Shall we turn in the word of God and read three portions of Scripture? We begin by reading in chapter twelve of the book of Romans, verses one and two. Chapter twelve in the book of Romans, I'm sure many of the believers particularly will be very familiar with these words, and all of us can certainly take them to our heart. Chapter twelve, verse one and two. I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable or intelligent service. And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good. and acceptable and perfect will of God the next scripture we would like to read is in second Corinthians chapter three and the closing verse of the third chapter in the second epistle of the Corinthian epistle chapter three second Corinthians and verse eighteen I believe is the number where we have these words saying by the Apostle Paul written, But we all, with open or unveiled face, beholding us in the glass, the glory of the Lord, or the Lord of glory, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. My last one would be in Matthew chapter seventeen. I know we have a reference on our bulletin regarding Luke nine. We'll be looking at that later. But for the reading of the scripture particularly, we would like to have Matthew chapter seventeen, and I believe it is verse two, the chapter which brings before us the transfiguration of the Lord Jesus. Note the word in verse two only, And Jesus was transfigured before them, And his face did shine as the sun, And his raiment was white as the light. Now if you can keep carefully before your heart and mind, The three scriptures that we have read, Romans twelve, one and two, Second Corinthians three and verse eighteen, Matthew seventeen in verse two there is one word that I wished particularly to dwell upon this morning in relation to our subject transformation or the transformed life for a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ now those three words you will find in chapter twelve of Romans The word we are transformed. Be not transformed. Be not conformed, rather, to this world, but be ye transformed. That is one word that we will dwell upon from Romans twelve to having to be transformed. In second Corinthians chapter three and verse eighteen, You have the word, and it is the same word in the Greek text, the word changed. In Matthew chapter seventeen and verse two, you have the word transfigured. Now these three words, though they are different in the English version, they are translated with one word in the Greek which is called metamorphou, meaning a change. meaning a transfiguration, meaning a transformation. And I'm sure we can recognize from these three words I trust at the close of the ministry the responsibility particularly of a believer to live a yielded, committed, transformed life for the glory of the Lord Jesus. Now these three words are words of great responsibility. But first of all, go into Romans chapter twelve very briefly, where we must consider the proper commencement of them in their spiritual order. And you will note very carefully that the beloved Apostle Paul addresses his words in the opening of this chapter very carefully, saying, I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God that ye present your body as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. First of all, notice, from the background of the epistle preceding this chapter, the mercies of God have been recorded. Now let me dwell very pertinently, first of all what those mercies of God mean. If you have studied the earlier chapters of this book, preceding chapter twelve, there are special lessons you must have learned and experience that you must have had. For in the chapters preceding the way of salvation, is very definitely, thoroughly, clearly proclaimed. May I say it again? The mercies of God cover His plan of salvation for your soul. Now I know not whether all of you are saved, but may I emphasize God is merciful in waiting to save you. And in the preceding chapters we are told All of us by sin, need, redemption or salvation. But we are also informed in those early chapters that God has met the need of our sin by the sacrifice of his Son upon the cross of Calvary. First of all, make sure that you're saved. And you can only be saved, as Romans chapter three declares, by faith in the blood of Christ. And you can only be justified from your sin and condemnation by God's grace. But also in that preceding part of Romans, we are told when we are saved that we have been crucified with Christ. have died with him in identification in chapter six, seven, and part of eight particularly, so that we are to be dead towards sin. But we're also told in chapter eight, the future of our salvation is to have a new body in eternity. Now let me present very clearly and briefly, salvation is saves you from the penalty of sin. God's salvation will give you power over the presence of sin in your life. But it will also, when the Lord Jesus comes, take you and me, who are saved, out of the scene in a new body to be with the Lord. Now let me ask you the question. Do you know the mercies of God in that way? Can you say, I have been saved by the blood of Christ and my faith in Him? No church membership will ever save you. No preacher, no priest will ever save you. It's only faith in the blood of Christ. Then you have the joy of knowing you can find in Him and through Him power over the power of sin in your life. Best of all, and climaxing it all, someday you'll be away from this place of