Romans 12:2...
"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed
by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove
what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."
- beholding and having reverent-awe of God and His Word, the Bible - - by study of God's Word in more precise studies;
- concerning imitating Christ by Scripture study, and by studying the lives of others in Scripture who have successfully applied the principles of God's Word;
- in regards to believing-God in full persuasion;
- concerning keeping your peace;
- in coming to understand and to apply knowledge in the wisdom of God's Kingdom and of the great mystery of God regarding Christ in you;
- learning to put-off "the old man" nature and put-on "the new man" nature in relationship to your positional-identification together with Christ;
- in regards to "practicing the presence of God" in "Christ in you" - - this is best achieved by speaking in tongues, and by realizing and re-realizing every day that you are already seated in the heavenlies within God's presence, now living "out-from-within" God's heavenly Kingdom spiritually upon the earth as "ambassadors for Christ";
- and your legal, sonship rights of God,
- in the "one body in Christ;"
- and finally, living-in and manifesting God's love which is born in you, taking The Ephesians 6 Stand for and with God!
Salvation only restores man by the creation of the spirit of God within his or her being - - which is fantastic - - but is not enough for man's soul to live in unity with God, in manifested righteousness and holiness.
There are many Christians today who do not bring forth the goodness and love of God's nature within their beings towards their neighbor. It is evident from within culture that salvation alone does not affect the mind of the believer, for example: many Christians of today are full of fear, doubt and Scriptural mistrust, lacking God's power when needed for answered prayer, lacking power for healings and miracles - - hence, many are weak and sickly, and needy financially.
Many Christians are confused and undedicated, wandering aimlessly without proper self-control in personal self-discipline - - lacking purpose and a vital, intimate, personal relationship with God by way of His son, Jesus Christ.
Many are uncoachable, partial, unforgiving, merciless, high-minded, strife-filled and factious, becoming trouble-makers and word-battlists in bitter-pride and rejection of good and truth and godliness; many are also slumbered in deception and error, worshipping worldly things in lusts, controlling addictions, and perversions - - and much more.
Hence, it is evident that more is needed for helping Christians than just becoming "born again.""Salvation" just simply does not restore trust, confidence, and believing in the soul of the believer, nor righteous, sound thinking and judgements in the mind of the believer, nor does it restore the believer's "walking in God's love" in his soul.
Therefore, the "renewing of your mind" is the Biblical solution and process needed for transfiguring or transforming the mind of the Christian believer - - and not the spirit.
"The spirit of God" living in Christians is perfect and does not need a "mental" newing-up. The spirit of God is only fed and built-up by speaking in tongues. It does not need renewing, because it is always new and fresh. It only needs feeding, but the mind of the believer does need renewing, refreshing.
Thus, the renewing of your mind is the Biblical answer for dynamics in spiritual, emotional, mental change of the soul of Christians everywhere.
An unbeliever, the "unsaved," can not genuinely "renew" the mind; he or she has no image after which to mirror. They do not have the spirit of God to mirror, to reflect. They do not have the means by which God may communicate unto them internally. Thus, therapy and drudgery in "remodeling" oneself after worldly wisdom is abundant throughout the world.
- I Corinthians 2:14,
"But the natural man [the unsaved, the physical man or woman, the strictly senses man - - without the spirit of God] receiveth [dechomai] not the things of the Spirit [pneuma] of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he [or she] know them, because they are spiritually discerned [anakrino; "to examine, divide up, to separate,1" and then "to determine1" or to decide for belief and practice]."
The "unsaved,""the natural man," only has a body and a soul; he does not have the spirit of God, hence he can not, dechomai, "subjectively receive2" the things of the Spirit of God. It's all absurd, silly to him or her. And, it is an absolute impossibility for the "unsaved" to spiritually and to rightly - - divide up, examine, investigate and then judge the truths of God's Word in verity. They must become "born again" first, then they will see, perceive truth for doctrine and practice.
(If you wish, go to the May 31st post in this category, Spiritual Understanding, Gelling to learn a little more on I Corinthians 2:14.)
There is really no dynamics for "the unbeliever, only for the mind of the believer in Christ.
The "renewing of the mind" is dynamics in genuine "reformation" for the Church, for Christian believers on the whole - - but for "transformation" of the individual mind of the believer.
