Rom 8:27  And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 

Rom 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 

Rom 8:29  For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 

One of the essential components of who we have become in our adult lives is based upon life lessons we have learned from another adult whether good, or bad. And in most cases, it is our parents who have had this impact on the child, whether good, or bad, and the child will desire to follow the ‘identity’ of the one who has had the positive impact upon the child in his eyes, and he feels that ‘this is the identity that I am going to assume;’ and in all reality, this is ‘who’ he will ‘be.’ And in essence, our Father desires a Father to son relationship with us, just as He had with His own Son Jesus Christ. And our “adoption” is just the beginning of this relationship, and we are taught this essential doctrine here in the book of Romans.

Rom 8:5  For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 

Rom 8:6  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 

Rom 8:7  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 

Rom 8:8  So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 

Our Father desires to “conform” sons and daughters to “the Image of His Son” in whom He was “well pleased.” And the first component to how we can “please God,” is that we must operate upon a “Spiritual mind,” this is why this is taught to us in the verses prior to the education of our adoption. And the ‘Spiritual minded’ son operates upon selflessness, and he knows that if he is ‘minding’ his own flesh, and its lusts, he cannot please God, but he will continue to “fulfill the lusts” of his own flesh, this is what being “in the flesh” is all about, it is ‘who you are,’ it is your identity. But this is not how His Son operated, nor did the Apostles, they gave up of themselves for the saint’s sake, and for the Father’s sake.

Rom 8:14  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 

Rom 8:15  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 

Rom 8:16  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 

Rom 8:17  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. 

Furthermore, the vital component to operate upon the Spiritual mind is found in Romans 8:12-13, where the doctrine of ‘how’ we are to now ‘think’ Spiritually. And that is to be a “debtor, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh,” but we are NOW taught to think with the Spiritual mind, and when this is done, we will now see that we ought to be a “debtor” to “live after” the Spirit, (the Living word of God) and then in verse 14, we are taught that NOW that you understand that you ought to be a debtor unto the word of God, (this is the only way to have a Spiritual mind, because the will of God for the son is found in the word of God only) that NOW the ones who desire to be “sons of God” will operate upon, and be “led by the Spirit of God.”

Rom 8:12  Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 

Rom 8:13  For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 

Finally, this essential component of “being conformed to the image of His Son” is patterned after the selfless love of His Son, and the Lord Himself sacrificed for His Father, and us. We are taught in Romans 12 to be a “living sacrifice,” unto the Father, then we too are taught in the upcoming verses to also give up of ourselves for other members in the Body of Christ. But this is the identity of being conformed to the image of His Son, and not being “conformed to this world,” and as we see in Romans chapter 12, that this is done by the “renewing” of our minds with the Spiritual mind, and when this is done, our “old man” WILL be “transformed” from that ‘old identity,’ into the identity of the “new man,” which looks ‘just like’ the Lord and Savior Himself!

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 

Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 

Rom 12:3  For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. 

Rod Jones