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."

This text focuses on Paul as he writes to the Christians in Rome about several practical doctrines for Christian living.

In this short, two verse passage, Paul notes that Christians offer God a new sacrifice, as compared to the former practice of offering animals, which is themselves. In the past Jewish believers spent great time finding animals that could be sacrificed for a variety of sins. Bullocks, lambs, doves, all were among the various animals sacrificed to atone for sin. Much attention was paid to the cleanliness and holiness of the sacrifice that was to be brought before God. The person bringing the sacrifice did not necessarily make changes in his mind or heart. The emphasis was on the sacrifice itself.

However, Paul reminded Christians that we present ourselves as living sacrifices to God daily. Instead of coming to worship with doves, and oxen and bullocks and inspecting them for perfection, we present ourselves holy and accpetable to God.

To accomplish this "acceptable" state, Paul said we must not be "conformed" to this word. The word "conformed" here is from the Greek "suschematizo" (Soos-kay-mat-id-zo) which means, in this context, to fashion one's self like another. We are encouraged not to fashion our lives in any manner like those of unbelievers or the world. This includes our sympathies, inclinations, dress, speech, actions and manner of thinking. The command is simple and straight forward, "be not conformed to this world", its perception of life and its adverse action. We are in this world but not of it.

Paul challenges every Christian to step up to a higher learning or a higher calling that is in response to the renewing of the mind. The higher learning opens new channels of thought and actions that are not dictated by the routine, mundane and the traditional, but by the word of God. In essence, Paul challenged the Romans to dare to be different, if being different meant freeing themselves to fully prove what is good and acceptable to God. He challenged them to get off the beaten path of and do that which is acceptable to God, regardless to whether it is acceptable to the social order.

The transformation that is mentioned refers to the complete metamorphosis of words and actions that spell a new person for Christ, clearly different from he that is in the world. This transformation however, does not come from simply following the crowd and doing what others do, but it comes from seeking a higher level of expression, living and feeling that allows us think and live independent of the negative influences of others.

Chapter 15: 13 

15:13; "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost."

This text considers the final product of a never ending hope.

In the broadest sense "hope" can have two definitions. Outside of the biblical context, hope refers to a feeling that "what we want to happen will happen." We are said to have "hope" as long as we have that feeling. Hope, in this context, is baseless because it offers no rational reason why something should occur other than the fact that we want it to happen. For some this is baseless optimism, a futile exercise that will yield nothing. Hope in the biblical context takes on a different character. To those who believe in the bible and trust in God, hope is confidence that what God has done for us in the past, guarantees that he can and will do similar acts in our future. Therefore, without God, hope is simply an empty feeling not supported by any evidence of probability. However, with God, hope is based on confidence gained from past experiences.

Paul, writing in Romans 15:13 emphasized that Christians should expect situations to improve and work towards that end. Specifically he wrote to the Christians in Rome, but generally his message was to all Christians: "The God of Hope" is urged to fill each person with joy and peace "in believing" or because they believe, to the point that they never lose hope, despite the adverse circumstances they endured. That hope is sustained in every person through the power of the Holy Ghost.

This text suggests that clouds or adverse circumstances will come for the faithful, but while they may block the sun they never stop the sun from shining. We are encouraged to keep working in faith, with a positive spirit.