Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12: 2 (NIV)
Scripture: Ephesians 4: 17-24
Believers are told to “… be transformed by the renewing of your mind …” (Rom. 12: 2 NIV). This transformation begins when we begin the process of salvation. This devotion discusses how that process continues as God helps us grow in grace and knowledge (II Pet. 3: 18) and how our attitude plays a part in that.
Nuggets
- When we become believers, we have to change our mindset.
- This transformation needs to continue as we grow in grace and knowledge (II Pet. 3: 18).
- We will have to ensure our attitude is correct.
To read devotions in the What It Means to Be a Believer series, click the appropriate button below.
Renewing our minds can be a confusing concept. It took me a while to process through this. Walk along with me as I step through it.
Renewing Our Minds
So, when we become believers, we have to change our mindset. We’ve actually talked before about how we do this.
- Hearing His Word: “So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ” (Rom. 10: 17 NLT).
- Reading His Word: “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near (Rev. 1: 3 ESV).
- Praying to Him: “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4: 16 ESV).
- Studying His Word: “They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth” (Ac. 17: 11 NLT).
- Meditating on His Word: “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. (Ps. 1: 1-2).
- Memorizing His Word: “I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (Ps. 119: 11 NLT).
To read
How Should We Give Thanks to God
and
What Kind of Plans Does God Have for Us?,
click the button below.
Yes, that looks familiar, doesn’t it? This is how we learn about God — whether we are a believer or a non-believer. We dig into His Word. We listen to what He tells us.
This is how we learn Who God is. This is how He reveals Himself to us. We have to know His do’s and don’ts.
We do that by spending time with Him. We read His Word and pray to Him.
But Why Our Minds?
Previously, we talked about how faith is in our minds. The meditating part is reasoning it out in our minds.
Then we have to figure out what that means to us — How do we have to change? What do we need to do better?
Then we just have to believe. Discernment happens in the mind.
What are we supposed to believe? We talked about this before, too, but here is a nutshell.
God Is the Father
God is the creator of the universe. “It is I who by my great power and my outstretched arm have made the earth, with the men and animals that are on the earth, and I give it to whomever it seems right to me” (Jer. 27: 5 ESV).
God Sent His Son
God needed someone to be the Redeemer of mankind. He found that to be His Son, Jesus. “He [Jesus] gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds” (Ti. 2: 14 NLT).
The Trinity
The Trinity consists of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It isn’t that they are three different entities. Rather, there are three different forms of the same Being.
Jesus Was Born of a Virgin
Jesus was 100% God and 100% man. He was God’s son, so he is 100% God. Jesus is also Mary’s son, making Him 100% man. “Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive, have a son, and name him Immanuel” (Isa. 7: 14 HCSB).
Jesus Died on the Cross
Jesus gave His life for us so that His blood could pay the price for our sins. He did this by dying on the cross. The whole reason Jesus went to the cross was to accomplish redemption’s plan — for us.
To read What Does It Mean to Take Up Our Crosses?, click the button below.
Jesus Rose from the Dead
Because of God’s great might and power, Jesus rose from the grave. He conquered death and paid the price for our sins.
Jesus is the only way through which that salvation can be found. “Jesus answered him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one goes to the Father except by me” (Jn. 14: 6 GNT). We have to do it His way, not on our own.
Jesus Will Return
At some point, Jesus is going to come back to earth and take believers home with Him. It is really important that we wait for Jesus’ return.
Yes, we have to embrace what we believe when we become believers. Satan is going to try to get us to question what we believe. We have to continue to embrace that and tighten our grip.
Making the Connections
We need to be transformed by delving into God’s Word, learning more and more about Who He is, and changing our mindset to the one God wants us to have. Our minds play a big role in our walk with God. We reason things out. We rationalize them. “… Blessed are those who have not seen and yet come to believe” (Jn. 20: 29 NRS). Since we can’t see God, it becomes a mind thing.
This starts as we begin to wrestle with whether we are going to believe God or not. This transformation needs to continue as we grow in grace and knowledge (II Pet. 3: 18). It won’t be finished until we walk the golden streets.
We are going to know only so much when we become believers. God is going to reveal Himself to us as we grow closer to Him. That is renewing our minds.
It is taking what we formerly knew about God and adding what He is trying to tell us. It is taking what first attracted us to seeking God and making it more relevant each day.
What it all boils down to is attitude. Attitude is just our state of mind. Do we formulate our state of mind to acknowledge that God is God and Jesus is Lord? Do we daily come back to that decision and reaffirm it? Do we grow stronger in knowing that is the correct decision?
How Do We Apply This?
We apply this by changing our inward character to be more of the person God wants us to be. We work to decrease the hold of our sinful nature and increase the hold of our spiritual nature.
We take the attitude that God is in control — even when we think things are out of control. We resolve to live for Him. As we do that, we grow.
This is an everyday battle. Unfortunately, our attitudes and states of mind are not set in concrete. Once we get our attitude correct, it does not always stay that way. We let the world crowd in, and our attitudes shift.
Then again, it isn’t unfortunate because we can then shift our attitude back to God. We aren’t stuck in concrete out of God’s Will.
So, every day we have to work on our attitude to make sure we are in God’s Will.
Father God. Your Will is good, pleasing and perfect. We are not perfect. We struggle with trying to keep our attitudes focused on Your Will. It is hard, Lord, because the world’s viewpoint isn’t focused on You. It is a daily struggle. Give us strength, Lord. Help us to not grow weary. Transform us by renewing our minds. Amen.
What do you think? Is this how you see as the definition of renewing your mind?
Leave me a comment below (about this or anything else) or head over to my Facebook group for some interactive discussion.
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