Dynamics means a "physical force producing motion3;" but as used in our study "dynamics" is God's spiritual power or ability for change and continuous changing.
Reformation is the act of "making better or improving by removal of faults; to correct or improve one's own character or habits.4"
This term, reformation, is used in our study concerning only the Church as a whole, regarding believers as a whole - - and not concerning the renewing of the individual mind of the believer. The renewing of the mind is a thinking of thoughts that are different from previous thoughts, a newing-up in quality thoughts for transformation, and not a reformation.
When the Church as a whole renews their minds in unison, continuously, then reformation takes place in the Church. After a believer's mind is changed by spiritual transformation, then his or her entire being is becoming reformed and restored to what God orginally designed and desired man to be.
The dynamics of God's Word and God's power gives believers the power for being changed, ability to change, and power for constant changing, for transforming (not remodeling) the mind of the believer - - and causing skill in the believer's soul for developing good character and habits that are "unmixed unto evil" - - for restoration in innocence, manifested as righteousness and godliness, upon transfiguring.
Renewing your mind means what it says, "your mind" - - and not your spirit. Men and women - - in Christ - - have three parts to their being: a body, a soul, plus a spirit. The body is composed of your members and of your brain that has a mind. The mind has thoughts, feelings, and will, purposes, and desires. Your body with its members lives and your brain also lives because you have a soul. The addition of spirit though is the life of God born within, as "the spirit of God." You are renewing your mind, and not your spirit.
The "mind" in New Testament Greek Scripture is the Greek word nous, and is not the Greek word for "spirit," which is pneuma. The nous is your whole mind thinking, perceiving, and making decisions based upon processed information within the organic brain of the body and the mind, the soul; it is the whole mind with a living, breathing-soul - - thinking.
The nous is the thinking of "the whole mental organ of perception,5" called the mind, which receives information via the five senses - - but which, in a Christian believer, may also receive information from God's spiritual realm via the spirit of God via the spiritual senses. (The spirit of God gives the believer this spiritually perceptive ability, causing one to "walk with God.")
"Soul" is the Greek word psuche; it is your "soul-life."Psuche is your breath-life, and it is spirit but is a different kind of spirit from the spirit of God living in Christians. Precisely, the "soul" is in the physical realm, but it is called spirit because it can not be seen. It is sometimes referred to in the Bible as "the spirit of man," but most references in the Bible concerning the soul of man are given as "soul" - - rather than the spirit of man.
Most people have trouble discerning between the physical realm and the spiritual realm, between "soul and spirit," but the Word of God is "sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit...," Hebrews 4:12b.
This is speaking of breath-life or soul-life as separated from the spirit of God-life, which is eternal life spirit. When a living creature takes its last breath, then life has come to an end for that creature. However, God's promise is that when Christ returns, believers in Christ shall be given new bodies in eternal life, powered not this time by soul-spirit but by eternal life-spirit, by spirit of God power and life.
According to Leviticus 17:11, the life of the body (which is soul) is in the blood. Soul-life is carried from generation to generation through the blood in the seed of man, uniting with the egg of the woman. That potential for new, breathing soul-life is then continued at birth upon the newborn's first breath!
Our new bodies at Christ's return will have no blood in them; our new spiritual veins will only carry eternal, spirit of God life within them. (Readily seen in the resurrection of Israel in the futuristic vision of Ezekiel 37:1 thru 14, regarding "the resurrection of the just," especially in verse 14. "Blood" with soul is never mention for the life of their bodies, but only the spirit of God for breath-life in their new resurrected bodies is stated. Just fantastic! The same will be for us as is for Jesus Christ, who had no blood in his new resurrected body as seen in his post-resurrected body, in Luke 24:39, which account again does not mention blood.)
"Of man," in the phrase "spirit of man," places spirit in the physical realm; it is breath-life spirit but is not eternal-life spirit. The nous lives because it has soul-life. The body, with a brain and a mind, lives because it has soul-life, the spirit of man. The nous is the mind portion of the human body, and the soul (that lives in the whole body) includes breathing, along with being, living, and independent thinking or self-consciousness within the nous.
Body and soul are in the physical realm; but, the spirit of God, in the Christian, is in the spiritual realm. And the brain is only organic matter with no life until it has a mind, which is a soul, soul-life breathing in and out continuously with conscious thinking.
