Marks of a Transformed Life

KEY VERSE: “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” —Romans 12:21

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Romans 12:1-6, 9-21

TO KEEP the thought of our text in mind will help us greatly to bear our trials. But merely to bear them is not enough. The Lord wants us to bear them patiently and, in spite of them, to be rejoicing Christians. This is possible through faith—faith, that is, in the promises of God to strengthen us in our weakness and to guide our otherwise uncertain steps.

Trials to the Christian are not an evidence of God’s disfavor, but the reverse. Paul wrote, “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” (II Tim. 2:12) And we also read that it is through “much tribulation” that we enter the kingdom. (Acts 14:22) Even if some of our trials may be in the nature of disciplinary stripes, they are still an evidence of God’s love, “for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.”—Heb. 12:6

Yes, every son whom the Heavenly Father receives and loves is subject to training and discipline. Therefore, when trials are permitted for this purpose we should think of them as evidences of God’s grace, not as being alien, or foreign, to our needs as new creatures in Christ Jesus.

Those who understand the divine plan of salvation know why the Lord permitted evil; they know that it was because he wanted his human creation to learn valuable lessons from the experience. But do we always stop to think, when we are passing through severe trials which come as a result of the permission of evil, that in our case the Lord is using these experiences in a special way; that by them he is training us to be the teachers of the world of mankind, to help them understand the full meaning of the reign of sin and death!

The Apostle Paul wrote: “Do all things without murmurings and disputings: that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.”—Phil. 1:14,15

Here the apostle admonishes us to “do all things without murmurings and disputings.” How fitting is this counsel! The world in which we shine as lights is filled with strife and animosity, and in such a world our witness will be effective in proportion to the wholesome influence of love and goodwill among ourselves as we proclaim the message. The Lord’s people should have but one objective in their labor of love, and there should be no reason for strife as together they lay down their lives showing forth the praises of their God.

It is thus, the apostle asserts, that we will be “blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke.” If we continue faithfully to let our light shine in this dark and suffering world, sooner or later we are sure to be rebuked by those who sit in darkness. But when it comes it should be unmerited so far as any wrongdoing on our part is concerned. Our own conduct should be both harmless and blameless, hence without just cause for rebuke. Nor will we be rebuked by the Lord if we are faithful to the truth and maintain the proper attitude of sympathy, understanding, and love as we minister the kingdom message to others.

Faithful followers of the Master have never found themselves at home in the world. Its spirit is contrary to their spirit, and it is a struggle to overcome the spirit of the world. This is especially true today. We are surrounded by turmoil and chaos, by ill will and hatred, but let us rise above these in our association with one another and in our attitude toward those to whom we proclaim the message.

Paul speaks of the “perverse nation” of his day, and now we have the privilege of shining as lights in a perverse world. It is a world that is falling apart under the weight of its perverseness. We cannot do anything to hinder this, nor do we want to, but we can tell the people that a new world is near—“new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.”—II Pet. 3:13

We have the privilege of spreading the Gospel message about a good world, where nothing will “hurt nor destroy,” where “nations shall not lift up sword against nation,” where all “sorrow and sighing” will flee away, and “there will be no death.” (Isa. 11:9; Micah 4:3; Rev. 21:4) This will be a world that will have the ability to overcome evil and turn all to good, through the help and guidance of those who now, under very adverse circumstances, have proven their ability to overcome evil with good.

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