Renewing Our Minds

Introduction

I would like to spend some time in some lessons about how we study and think about God’s word.

How we think is a critical subject to consider especially in a time when thinking for far too many people is an occasional hobby at best.

But we are not simply looking for “common sense” here, we are looking for changed minds. Changed from what and into what?

That is our subject this morning.

A Change in Thinking

God is looking for a transformation here (cf. Matt. 17:2; 13:43; 2 Cor. 3:18).

This is more than just adding information to our minds (Eph. 4:23).

We are talking about changing the way we think and not just knowing correct things.

We are talking about developing a Biblical perspective.

We are doing more than just swapping a set of behaviors (Gal. 5:19-23).

We are not talking about doing a set of things and not doing another set of things, we are talking about becoming something else.

It isn’t enough to simply say I won’t do something because God’s word says so. We must be working toward a better mindset.

This mindset is particularly weak when God’s word is not explicit on a subject.

So this is necessary to understand what the will of God is. It is more than a mathematical formula.

Ignorance is not Bliss

We have corrupt desires because of ignorance (1 Pet. 1:13-14; 1 Thess. 4:5).

We are deceived about what those desires offer (Eph. 4:22).

This ignorance is deep and is because of a hardness of heart (Eph. 4:17-18).

If we keep those desires in place but restrict them by keeping a list, then we haven’t been truly set free (2 Cor. 3:6, Gal. 5:1).

You say, “I know I shouldn’t…but…”

This is the statement of someone who knows true things but doesn’t have a changed mind.

How We Renew

This word renewal is found in one other place (Tit. 3:5).

We need to see the glory that the Spirit has revealed to us (2 Cor. 3:18).

We don’t just want to see facts, we want to see glory, we want to see good news (2 Cor. 4:4).

Conclusion

Are you looking at this as a reference for when you need an answer or as a source of glory?

Are you being transformed or are looking for minor behavior modification?