The nous, the whole mind, would then include the "heart." The Greek word for "heart" is kardia. The kardia of the mind is like the physical heart to the body. The mind has a heart, it is the inner-sanctuary of the mind, where the "issues of life" emanate from. Your believing and, subsequently, your actions emanate, proceed out from the heart of the whole mind thinking, as given in Proverbs 4:23.
The Christian man or woman, as shown in I Thessalonians 5:23, is a three-part entity: having a body, a soul (the spirit of man), and spirit (the spirit of God).
Again, the body has an organic brain with a mind, the nous, with living-thinking and a free-will, with desires, and phronema or thoughts. The mind of the brain is the soul; and the heart of the mind, that innermost-sanctuary of the mind, with all its thoughts and will and desires is the object of the renewed mind.
After salvation, the heart of man must be renewed via the thoughts of the mind by renewing your mind to come into more perfect alignment and harmony, into unity with the spirit of God living within.
"Renewing" is the Greek word anakainosis; it is to "new-up."Renewing is present tense and continuous action; it is continuous acquiring of different, new-in-quality thoughts, and a putting-on of them in the mind. Renewing is like adding new versions or updates to your computer software that are different and new in quality, bringing greater functionality to your computer, hence gaining greater results in your work for effect.
"Thoughts" of the nous, of the mind, is the Greek word phronema; it is the noun form, and the verb form is phroneo. Its meaning is "the thoughts, the will, the desires or feelings" of the nous.
Here are a couple of its uses, the verb and then the noun form...
- Romans 8:5,
"For they that are [walking] after the flesh [the 5 senses] do mind [phroneo; verb form, do think] the things of the flesh [the 5 senses]; but they that are [walking] after the spirit the things of the Spirit."
verse 6,
"For to be carnally minded [phronema; noun; senses-minded, carnal in thought] is. . .but to be spiritually minded [phronema] is...."
Renewing the mind by different and new-in-quality thoughts, and by transformation accomplishes the work of reformation and restoration for yielding "...your members [of the physical body] servants to righteousness unto holiness," Romans 6:19c.
"Transformation" in the renewing of your mind is a process of changed and changing thinking in fashion and form: changed from a thinking that is "conformed" or fashioned after the world, and becoming transfigured in a new form. It is a process of putting-off worldly fashions and of putting-into the mind different, new-in-quality thinking of God's Word that gives us ability for changing the mind - - and thus the heart - - a transformation!
Transformed in our verse of study - - Romans 12:2 - - is the Greek word metamorphoo. The English word is well known as metamorphosis, being the changing of forms, the transfiguring of forms of the worm or caterpillar into a moth or butterfly.
Here are more occurrences of the Greek word metamorphoo in Scripture...
- Mark 9:2,
"And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured [metamorphoo; changed in form] before them."
Matthew 17:2,
"And [Jesus Christ] was transfigured [metamorphoo; changed in form] before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light."
II Corinthians 3:18,
"But we all [believers], with open face [unveiled face] beholding as in a glass [reflective mirror] the glory of the Lord [Christ], are changed [metamorphoo; transfigured, transformed, changed in form] into the same image from glory to glory, even as by [out from] the Spirit of the Lord [out from the Lord, the Spirit - - which is God, Himself]."
Renewing one's mind brings on a change-in-form, a transfiguring, an acquiring of a "new glorious figure." The renewing is your part; the transformation is God's part. Becoming transfigured is supernatural via the spirit of God living in you, as energized or coming out from the Lord, the Spirit - - God. It's just like Jesus Christ's transfiguration on the Mount, but the transformation is more in a spiritual sense within you and then shows to others as effects, like: love, joy, peace, etc. - - but also power as needed!
Many thoughts flip through the mind that you never act upon or do, praise God. But, when thoughts of the wrong kind are allowed to stick around, then those thoughts of the mind begin "funneling" down into the inner-depths of the heart ...organically, chemically, and electrically etching chains of belief and habits upon the neurons of the brain.
This is what many call "the sub-conscious mind," but it is actually the kardia, which is the heart of the mind. The heart of the mind speaks and pumps with greater force than does the flippy thoughts of the mind. Therefore, what is in your heart and what is written on the neurons of the brain is what you do most of the time.
- Proverbs 23:7a,
"For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he...."
