08/10
Renewing the Mind
Romans 12:1-2 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
Romans 13:12-14 “The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.”
What does it mean to offer our body as a living sacrifice? This is an important question and the Biblical answer is found in verse two in the very next sentence. Paul tells us to live in a way that is holy, pleasing to God, and to live as an act of worship. Think about that, we honor God by living in a way that is worshipful, holy, and pleasing to God and all this can be done through how we treat our bodies or the physical outworking of our lives. How we treat our bodies always starts on the inside and flows out from the spiritual into the physical. How a person treats their bodies is a reflection of what is happening inside them. If a person is a glutton or doesn't care for their body, or cuts themselves, or starves themselves, these are all reflections of something unhealthy happening inside that person's heart and mind. In the same way, lust and the pursuit of sensual desires and physical pleasure, are a reflection of something happening in our heart and mind, in the way we think and feel. Anything in the physical is simply an extension or outworking of the spiritual part of us. In that way, sensuality is not the root problem, masturbation is not the root problem, and viewing pornography is not the root problem. The problem always resides in the spirit. The issue is one of Lordship. What will you worship with your life? Who is the Lord of your life? Will you conform to the pattern of this world, or will you be transformed from the inside out through the renewing of your mind? These are all choices that you will get to decide. No one else will make Jesus the Lord of your life, and no one else will transform your life through the renewing of your mind. These are all things that you will either step into or not. When we don't renew our mind, we are left with a mind that remains conformed to the pattern of this world and that pattern is a pattern of lust and shame.
Paul goes on in the next chapter to remind those who call themselves Christians to set aside the ways and patterns of the world, the old self that delights in carousing, drunkenness, immorality, debauchery, dissension, and jealousy. All of those negative traits are acting out thoughts and emotions that should have been taken captive, if your mind was renewed. Instead of thinking about how to gratify the desires of the flesh, in our new self, we clothe ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ. Then our thoughts begin to change and we think in a way in which the spirit comes first and becomes a higher priority than our flesh. This is not easy, it is a process that begins with a small step, but it is the only way we are changed from the inside out.
Romans 13:12-14 “The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.”
What does it mean to offer our body as a living sacrifice? This is an important question and the Biblical answer is found in verse two in the very next sentence. Paul tells us to live in a way that is holy, pleasing to God, and to live as an act of worship. Think about that, we honor God by living in a way that is worshipful, holy, and pleasing to God and all this can be done through how we treat our bodies or the physical outworking of our lives. How we treat our bodies always starts on the inside and flows out from the spiritual into the physical. How a person treats their bodies is a reflection of what is happening inside them. If a person is a glutton or doesn't care for their body, or cuts themselves, or starves themselves, these are all reflections of something unhealthy happening inside that person's heart and mind. In the same way, lust and the pursuit of sensual desires and physical pleasure, are a reflection of something happening in our heart and mind, in the way we think and feel. Anything in the physical is simply an extension or outworking of the spiritual part of us. In that way, sensuality is not the root problem, masturbation is not the root problem, and viewing pornography is not the root problem. The problem always resides in the spirit. The issue is one of Lordship. What will you worship with your life? Who is the Lord of your life? Will you conform to the pattern of this world, or will you be transformed from the inside out through the renewing of your mind? These are all choices that you will get to decide. No one else will make Jesus the Lord of your life, and no one else will transform your life through the renewing of your mind. These are all things that you will either step into or not. When we don't renew our mind, we are left with a mind that remains conformed to the pattern of this world and that pattern is a pattern of lust and shame.
Paul goes on in the next chapter to remind those who call themselves Christians to set aside the ways and patterns of the world, the old self that delights in carousing, drunkenness, immorality, debauchery, dissension, and jealousy. All of those negative traits are acting out thoughts and emotions that should have been taken captive, if your mind was renewed. Instead of thinking about how to gratify the desires of the flesh, in our new self, we clothe ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ. Then our thoughts begin to change and we think in a way in which the spirit comes first and becomes a higher priority than our flesh. This is not easy, it is a process that begins with a small step, but it is the only way we are changed from the inside out.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
- What can you do this week to help renew your mind?
- What are some healthy habits you can implement throughout your week to lay down lordship to God in this area?
BIBLE READING PLAN
Check out this bible reading plan all about renewing your mind to have the mind of Christ.