Renewing of your mind!

“All other faiths make sacrifice the root of mercy, but Christianity makes it the flower. “

Allot of faith live according to karma.

The say things like Karma hides in time.

Or Karma is unforgiving and always gets it payback.

People forget Karma will not.

You do the right thing and something good is going to happen right around the corner

But mercy precedes sacrifice.

Hence Mercy gives us the capacity to sacrifice .

Romans 12 enters into the practical portion of the book of Romans .

In the previous chapters you had more of a positional grounding or a theological base.

Before Paul discusses ethics or how we should live He establishes a theological base.

Its impossible for us to live out this Christian life for God without this theological base.

Neither would it be logical or sustainable.

As a parent now I see why a child should honor there mother and father .

The mother gives birth take care of the child. Feed the child allot of late nights. Working hard . Training etc etc. This is the bases under which a child should honor his parents.

Paul is setting up this theological base, helping us to under the gravity under which Christ was able to pull off.

Romans 12:2 NKJV

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Transformed - to be or become changed in outward appearance or expression as manifesting a change in nature or essence .

This transformation refers to that act of a believer arranging his outward position so that it agrees with his inward condition.

2 Cor 3:18 “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

With this positive attitude toward God links a negative attitude to the pattern of this world ( he has negatives also in vs,

Romans 12:3 “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.”

Romans 12:14 “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.”

Romans 12::16 “Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.”

Romans 12:19 “Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.”

Romans 12:21 “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

Renewal of the mind

The five functions of the mind

Knowing

Thinking

Understanding

Remembering

Imagining

Knowing

1 Cor 8 :1 Now regarding your question about food that has been offered to idols. Yes, we know that “we all have knowledge” about this issue. But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church. 2 Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t really know very much.

Has knowledge about a person ever hinder the way you love a person?

Paul does not take an issue with knowledge per se but there can be a knowledge that fuels arrogance.

2 Co 5:16 “Therefore, from now on, we regard ( know) no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.”

John 14:17 “the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.”

2. Thinking

Isaiah 1:18 ““Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.”

The word “reason” (yāḵaḥ) is a law term used of arguing, convincing, or deciding a case in court.

Some people think that Christians turn there mind off when they come to Christ .

No we serve God with our minds.

Psalm 51:7 “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”

Isaiah 43:25 ““I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins.”

3. Understanding

Eph 1:18 “the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,”

The whole thinking ,feeling and volitional inner person.

Ones understanding can be enlighten.

Psalm 119:130 “The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.”

If theres no entrance of Gods word theres no illumination, if theres no illumination theres no enlightenment , if theres no enlightenment theres no walk with God.

The entrance of Gods word in your ears has little to no benefit the entrance of Gods word in your heart can make the a world of a difference .

4. Remembering

2 Peter 3:1 “Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder),”

When you have a health intake of The Word of God the Holy Spirit will bring His word back to your remembrance.

John 14:26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”

Gods memory also forgets

Isaiah 43:25 ““I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins.”

Sometimes we burden God with sins He no longer remember.

5. Imagining

Proverbs 29:18 “Where there is no revelation (prophetic vision), the people cast off restraint; But happy is he who keeps the law.”

How to renew your mind?

Waiting on the Lord

Isaiah 40:30-31 “Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.”

2. Understand that the inward man is being renewed day by day.

2 Cor. 4:16 “Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.”