You become what you think about the most and are delighted-in or reverence in awe; you become and are what you behold and dwell upon the most - - then allowing to filter down and become etched upon your heart.
The love of God coming from God is poured-out within our hearts by the holy spirit that has been given unto us. The renewed mind is the only way to manifest God's love from within our lives, in the Church, and among others. And God's Word says, that the love of God in a renewed mind.....
- I Corinthians 13:5 and 6,
"Doth not behave itself unseemly [with moral deformity], seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked [made to get angry], thinketh no evil;
"Rejoiceth not [delights not, is not pleased] in iniquity, but rejoiceth [delights, is pleased in conjunction with] in the truth."
The heart and soul of the mind, when really renewed, will not delight any longer in iniquity ("doing contrary to right"). But, in contrast, will rejoice, delight, be pleased in conjunction with the truth of God's Word. What a great truth!
The soul of your mind and heart will rejoice and become pleased in the truth of right living before God.
Again, your soul is not your spirit. Your spirit is what God gives you upon salvation. Your soul is your thinking and breath-life, which causes your organic body and mind to live in the physical realm.
The spirit of God in you is not affected by this mental renewing process, except as is activated by your renewing of the mind - - for tranfiguring.
Thus, the renewed mind principle for power to change becomes critical for arriving to a more "perfect alignment and harmony" with God, truth, and His spirit living in you, for having fellowship with God via the holy spirit, look at I Corinthians 1:9 and then I John 1:3 and 4.
The spirit of God living in you is perfect. Receiving it brought God's eternal life to you in salvation by your believing on and receiving the faith of Jesus Christ, also called and described, in II Corinthians 4:13, as "the spirit of faith." Salvation brought the perfect, impregnated "spirit of God."
- I Corinthians 2:12,
"Now we have received, not the spirit [pneuma; spirit] of the world, but the spirit [pneuma] of God...."
Salvation came by the reception of that holy spirit now born in you. The "spirit" is not renewed by thoughts within your mind, however "your mind"is renewed by a change of thinking - - for spiritual transformation in your heart.
(As you will see more of later, this"transformation" is a spiritual phenomenon of God as ordered in "the law of change." Keep in mind that Jesus Christ said, "...the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life," John 6:63b.)
The spirit of God is only fed, built-up or renewed daily by speaking in tongues (II Corinthians 4:16) - - - - but the soul of man's life is fed and then renewed by the spiritual words, thoughts, and life from God's Word, Matthew 4:4.
The fall of man in Genesis created a need for man's salvation in Christ today. Christ is man's redeemer from his fallen state. Upon salvation, by believing on the name of Jesus Christ (as shown how-to in Romans 10:9), a man or woman is "saved" by grace by receiving "the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8), which is the holy spirit, Acts 2:38. To receive the gift of God is to receive the holy spirit, or the spirit of God. That is the meaning of salvation.
- Romans 5:5b,
"...because the love of God is shed abroad in [en; within] our hearts [kardia] by the Holy Ghost [pneuma hagion; the gift, called holy spirit] which is given unto us."
I Thessalonians 4:8b,
"...but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit."
The holy spirit that is given unto us is "the same measure," a poured-out but unlimited measure of spirit, also described as "the same spirit of faith!" We all received "the faith of Jesus Christ" (which is the spirit of God, the spirit of faith) at the new birth, upon becoming born again.
You became "saved" in God's salvation by the gift of Holy Spirit, which is also called "Christ in you!"
It is the same spirit of faith that Paul had, that Peter had, that John, Luke, and Timothy had - - and that every person receives - - when they become "born again" of God's Spirit, receiving the gift of God!
When you received this gift, at that same instant, you became a member of God's family in "the household of faith" (Galatians 6:10), a member in the household of God's family, as a member of "the one body in Christ."
But, again, "salvation" - - and all that it entails - - still does not affect "your mind," until you begin greater studies and thinking, and practice of Scripture...
- Romans 12:3c thru 5,
"...think soberly [wisely], according as God hath dealt to every man [every Christian believer: man, woman, and child] the measure of faith.
"For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office [action, function]:
"So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another."
You must first come into a realization that you have already been given "the same measure" of the gift of the Holy Spirit, as every other Christian believer, before you can really understand God's Word to any degree of clarity in relationship to your actions in God's great household, the one body in Christ.
