What does a genuinely transformed Christian life actually look like? In “Results of Transformation,” Part 3 of Pastor Dan Harrison’s State of the Church: Romans Series, we move deeper into Romans 12 and ask an important question: If God is truly transforming us, what should people begin to see in our lives? Pastor Dan approaches this portion of Scripture like a mirror—not simply asking what the Bible says, but inviting the Church to honestly ask, “How are we doing with this?” Beginning with Romans 12:9, Paul gives a simple but challenging command: “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.” The word translated “love” is agape—the unconditional, selfless love that comes from God Himself. It is the same kind of love God demonstrated toward us when, while we were still sinners and separated from Him, Christ died for us. That means genuine Christian love goes far beyond being friendly at church. It loves without demanding something in return. It shows kindness to difficult people. It reaches toward the person everyone else avoids. It sacrifices. It endures. It gives hope. And sometimes, it means showing God’s love to the very person we would rather avoid. Pastor Dan also explores Paul’s call for our love to be genuine—literally, without hypocrisy. In the ancient Greco-Roman world, actors wore masks to portray different characters and emotions. Those actors were known as “hypocrites.” Paul takes that imagery and essentially tells the Church: Don’t wear a mask when you love people. We can smile, shake someone’s hand, worship passionately, and say all the right things on Sunday—but who are we when no one is watching? Do we speak about people differently once they leave the room? Are we the same person at church, at home, at work, and with our closest friends? Transformation produces authenticity. And perhaps one of the most powerful truths in today’s message is this: We don’t need a better billboard for Jesus if our transformed lives become the billboard. Programs, advertising, events, and creative ideas can have value, but nothing communicates the reality of Jesus more powerfully than a life that has genuinely been changed by Him. Your testimony does not have to sound dramatic to have power. You don’t need a movie-worthy story. If you surrender your life to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to continually refine, shape, and transform you, God can use your story to reach someone who desperately needs to see what Jesus has done in you. And if loving others feels impossible right now, Pastor Dan offers an important reminder: You cannot give what you haven’t received. Before God asks you to pour His love into others, He may first need to fill your heart with a deeper understanding of His love for you. As you listen to “Results of Transformation,” lean in and allow God’s Word to become a mirror. Don’t simply ask whether someone else needs this message. Ask the Holy Spirit, “God, what are You showing me about me?” Ask Him to reveal where your love needs to become more patient, more kind, more sacrificial, more authentic, and more like Jesus. Today’s Takeaway: Think of one person who is difficult for you to love. Instead of simply asking God to change them, ask Him to show you one unexpected act of kindness, encouragement, generosity, or grace that you can offer them this week. Then follow through. May our lives proclaim Jesus more loudly than any billboard ever could. #ResultsOfTransformation #StateOfTheChurch #Romans12 #GenuineLove #AgapeLove #LoveLikeJesus #ChristianTransformation #ChristianLiving #HolySpirit #SpiritualGrowth #AuthenticFaith #PastorDanHarrison #RavennaAssemblyOfGod Lean In
