Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.
Romans 12:2
Let’s continue our reflection on Romans chapter 12, where Saint Paul begins his great teaching on the Christian way of life. In the last reflection, we looked at verse one and asked: Why does St. Paul describe the Christian moral life in terms of “sacrifice” and “worship”?
Now, in verse two, Paul emphasizes the interior renewal required to live as a Christian. If our lives are to be “holy sacrifices” pleasing to God, we cannot remain as we are. Yes, the love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit. Yes, we have been washed, sanctified, and justified “in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor 6:11). But God is not content to plant the seed of His Kingdom within us and leave it untended. He gives rain and sunshine. He fertilizes. The love of Christ impels us to pursue that “holiness without which no one will see the Lord” (Heb 12:14).
And so we are told: “Do not conform yourselves to this age, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.”
Do Not Conform Yourselves to This Age
“Do not conform yourselves to this age.” Another biblical phrase for “this age” is the world. Saint James put it bluntly:
Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?
James 4:4
And St. John wrote:
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world passes away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
1 John 2:15–17
The message is simple. The thoughts and values of this age are built not on the Spirit of God, but on the lusts of the flesh and the rebellion of the evil one. This is the “wisdom” that St. James calls “earthly, unspiritual, devilish” (James 3:15). It always seeks some good apart from God. It clings to created things in defiance of the Creator. And so, it becomes a destructive force, trying to sever creation from its divine source.
Active Resistance, Not Passive Avoidance
To avoid being conformed to this world, we can’t just sit back and hope for the best. This is an active battle. We must constantly search out and root out the influence of the world within ourselves.
This requires humility. That’s why the very next verse, Romans 12:3, warns us not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought, but to “think with sober judgment.”
St. James gives us concrete steps for this inner battle:
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you men of double mind. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to dejection. Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you.
James 4:6–10
How often do we choose to mourn before the Lord because of our sins—not just when we’re overwhelmed by the consequences of our foolishness, but even when things seem fine?
Be Transformed by the Renewal of Your Mind
Note the contrast in verbs: “Do not conform” (active), but “be transformed” (passive). We actively conform to the world by our own will, but only God can transform us.
Still, we can prepare ourselves for that transformation. St. Paul outlines this beautifully throughout the rest of chapter 12 and into chapter 15. These passages can serve as a profound examination of conscience—especially before going to Confession. Here is a particularly powerful excerpt:
Love one another with mutual affection; anticipate one another in showing honor. Do not grow slack in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the holy ones, exercise hospitality. Bless those who persecute [you], bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.
Romans 12:10–15
Capturing Every Thought
Transformation requires renewed thinking. “Take every thought captive in obedience to Christ” (2 Cor 10:5). Reject the thoughts that are not of God, and instead, dwell on:
Whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, gracious… anything worthy of praise—think about these things.
Philippians 4:8
We should fill our minds with Sacred Scripture, the prayers of the Mass, the Mysteries of the Rosary, the insights of holy books, and the works of God in our lives.
That You May Discern the Will of God…
When our minds are renewed, we become vessels fit to carry out the will of God. Greater union with Him brings greater understanding of His will—and the grace to fulfill it. We become docile to the movements of the Holy Spirit.
By His Spirit, we inherit the promise given to Abraham’s children: to live “holy and righteous in his sight, all the days of our life” (Luke 1:75, ICET). We grow mature in the Seven Gifts (Is 11:2), the Nine Fruits (Gal 5:22–23), and the Eight Beatitudes (Matt 5:3–12).
Thus transformed, we become fruitful instruments of God’s work of redemption—through prayer, through witness, and through evangelization.