God is now your Heavenly Father. You may now come to realize that you are a son or daughter of God as declared in Romans 8:14-17, and I John 3:1 and 2. God is your Father, and you are His child, having become a member in His family, which is also called the "one body in Christ."
Again, "the gift of God" born in you is "the same measure,""the same spirit of faith", given to each and every "born again" Christian believer in the "one body in Christ."
Your actions, your function within the body of Christ are determined from then on by the act of "renewing your mind." Salvation does not affect the mind, only the reception of eternal life spirit. Only the renewed mind, in the light of God's Word, affects the mind of the believer, and restores the mind of the believer in sound thinking and judgements in the love of God.
- Romans 12:9 and 10,
"Let love [agape; God's love born in you] be without dissimulation [hypocrisy; falsehood, pretense, fakeness, pretend]. Abhor [shudder with horror;" detest utterly] that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.""Be kindly affectioned one to another in brotherly love [philadelphia; from phileo love; human or brotherly, sisterly love]; in honor preferring one another."
After that, renewing your mind comes through much, pinpointed study of God's Word.
By study in God's Word, you begin learning what is "pleasing" unto God and what is not.
- Romans 13:10, and 12 thru 14,
"Love [agape; God's love born in you] worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
"The night is far spent, the day is at hand [present]; let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
"Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantoness, not in strife and envying.
"But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof."
You begin "putting off" displeasing things unto God because your "spiritual taste buds," so to speak, start dynamically changing to "eschew evil," to "shudder with horror" evil, to then enjoy the good things of God's Word within your life. You begin "putting on" the new and valued things of Christ, things that are pleasing unto God.
- Ephesians 4:22 thru 25,
"That ye put off concerning the former conversation [way of life] the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
"And be renewed in the spirit [psuche, not pneuma; psuche is your soul {not your spirit}; it is the entire soul, the entire life] of your mind.
"And that ye put on the new man, which after God is [was; aorist tense] created in righteousness and true holiness."
By developing control over the thoughts and subsequent "feelings" that you continuously entertain, which is in direct proportion to WHAT YOU LOOK AT, to what you continuously behold, then change in tranfiguring becomes dynamic.
- Romans 8:6 and 7,
"For to be carnally minded [5 senses minded in thought and ruled] is death; but to be spiritually mindedis life and peace.
"Because the carnal mind [phronema] is enmity [at odds] with God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
"So then they that are in the flesh [those living by the 5 senses] cannot please God."
The Word of God, verses from God's Word, gives you power for controlling your thoughts when believed and as worked deeply into your heart. God's Word then becomes deeply rooted within your heart.
Proverbs 4:23 instructs,
- "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."
King David said.....
- Psalm 119:11,
"Thy word [God's Word] have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee."
Psalm 119:105,
"Thy word [God's Word] is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."
Psalm 119:133,
"Order my steps in thy word [God's Word]: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me."
Renewing the mind is a continuous, daily action, of putting off evil thoughts and putting on God's spiritual thoughts, because none will be perfect until Christ returns, Ephesians 4:13. It is not available yet to perfectly renew our minds. But we keep hiding the thoughts of God's Word in our hearts, letting the Word of God light our paths, and allowing His words within His Word to order our steps in God's ways by following or imitating Christ's ways according to Scripture.
- Philippians 2:5,
"Let this mind [phronema; thoughts of the mind, in regards to thinking] be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus."
Renewing the mind comes into fruition by beholding God's Word, looking at Christ, and studying the lives of others who have successfully practiced the principles of God's Word. As we continue by study and thinking God's spiritual thoughts in Christ, via Biblical thoughts from verses of Scripture, then we hide that Word deeply within our hearts. We begin utilizing those verses, which we have hid in our hearts, in day-to-day practical living and loving obedience.
Our actions of renewing our minds then begins and continues to transform us, helping us become more "spiritually minded" each new day, finally "...proving what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" - - - - manifesting "life and peace!"
When Jesus Christ was tempted of satan's power, he utilized memorized Scripture that was hidden from within his heart. Those Scripture verses in his heart were "the sword of the Spirit" that he wielded for up-close and personal confrontation with evil.
Jesus Christ overcame the devil's adversity in temptations by memorized, believed, and wielded Scripture. He exercised his authority in God, proclaiming, "IT IS WRITTEN!"
