformed.
In
conclusion, take an examination of your life. Are you letting Christ simply
influence your life, or are you daily dying to yourself, taking up the
cross, and letting Christ be the one who transforms you and lives through you?
