Last week we began our consideration of the disciple’s heart and the process of spiritual growth, whereby we become more like Jesus. We made the point that the first step required is that I allow Christ to touch my heart.
The reason this is necessary is that all of us are naturally born under the condemnation of sin and are alienated from God. Because of sin, we are spiritually dead-unable to commune with God, who is the source of all life. Without this ability, the only direction available to us is that provided by Satan through the world.
"... you were dead (slain) by [your] trespasses and sins. In which at one time you walked [habitually]. You were following the course and fashion of this world [were under the sway of the tendency of this present age], following the prince of the power of the air. [You were obedient to and under the control oft the [demon] spirit that still constantly works in the sons of disobedience [the careless, the rebellious, and the unbelieving, who go against the purposes of God]. Among these we as well as you once lived and conducted ourselves in the passions of our flesh [our behavior governed by our corrupt and sensual nature], obeying the impulses of the flesh and the thoughts of the mind [our cravings dictated by our senses and our dark imaginings]. We were then by nature children of [God’s] wrath and heirs of [His] indignation, like the rest of mankind," - Ephesians 2:lb-3 (Amplified)
Notice how Paul describes the life of one who has not had his heart touched by Christ:
1. They are spiritually dead because of sin and their heart is dark.
2. They are influenced by Satan through the world.
3. They live according to their physical senses only, with Satan appealing first to their emotions, which influences their thoughts, which leads them to make choices consistent with Satan’s desires for them.
4. They are the objects of God’s wrath, destined to live eternally separated from God.
God doesn’t want this for man. This is why He sent His Son, to reverse the effects of man’s poor choice. Through His sacrifice on Calvary, Jesus took care of the sin problem for us, making it possible for us to be "born again," to have our hearts touched by His power and enlightened, so that we have communion with God, as we were designed to do.
"You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ He forgave all our sins. He canceled the record that contained the charges against us. He took it and destroyed it by nailing it to Christ’s cross." - Colossians 2:13-14 (CEV)
Now that we are in a position to commune with God, we can live the life that God designed us to live-a life of purpose and meaning, a life of significance and victory. Now, a person who has not allowed Christ to touch their heart has no choice in how they live; but a child of God does.
We can choose to live life our own way (which results in sin and broken fellowship with God) or we can choose to live life God’s way.
We can choose to allow ourselves to be led by Satan or led by God. We can choose to be influenced by the world or by God’s Word. We can choose to walk by feelings or by faith. We can walk according to the flesh or according to the Spirit. We can live according to lies or according to the truth. We can choose to live like the devil or live like Jesus.
While those who have not allow Christ to touch their hearts are naturally condemned to live life separated by God and have no choice in the matter, the Christian does. Paul says that a Christian can live as a "spiritual man," or as a "carnal" or "worldly man." The problem with the "worldly man," Paul says, is that he is not growing spiritually.
"Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly-mere infants in Christ"
- 1 Corinthians 3:1 (NIV)
All this having been said, it is important for us to realize that a disciple is not only one who has allowed Christ to touch his heart, but...
2. A disciple is one who is allowing Christ to transform his heart.
This is a daily choice every Christian must make. Spiritual growth is a matter of choice.
"....throw off your old evil nature and your former way of life, which is rotten through and through, full of lust and deception. In stead, there must be a spiritual renewal ofyour thoughts and attitudes. You must display a new nature because you are a new person, created in God’s likeness-righteous, holy, and true."
- Ephesians 4:22-24 (NLT)
"Jesus said, ‘Take away the stone.’ Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, ‘Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.’ Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. He cried with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come forth!’ And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Loose him, and let him go.
- Luke 11:39,41, 44b-45 (NKJV)
As with Lazarus, Christ has come to where we were. He has removed the barrier between us. He has called us from death to life, from darkness to light. Now we are alive, but we need to see the grave clothes removed if we are going to live as he has enabled us to live.
Notice the key to our spiritual growth - "there must be a spiritual renewal of your thoughts and attitudes."- Ephesians 4:23 NLT
"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind..."
- Romans 12:2a (NASB)
From our main text, we discover that there are two things involved in renewing our mind:
1. Correcting our "stinking thinking" - v. 5b
2. Conquering our personal "strongholds" - vs.4-5a
Today we will focus on correcting our "stinking thinking." Next time we will consider the subject of conquering our personal strongholds.
Three things:
1. What does it mean to renew my mind?
It means that since I have a new life to live, I must learn how to live it. If a person has been driving a Volkswagen and then trades it in for a Mercedes, they will not seek to operate the Mercedes by consulting the old Volkswagen owner’s manual! They will consult the new Mercedes owner’s manual.
Likewise, the new life we have in Christ isn’t lived according to the wisdom of my previous life. All that is worthless. I now need to consult my owner s manual" (the Bible) and learn how to live the new life I have in Christ.
