Origins - Transformation thought the renewal of the mind

Transformation thought the renewal of the mind.

Do you know where this concept originated from?

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

This verse, which forms a big part of my coaching approach, originated from Scripture as written by Paul the apostle. Apart from this life-changing concept put together in this single verse, Paul’s life story is yet another story I admire which brings further depth to understanding the process of transformation. 

Before Paul became a believer and a follower of Jesus, he was known as Saul from Tarsus, known as Tersous in modern-day Turkey. He spent numerous years in rabbinic training (Jewish) and was knowledgeable in various languages, including Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic and possible even Latin (Yarbrough, 1996). Before he became known as Paul ( NIV, Acts 13:9), Saul had a hostile attitude towards the earlier Christians, inspired mainly by the Jewish movements at the time (A.D. 27 -30). However, during his feud driven mission to persecute Jewish Christians, Saul himself experienced a radical change. On his way, somewhere between Jerusalem and Damascus, Paul had a life-changing encounter, as a bright light from heaven flashed around him (NIV, Acts 22.2). In this life-changing experience, the hate-driven Jewish persecutor’s transformation started. After that day, he started building the church, which he initially tried to destroy and later contributed to a large portion of the New Testament, which we still read and follow today. Effectively, Paul’s transformational story is a great example of how one can make a difference by making a few changes. Paul’s knowledge and passion shifted from being agains Christ towards being for Christ, which played a detrimental part in the building of the first Churches.

Getting back to Rom 12:2, Paul highlights two main elements: first, not to be conformed by this world, and secondly, Scripture indicates that transformation takes place by the renewal of our mind. From a modern perspective, this is still considered a brilliant way to approach life, primarily reflecting our ability to discern between good and bad. In specific contemplation of applying Rom12:2 in our lives and my coaching approach, one needs to look into the Greek translations of Paul’s verse.

In Rom 12:2, three main words contribute to the purpose and meaning. Firstly, ‘conformed’, translated from the Greek word syschēmatizomai, refers to one’s behaviour being shaped or moulded by influential factors, which Paul calls the ‘world’. Secondly, the word ‘transformed’ as derived from the Greek word metamorphoomai, a verb that directly translates as changing or transforming the essential nature of something. Lastly, the word ‘mind’ as translated from the Greek noun, νοῦς, which refers to the psychological understanding, reasoning and deciding (Swanson, 1997). These Greek translations help us understand the intended meaning of this powerful verse, which in short deals with the changing of an essential aspect aimed at transforming our understanding of this specific aspect. 

In our everyday busyness, we often find ourselves trapped in self-made routines and habits that constantly distract us, preventing us from moving forward, which can even prevent us from unlocking our fullest potential. However, in light of Rom12:2, we note that our thoughts mainly can encourage change, something that Craig Groeschel highlights in his book Winning the War in Your Mind: Change Your Thinking, Change your Life (Groeschel, 2021). This book is a great read, which resonates on the renewal of our minds, aimed at getting out of our self-formed unhealthy or harmful beliefs and habits and replacing them with renewed healthy and positive habits and beliefs. 

In conclusion, Romans 12:2 is a reviving verse that reminds us how easily we can fall victim to worldly influences. My coaching approach revolves around the process of renewing the mind, which starts with how we think. Effectively, change begins with you, which I want you to uncover which can enable you to unlock your hidden potential.

Work Cited

Groeschel, C. (2021). Winning the War in Your Mind: Change Your Thinking, Change your Life. Zondervan Book.

Swanson, J. (1997). Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Greek (New Testament). Logos Research Systems.

Yarbrough, R. (1996). Paul the Apostle in Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology. Baker Book House.