You may have heard the expression, "you can't keep doing the same things and expect new results" Jesus said basically the same thing in Romans 12:2, where he talks about our new beginning after salvation. By God's love and grace in Christ Jesus, we are saved, period. But because God loves us and wants the best for us, He wants us to experience the ultimate transformation in our daily lives. This is a journey and requires some work on our part. We must work on our thoughts, our perception, and our understanding. Notice he uses the term "renewing" as in "an ongoing process". He also tells us what not to do...we are not to conform or follow the ways of the world, as this would be contrary to the ways of God and to the "renewing" of our minds. He goes so far as to say that only with a renewed mind, can we truly understand God's best for us. Whether you were saved yesterday or years ago, a new year gives us an opportunity to reflect on our transformation.