Digging Deeper: Renewing your Mind

This week we are digging deeper into our memory verse – Romans 12:2

Each day will will focus on just one part of the verse. As we are digging deeper, begin with praying that the Holy Spirit will give you wisdom, to open your ears to hear Him speak to you, and to soften your heart so you can apply what He reveals to you.

The verse says:

Make it personal

Begin by reading the verse again but personalize it as Paul is writing to you:

[YOUR NAME], do not be conformed to this world, but [YOUR NAME] be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Today we digging deeper into what it means to renew our mind and how are our minds renewed.

Recap

Monday we looked at what it meant to not be conformed to this world. Yesterday we looked at what transformation means from a Biblical standpoint, the evidence that transformation is occurring, where the power of transformation comes from, when does transformation begin and end, and Paul’s final instructions on how to live a transformed life. If you missed the previous posts, you’ll find it here:

Digging deeper: Know the terms.

The Greek word for renewing is anakainosis and means renovation or to restore. So when the Holy Spirit is transforming us into the likeness of Christ, He does a renovation within us. When something is renovated it is restored to either it’s former state or to a better state. As a Christian, we are not renovated to our former state, which is a sinner who is lost without Christ. The Holy Spirit is at work within us to renovate us to a better state – a holy state. He is transforming us from unrighteous to righteous.

The renewing of our minds

Every word, emotion, attitude, or action begins in the mind. It’s no wonder, then, that its the mind the Holy Spirit transforms and renews. That means the the renovation process is internal. Certainly there is an external renovation too, but that is more of a by-product of the internal work the Holy Spirit is doing within our minds. As He renews and renovates our minds, our language changes, the way we dress changes, the way we treat others changes. However those outward evidences of the internal renewal process will not present themselves without the internal renewing of our minds that is done through the work of the Holy Spirit.

Digging Deeper: What’s wrong with our minds?

Our minds have three problems: it has a hostile and fallen viewpoint, it is ignorant of God, and it is futile.

A Hostile, fallen viewpoint

We can have all the education in the world and more wisdom the Solomon, but our minds are still fallen. In it’s natural state, it has a spirit that is bent against the things of God. Our minds are naturally hostile to the sovereignty of God. Our mind’s chose to ignore the holiness of God and refuses to give Him the praise that is due Him. By nature, we do not have God-worshiping minds. We have self-worshiping minds. Paul wrote in Romans 1:28, “Since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind.” By nature, our minds are debased. So the Holy Spirit must transform and renew our mind.

Ignorance of God

Peter wrote in 1 Peter 1:13-14, “Therefore, with your minds ready for action, be serious and set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires of your former ignorance. Before the Holy Spirit begins transforming us and renewing our mind, there is an ignorance of God because we choose to suppress the truth of God. We’d rather live our way than God’s.

If you have ever used the statement “It’s better to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission” then you understand what Peter was talking about. We think that if we do something in ignorance we can get away with it, but if we ask for permission and are told no then there are higher consequences for our actions if we do it anyway. So we choose ignorance over truth. However, God will still hold us accountable and if we choose to stay ignorant, we will stay lost in our sin and spend eternity in hell. So the Holy Spirit transforms and renews our mind by shining God’s truths into our ignorance which breaks the power of the deceit of our minds.

Futility of the mind

In Ephesian 4:17-18 Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus: “you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.” He then goes on to explain the futile mind saying, “They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them.” Then Paul gives the root cause of a futile mind. He says, “due to their hardness of heart. A hardened heart will poison our minds against anything of God, creating a inner pandemic of infection called sin. The more we impose our will over God’s will the harder our heart will become and the more we will suppress the truth of God. A hardened heart refuses to submit to the will of God and therefore we become blind to the truth of God.

Digging Deeper: How are our minds renewed?

We do not have any power to renew our minds. It is only the work of the Holy Spirit with in us. But He uses different ways in which to renew our mind. Our minds are renewed as we read or hear the Word of God. He renews our mind as we study God’s Word, meditate on it, and then digging deeper into what it means so we can apply it to our lives. When we spend time in prayer and listening to what the Holy Spirit has to say to us, our minds are renewed. Our minds can be renewed through music that glorifies God. They can be renewed through the fellowship and encouragement of other believers. When we pay attention to what God is doing in our lives, we can be renewed.

Any way that exposes us to the truth of God, the Holy Spirit will work to renew our minds.

Digging Deeper: What is our part in renewing our minds?

While the work of renewing our minds is dependent on the Holy Spirit, we too have a part to play. Our part is to pursue and seek God with all our heart, mind, and soul. God promises that when we seek Him, we will find Him. So if you’re feeling like some renovation is needed in your mind, seek the truth of God and pray for the Holy Spirit to reveal God’s truth to you as He works to transform and renew your mind.

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NEW! Now you can download a free printable pdf file for this week’s memory verse which will print four copies on a page that you can cut apart and place in prominent places (such as your bathroom mirror, the visor in your car, at your work station, and on your refrigerator) to help you memorize the verse. Get the download here:

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Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.- Romans 12:2 

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