sin. Delivered out of the presence. Let me summarize it quickly. Delivered from the penalty of your sins. Delivered from the power of sin in your life. and ultimately delivered from the very presence of sin. Now that's God's salvation. Do you have it? Those are God's mercies. And it's on the ground. Now if that's happened to you, listen. Look with me in verse one again of Romans twelve. God says, I beseech you therefore because of that. Because of that. Now may I very directly bring to every one of us here's a personal responsibility if we're saved therefore and as one dear old brother used to say quite often when you read the word therefore be sure you know what it's there for now if you're saved now here's a responsibility let's read on that ye present your bodies or yield your bodies a living sacrifice. Now may I raise the question, if you are a believer in the Lord Jesus, what are you doing with your body for Him? Have you ever recognized the responsibility of yielding, committing, presenting, that body not as a dead sacrifice it's a living sacrifice the Old Testament had dead sacrifices but here's a believer to be a living sacrifice now may I suggest to you whenever you and I do I'd be very frank you can't do anything unless you do it through your body by your body and even your mind controls your body as you well know But may I give the suggestion? I don't know what you think of your body. Well, I think I understand some things you might think about your body. But what about its responsibility to the Lord? Yield. Sometimes read Romans six. You find the word yield more than once, two or three times in there. Yield yourselves unto God. Yield yourselves to serve God. Yield to him. Why does he need our body? My beloved, just let me read some words that I have written down that I copied from a writing of a dear old saint that's now with the Lord years ago. The body is the instrument of the spirit. The feet are to be used to walk at his bidding. The hands to be employed in his service. The tongue, and we sang it in the morning about opening hymn. And the tongue to be used to speak for him. And nothing else. The ear to listen to his words. The eye to see what he would have me to see and not be looking at the things that I should not see. And the whole life to be governed by the Lord. Please, may I say it? You know, I'll be very frank. I think in my brother, my friend Van Savner, I heard him make this statement one time, that him that we sang, Take my life and let it be. He said, Most Christians, that's as far as they go. Take my life and let it be. Are you doing that? It's wrong. You use your body. I say lovingly. The work and the testimony of the Lord in this local assembly will not go on unless you do that. Unless I do it. And what a responsibility that is. And then we read on, if I may, it goes on to say, Be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed. And there's the word, metamorphous, changed, transfigured, transformed. by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Now may I summarize very briefly and quickly this little section. Here's the responsibility of a believer. Now take it in carefully. First a yielded body. A yielded body. a yielded body take my life let it be consecrated Lord to thee I say lovingly and yet what a joy what an honor when God saves me he wants to use my body to glorify him and that's my first responsibility in this particular portion if I'm going to be transformed The second thing he wants, and you please note the opening of verse two, be not conformed to this world. He wants me to walk a separated life, not to be like the world. You and I are living in the world, but God doesn't want the world to be living in us. Be not conformed. Be not conformed. to this world. But will you notice something? Be not conformed to this world, but be he what? Transform. You've got the word form in both of those words. Conform? Transform. You're still in the form of a body. But you can be transformed. Let me give you the thought. Lovely thought to me. Let me quote the words of Philippians chapter two. How did the Lord Jesus? Though he was in the form of God, yet he thought it not robbery to be equal with God. And he took upon him the what? The form of man. And let me point out something. Though he had the form of God and then took the form of a servant, the form was the same, but it was a difference. One was divine and the other was human. The same God. That's why we call him the God-man. His form, his person never changed. He was the same person. Very God as well as very man. Now look, before you and I were saved, we were... conform to this world. And God wants to take that form and transform it. Transform it. In the present scene, if you please. That you and I may prove what is the holy and the acceptable will of God. My beloved, what a responsibility that is. Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind. Let me repeat it again. A yielded body. A separated life from the world. Can I say that a little bit further? Emphasize that? Separated from the world? Can I quote the words that were written many years ago, but I know they're more true today than they were back then when I was a young Christian. One wrote these words, When I look for the church, I see it in the world. But unfortunately, when I look for the world, I can see it in the church too. And my beloved, let me please say this to my fellow brothers and sisters. If I am a worldly Christian, I am not doing the will of God. If I am a worldly Christian, I am not transformed and conformed to the image of God's Son as He wants me to be. And the separated life is necessary. And third, the transformed life. Transformed by the renewing of your mind. Now, how does God and how can God effect and produce that transformation? Well, I want to follow that word metamorphos. There's a clear guidance. It's the only three times in the New Testament. You've got the word. Romans twelve, two, transform. Second Corinthians chapter three and verse eighteen, change. and then in Luke chapter seventeen verse two transfer it's the same word now let's go to second Corinthians chapter three verse eighteen briefly second Corinthians chapter three and verse eighteen I'd like to read that verse at the end of chapter three telling us and may I repeat the suggestion how God can and will transform the life of a believer. He has a process. In fact, metamorpho means going through a process of a change. Like a caterpillar has to go through a process of a change to become a beautiful butterfly. And many other creeping creatures have such character. So the believer, he does not immediately upon being saved... become the transformation that God desires. Though his life has been changed without question of doubt. As we often see, what a wonderful change in my life has been wrought since Jesus came into my heart. But here's a process of transformation. It's a process. Look at me in that eighteen verse. Let me read what we find here and speak a little bit about the context of it. But we all, meaning the believers, with unveiled faith, which is the meaning of it, beholding as in a glass, the glory of the Lord or the Lord of glory are changed. We are transformed. We are transfigured into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. Now I want to touch a little upon the preceding verses. So we can get the direct meaning of these words of verse eighteen. If you will notice with me, if I may read going back, begin at verse thirteen with me. And let me read through verse fourteen and fifteen. And Paul is referring to the time when Moses was living. And referring to an incident in the life of Moses. Let me just briefly recite it. Moses went up into the mountain to be in communion with God. He was there on three different occasions. On one occasion he was there for forty nights and forty days. In communion with God over its purposes and his plans for his people, Israel. And on the occasion in chapter thirty to four of the book of Exodus, when he came down from the mountain, His face was shining with a light that was divine. But he didn't know it. His fellowship, his communion, his enjoyment and communion with God over the things of God were such that in the presence of God, when he came down from the mouth, his face radiated. And the children of Israel couldn't look at it. because of the brightness of it. And Moses had to put a veil over his face while they spoke to him. And he almost took the veil off when he went up in the presence of God, though. And Paul is referring to that incident. They couldn't look at him. Now let me read on as we see. As not as Moses which put a veil over his face that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished. That means the law. They were even, couldn't even look upon Moses when he gave the law. But read on. But note, their minds were blinded for until this day remaineth the same veil on taken away in the reading of the Old Testament. which veil is done away in Christ. Now note those words that we just read in verse fifteen, fourteen rather. In the reading of the Old Testament, those dear Jewish people today can't see Christ. The veil is still over their eyes. Verse fifteen comes there. For even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart. They can't see the teaching of that word and the revelation of it. But in verse sixteen someday it will turn. Nevertheless, when Israel shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away. Now let me give you this suggestion. Before you and I were saved, my friend, you couldn't see the Lord before your heart. I couldn't. We were in darkness. There was a veil. a blindness by sin. That's what blinded the Israelites. Their sin in that day. And they couldn't see the glory in the face of Moses and behold it. Now, neither today can they behold the glory of the Lord Jesus in this world. You can't go to a Jewish man, woman, who still follows the law of Moses and find that they can understand Christ is revealed in the scriptures? No. There's a veil there over the nation's face. But now look, when you and I were saved, God took the veil away. As Paul writes in Hebrews chapter two, but we see Jesus. Well, let's read on. Now I want you to note verse seventeen. Now the Lord is that spirit. And where the spirit of the Lord is, There is what? Freedom. Freedom. Freedom for what? Freedom to do what? Well, look at verse eighteen. For we all who are saved without any veil can look and behold the glory of the Lord. And to be changed into the same image from glory to glory even by the Spirit of the Lord. Now let me raise the question. What's the matter with Israel? They couldn't understand the scriptures. What's the matter with many Christians today? They're in the same boat, unfortunately. What does Second Timothy two-fifteen say? Look, if I'm going to be transformed into a life that's conformable to what Christ wants me to be, I have to study the Word of God. My Bible. My beloved, this is the responsibility of every Christian, not the preacher. Don't expect to be the Christian God wants you to be in character and conduct unless you're giving attention to His Word. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, truly furnished unto all good works. May I raise the question? Personally, I ask you, do you personally study the Word of God? I don't mean read it. I said, study it. Study! And the word means give diligence to show thyself, approve unto God, a workman. It doesn't mean going around doing what, it means working with the book. A workman that needs not to be ashamed. I am learning the word of God. Please can I say it again? I have heard many times in my experience the emphasis that Christians need the Holy Spirit in its power. And there are some unfortunate subtle teachings today that are wrong relating to the Holy Spirit. Let me tell you one. It came to my attention recently in a letter that was sent to me. that I was able to read a copy of a letter I was able to read. A dear woman who was seeking to find Christ as a Savior and get her sins forgiven, went to her pastor of the particular denomination she belonged to, in request to know what she should do. He told her to pray for the Holy Spirit and be real. in praying for the Holy Spirit. And unless she could speak in tongues, she would not be saved. That's a lie. Poor Saul. And she wrote to a brother I know who received her letter. Please help me. Is it right? And I can't be saved unless I speak in tongues? Damnable heresy. My beloveds, look. That so-called pastor wasn't studying the word of God. But may I say again, it's an alarming fact. Many are falling for that. Untrue. But you know what the Spirit of God wants to do? You know what is that? With an open faith, with unveil, with freedom and liberty, we have a teacher by the Holy Spirit. Who will show us the glory of the Lord in this blessed book. And I want you to note something near the end of the verse, please. We are changed into the likeness of the Savior. My fellow believer, let me ask the question. I ask it of my own heart. Will you ask it of your... Do you want to be like your Savior? In your moral character and conduct? You couldn't have a greater desire. is the way you can get change into the likeness through the Word of God. Your knowledge, your study of it. And please be reminded, look very carefully at the end of the verse. We are changing the same image, not immediately, from glory to glory. It's a process. Many years ago a dear lady said to me, Mr. Bramall, What school did you go to? I said, please, sister, I'm still in school. Don't tell me you've graduated from the Bible. Many people graduate from seminary, Bible school, college, university. But the question is not how, and let me give you this thought. Reading your Bible is not going to educate you thoroughly either. It's not a question of how many times you go through the Bible, but how many times does it go through you? Through you? For what you read? Let me go back to Romans twelve too. Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what? What is that good, accessible and perfect? What? Will of God. And where do I learn the will of God from the book? from liberal. And as I study my Bible with Christ before my heart and His Word, transformation takes place gradually from glory to glory. Can I make a statement? I think my friend Bamsanda made it years ago too. You should not be the same Christian you were yesterday. What do you mean? You should have improved. Don't tell me you can improve. I know I can. I know I should. The improvement should be going on. From glory to glory. And who will do it? The Spirit of the Lord. As He takes the things of Christ and shows them unto us. I say again. Let me put it in this phraseology. We hear much about a spirit-filled life, but may I make this statement. A spirit-Christian life will be not only a spirit-filled life, it'll be a Bible-filled life. And may I lovingly say, from my own experience, in contact with many Pentecostal friends who wanted to hear my ministry, I was amazed to find, though they had bigger claims than I had, I wasn't claiming that I could speak in tongues and never would, or that I was spirit-filled particularly and baptized as the Spirit of the Spirit as they call it. But the reason they came to Him was because they were not hearing the Word of God where they were going. The difference is the Word of God. Please let me see. Not the demonstration. And all the outward performance that may be accompanying it. How much do you know your Bible? It's the Word of God in your heart and the obedience of your heart and life to the Word that will bring the transformation. Last of all, go to Matthew chapter seventeen. I want particularly to refer to that again. Matthew chapter seventeen you've got the word transfigured the same word metamorpho and thank God we can recognize this is the great time and may I look with you at verse one particularly and read through verse two after six days Jesus taken oh let me go back to chapter sixteen and the last verse of it here is the Lord Jesus making a statement Verily I say unto you there be some standing here which shall not taste of death till they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom. Now that was a declaration the Lord made. And you and I know very perfectly well his kingdom upon the earth in glory has not yet come. But here's the Lord saying that some standing with me right here who will not taste death until they've