For example, if you are being tempted with "slumber," tempted with not continuing in prayer, or with deep sleep, laziness, procrastination, or an attitude of indifference and weary unbelief, then you might use this verse of Scripture to counter the spiritual attack, - - - - Romans 12:11, "Not slothful [to delay, shrink, hesitate, delay] in business; fervent [red hot to the point of boiling] in spirit; continuing instant in prayer."
Change is best effected by something greater in ability than ourselves, but that we utilize. And Biblical change is always a dynamics - - by your free-will - - in God's ability that produces motion for inner-change. The change is supernatural by God's power within us, by the living, in-working, dynamics of His Word.....
- Hebrews 4:12a,
"For the word of God is quick [living, quickening, life-giving, enlivening], and powerful [in-working, energetic, effectual in operation]...."
God's Word is the basis and the dynamics for change, because it is a living, powerful, enlivening God who stands behind His Word - - which is effectual in operation - - with life-flowing, majestic might and power. His Spirit is connected by His life and His power to your spirit and in communication with your spirit, that is, to the spirit of God living in you. When God energizes His power within you, then effectual, enlivening change is resultant, as well as, life and peace.
The dynamics of Biblical change is spiritual and supernatural; the transformation is the process of God within us as we act upon what is that good and acceptable and perfect instruction of God's Will made known to us, becoming revealed to our minds from God's Word.
The metamorphosis of the larvae into the butterfly is the law of change commanded of God in the DNA.
Spiritually, the same is true of transformation in the renewed mind. We put off being "conformed to this world," and we new-up in the different and new-in-quality thinking of God's Word, conforming to the creation of "the new man" born within. God then steps-in by energizing His "power from on high" born within us as the gift of Holy Spirit, bringing to pass miraculous, supernatural, spiritual transformation.
We are transformed like the ugly, crawling caterpillar into a beautiful, flying butterfly. That is dynamics, the ability for change in continuous changing - - bringing about genuine transfiguring in the mind of the believer - - as we continue putting off the old man nature and continue putting on the new man nature of "Christ in you" by being Christ-like in thought and action.
The change is innate in our spiritual DNA, in a manner of speaking, and comes into being as the very certain conditions of renewing our minds is met. Renewing our minds triggers God's spiritual law of change within us, via the "Christ in you!"
This figure of speech - - "Christ in you" - - is not true to fact, but the figure does describe and emphatically pronounce the dynamic abilities of "the gift" of the Holy Spirit born in you, emphasizing that the spirit of God in you has the same abilities as the Christ.
Jesus Christ truthfully declared,
- John 14:12,
"Verily, verily [truly, truly], I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father."
And, His Father is now your Heavenly Father, too. "Christ in you" conveys tremendous truth of the power of God living in the believer that may be evidenced via a renewed mind for proving the truth of what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God from His Word.
Continuous Renewing of Your Mind is Living in Fellowship with God; The Fellowship of that Union will Manifest the Love of GodThe renewed mind and the love of God are inseparable. You can no more manifest the love of God without renewing your mind, then you can have eternal life without becoming born again of God's gift of holy spirit.
- I John 2:5,
"But whoso keepeth his word [God's Word], in him verily [truly] is the love of God perfected: hereby [in this] know we that we are in him."
The transformation within the renewing of your mind produces "fellowship with God."Fellowship with God produces power for answered prayer and power for demonstrating, for "...proving what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."
- Psalm 91:1,
"He [the man, the woman, the child] that dwelleth [dwells, lives, abides] in the secret place of the most High shall abide [live, dwell] under the shadow of the Almighty."
The "Almighty" is conveying God's unlimited majestic might and power over all other would-be powers. The "Burly One" is also able to cause overflowing abundance in all areas within your life. You see, truly, the renewed mind brings fellowship with God in the secret place for God's might and power in array over, around, and in your life.
"The shadow" is the defense, God's defense for you.
Thus, those who live, stay-put in fellowship with God - - in the secret place - - by the renewed mind, shall absolutely dwell under the defense of the All-powerful Lord God, and thus the love of God is perfected in them.
Fellowship with God via the renewed mind is still the secret place to live and the secret to life for God's power and His love in manifestation.
