#soap # Romans 12 ## Title: Thinking Comes First ## Scripture: (Romans 12:2) “Do not be conformed to this present world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve what is the will of God—what is good and well-pleasing and perfect.” (NET) ## Observation: Many times, people think they can act their way into right believing. They think that if they can only "act right," they will believe rightly. However, the Bible does not say that we act our way into holiness. The Bible says allow God to change us from the inside out. We allow God to transform the way we think. This leads to right living, which leads to freedom. Here is an example. Imagine I told you that you needed to lose 10 pounds. I could tell you what to do to lose the weight and you might be successful. The problem is you would always need me to tell you what to do. However, if I told you why you do things and what to do, eventually you would not need me. You would be able to do it on your own and have freedom. This is what God's Word is telling us. God is not interested in having robots. He wants us to know why we do the things we do. We do not read God's Word only because He tells us to read. We read God's Word because meditating on God's Word helps us to know Him. He wants to teach us how to think, which leads to right believing. Right believing leads to right action. Right action leads to total freedom. ## Application: Allow God's Word to transform how you think. ## Prayer: Thank You, Jesus, for teaching us every day.