seen the glory of his coming in his kingdom. Now read verse seventeen in chapter one, seventeen in verse one. And after six days Jesus took to Peter, James and John, his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, and was transfigured before them. And his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. Now go to Luke chapter nineteen, please. nine rather Luke chapter nine and I want you to notice what Luke records that the other writers Matthew and Mark who record the transfiguration do not mention but Luke in chapter nine and what a joy to realize it that in chapter nine he has written in verse twenty nine I believe these words about the transfiguration chapter nine and verse twenty nine let me read twenty eight and twenty nine it came to pass about an eight days after these things he took Peter, James and John Peter and John and James and went up into a mountain now note to pray and as he prayed as he prayed the fashion of his countenance was altered and his raiment was widened glistening The responsibility of a believer, as we see it in the example of the Lord Jesus on this occasion, to fulfill that word of promise and statement that he had made, there were some standing there would not die till they saw the kingdom of God in his glory, that great transfiguration scene. And Peter tells us in his second epistle chapter one, we behold his glory. We were witnesses, eyewitnesses of His Majesty. We saw the glory of the kingdom with Moses and Elijah standing together with Him. His face shining as the sun. His raiment as white as the light. How did it happen? He prayed. He prayed. Now there are two main requirements, and I'm sure you recognize them, if I'm going to be transformed to my Lord's likeness in my life in its conduct and character I can't do it without the Word of God I cannot do it without the ministry of prayer in the life of the believer the knowledge of the Word of God the blessed fellowship with him in prayer we can only raise the question Am I yielded to it? Am I yielding? Is my life, my body yielded to do its will? For involved in that commitment, please may I say frankly, involved in that commitment to do the will of God, I can't do it unless I know my Bible. I cannot do it unless I'm in fellowship in prayer. with my blessed Lord and may I put put it before your heart that fellowship in prayer many things could be said about prayer and the responsibility and requirements and conditions of it but may I suggest this way it should be a condition a condition of complete dependence upon God for instance the Lord Jesus made the declaration about these men, Peter, James, and John would see the glory of his kingdom before they died. And they did. But he prayed it through. He prayed it through. That was undoubtedly the object of his praying on the Mount that the Father would fulfill it. And the Father did. And for you and for me, my beloved, let me quote the words of dear Apostle Paul in Ephesians chapter six. And the closing words of that section on the armor of God. After he describes the armor, he says, Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit. And watching thereunto with all supplication. And watching thereunto with all supplication for all saints. Beloved, I submit to you a life of Bible study. In fellowship with the Lord. And I mean personal study. Not just a public meeting. Studying the Bible for yourself. And in fellowship with God and the Lord in prayer. Is the only way. You and I can fulfill. The transformation. And may I say again. It's a process. Someday I'm going to be like him perfectly. But how's the process? Let me ask you a question. Your life. Your Christian testimony. Are you satisfied with it? Oh, forbid. You should be satisfied. Paul kept saying at the end of his life, Oh, then I may know him. And Peter said at the end of his writings, But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Peter was concerned about growing in the spiritual life. Even to the young babes in First Peter too. As newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that she may grow thereby. And grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ was his last admonition when he closed his second epistle. can I summarize it by just saying this I say to my own heart and I like to say to my fellow believers the testimony of the Lord won't grow unless you grow unless I grow spiritually it depends upon you it depends upon me and this is our responsibility and what a responsibility it is but let me revert to what we began with if you're not saved Oh, what a transformation you can have. To realize God in His mercy has provided salvation through faith in the precious blood of Christ. And then may I suggest if you find Him as your Savior, if you've never had Him before as your Savior, please. We used to sing a little chorus with the Sunday school children. Read your Bible and pray every day and you'll grow, grow, grow. And may I say frankly, that's the only way the work of the Lord grows. May you and I be concerned and exercised. Shall we sing our closing hymn? I think it's number four hundred and twenty. Hymn number four hundred and twenty. and very suitable. And let the words of it indeed be true and real in our hearts. Four hundred and twenty. Not I but Christ. Be honored, loved, exalted. Not I but Christ. Be seen, be known, be heard. Not I but Christ in every look and action. Not I but Christ in every thought and word. Just the first and last verses, shall we stand and sing the word?