To continue in the evidencing of God's love, one must continue abiding, living in fellowship with God. To continue living in fellowship with God, the desirous believer must continuously be putting off evil thoughts and actions, from the least to the most evil forms, and he or she must be putting on "righteousness and true holiness," conforming to the spirit of "the inner-man," which is "Christ in you" - - the spirit of God.
Following are more pointed Scriptures for the renewing of your minds: Ephesians 4:25 thru 32 and Colossians 3:1 thru 25.
Summary and Conclusion
Change in the human heart does not take place by beholding your darkness. You must "cast off the works of darkness" and put on "the armour of light." Only light dispels darkness. Learn more here about beholding God in reverent-awe for change... Continuous Beholding is the Key!
God wants our hearts as Adam and Eve's before their fall; Adam and Eve only knew good until evil thoughts and actions were learned and experienced at the fall. God desires our hearts to go further in disciplined good than Adam and Eve's - - as Jesus Christ's heart was before God when he lived upon the earth.
Salvation gives us eternal life spirit; it gives us the spirit of God by grace, by the work of Christ. The work of Christ made it possible for us to have eternal life as a gift without having to personally pay the price. He paid the price for us.
But, the renewed mind is by "works." God does not give out new brains that work right upon salvation. Just be thankful that you have eternal life! So, now, just get busy with the joyful work of putting on thoughts of God's kind! Those thoughts have dynamics, ability, power to change you deeply within forevermore, as you develop "fully persuaded" believing in the depth of your heart - - and act.
Again, salvation came by grace, but the renewed mind is gained by "works!" Putting on "the mind of Christ" is work, and it is a work of growth in gradual, but dynamic change. And it is a "deep and abiding change" in the truth of God and His Word, developing a rejoicing, a delight in our souls in conjunction with the truth.
Occassionally, pat yourself on the back and forgive yourself as God already has. Tell your Heavenly Father your faults and ask His forgiveness in the name of Jesus Christ when you stumble or fall, I John 9; 2:1-5. Learn to keep self-accusing, condemning thoughts out of your mind, Romans 8:1. Acknowledge your sins, but move on - - for God's sake and yours - - always keep moving-on in the work of the renewed mind. It works, powerfully!
Jesus Christ was tempted in all points like as we are, yet he was without sin, Hebrews 4:15.
To transfigure the mind of the believer to innocence from experiential evil, then the believer must continue in the joyful work of the renewed mind by newing-up with different, new-in-quality thoughts while also casting off the works of darkness to become unmixed unto evil - - with only good remaining and building in his or her heart. Only the renewed mind can accomplish this feat.
- Romans 16:19b,
"...but yet I would have you wise [skilled] unto that which is good, and simple [unmixed] concerning [unto] evil."
This first occurs by receiving God's gift as the holy spirit. Then the renewed mind process plays the role for inner-change within the mind - - in God's dynamics - - as we put off evil and begin putting on "what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" - - then "proving" the same.
Renewing the mind in believing and applying God's Word is the only way, after salvation, to restore your justification, righteousness, and sanctification in evidence as innocence before God and man - - and the devil.
Renewing your mind sometimes is just simply *claiming* your sonship rights, accepting them freely, and acting like what they define!
Realizing your positional-identification together with Christ will cause your continuous transformation to be spiritually electrifying! - - guaranteed.
We become unmixed unto evil by not being "conformed to this world," but by renewing our minds (by changing what we read, look at, listen to, and what we think about) - - triggering supernatural, spiritual transformation by God's dynamic power - - as we control our thinking in skilled application of "what is that good. . .will of God!"
And, finally, the key to renewing is beholding! - - - - your beholding The Perfect Law, That of Liberty - - Christ Jesus!
Footnotes:
1 - - Bullinger, E. W. A Critical Lexicon and Concordance to the English and Greek New Testament, page 251. Zondervan Publishing House: Grand Rapids, MI 49506, 1975.
2 - - ibid., pages 626 and 627.
3 - - The word, "dynamics."The Merriam-Webster Dictionary, page 241. Copyright 1997 by Merriam-Webster, Incorporated, USA.
4 - - ibid., The word, "reformaton," page 618.
5 - - Cummins, Walter J. Demonstrating God's Power, page 15. American Christian Press: New Knoxville, OH 45871, First Edition. First Printing, 1985.
[Joe Christian: Renewing The Mind and The Love of God]
9:27:39 AM.