Renewing my mind means that I live each day with a repentant spirit. The Greek word for repentance, "metanoia," literally means "to change one s mind." Now when we allowed Christ to touch our heart, that decision involved repentance-we changed our mind about our sin and our need of a Savior. As a result, Christ was allowed to touch our hearts.
Now, Paul tells us in Colossians 2:6 KJV, "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him."
In other words, if we are going to allow Christ to now transform our hearts, we need to be willing to change our minds about everything!
"Are you going to continue this craziness? For only crazy people would think they could complete by their own efforts what was begun by God. If you weren’t smart enough or strong enough to begin it, how do you suppose you could perfect it?"- Galatians 3:3 (The Message)
2. What are the benefits of renewing my mind?
Let’s consider four:
A. Renewing mind leads me toward a lifestyle of purity.
"How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word" - Psalm 119:9 (NIV)
"I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you" - Psalm 119:11 (NIV)
"Behold, You desire truth in the inner being; make me therefore to know wisdom in my inmost heart."
- Psalm 51:6 (Amplified)
There are three basic categories of sin:
1. Overt sins;
2. Sins of the tongue; and
3. Sins of the mind.
When I commit an overt sin, I have also sinned in my mind.
"For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he." - Proverbs 23:7 (KJV)
When I commit a sin with my tongue, I have also sinned in my mind.
"Whatever is in your heart determines what you say."- Luke 6:45 (NLT)
Dr. James Dobson tells a story about a family that lived in the Northeast part of the country. In the bitterly cold part of winter their car had become especially dirty, what with road salts, frozen slush, and other wintry deposits. Conscious of the condition of their car, this family was driving down the road and came across an unusual sight. Water was gushing into the air from a broken pipe, beneath the surface of the road. A work crew had arrived and was just getting set up. Simultaneously, the family concluded that this was the perfect occasion for a car wash. They pulled the car far enough forward to park under the shower of water. The road crew watched, somewhat puzzled, and a little amused.
Since it was still bitterly cold, they left the engine running, and kept the heater going as well. In a short time, a rather unpleasant odor began to dominate. It was about this same time that the family noticed that the water which was running down the windshield was not clear, not clear at all. Finally they understood the problem-they were not parked under the shower of a broken water main, they were under the shower of a broken sewer main. Quickly, they departed, watching the filthy matter freeze to their car in the bitter cold of that day.
B. Renewing my mind leads me to discover my identity.
Satan’s strategy:
"‘You won’t die!’ the serpent hissed. ‘God knows that your eyes will be opened when you eat it. You will become just like God, knowing everything, both good and evil’" - Genesis 3:4-5 (NLT)
God’s correction:
"You should not be like cowering, fearful slaves You should behave instead like God’s very own children, adopted into his family-calling him ‘Father, dear Father.’ For his Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we will share his treasures-for everything God gives to his Son, Christ, is ours, too." - Romans 8:15-17 (NLT)
Renewing my mind leads me to live with a sense of security.
Satan’s strategy:
"‘You won’t die!’ the serpent hissed. ‘God knows that your eyes will be opened when you eat it. You will become just like God, knowing everything, both good and evil’" - Genesis 3:4-5 (NLT)
God’s correction:
"God’s Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children." - Romans 8:16 (The Message)
"May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is."
- Ephesians 3:17-18 (NLT)
"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 8:37-39 (NIV)
Whether I am called to suffer, sacrifice, or to be stretched, I am secure!
D. Renewing my mind leads me to fulfill my destiny.
It has been said that when Jesus walked the earth, that He lived His life:
1) With nothing to hide-He pure in His lifestyle.
2) With nothing prove--He knew who He was.
3) With nothing to lose-He was secure in the father’s love.
This is how God intends for us to live! As we do, we can experience the fulfillment of our eternal destiny today, as we live just like Jesus!
3. What must I do to renew my mind?
A. Surrender to God’s Spirit (Ephesians 5:18b; 1 John 1:9).
1) This is a conscious decision.
2) This is a continuous decision.
B. Study God’s Word-the Bible is "the mind of Christ" (1 Corinthians 2:16b)
C. Surround yourself with God’s people.
D. Share God’s message.
"I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ"- Philemon 6 (NIV)
Conclusion: Romans 12:2 tells us not to be "conformed," but to be "transformed." The word "transformed" is the word from which we get our modern word "metamorphosis." When we hear this word, we commonly think of the caterpillar becoming a butterfly. In other words, Paul is telling us now that we have a new life within, we need to learn how to live it without (Philippians 2:12). When Jesus walked the earth, He was "the Word made flesh" (John 1:14). Through the process of renewing our mind, His Word, His truth will be "fleshed out in us," as we are empowered and enabled to live just like Jesus.
