Being Born Again Is a Renewal of Mind

Question

What does it hateful to be transformed past the renewing of the mind?

Answer

The phrase "transformed past the renewing of the mind" is institute in Romans 12:ii. Chapter 12 marks the transition in that epistle from the apostle Paul's theological pedagogy to his practical education. The book of Romans is probably the closest thing in the Bible to a systematic theology. Paul did not found the church at Rome, only he had every intention of visiting that church building on his way to Spain. Equally a result, Paul wrote this epistle as a way of introducing himself to that congregation and to give them an overview of the gospel and what it means in the lives of believers.

Subsequently teaching the great doctrine regarding the gospel of God's righteousness that is ours through organized religion in Christ in Romans capacity 1—xi, Paul begins to exhort us to godly living. How are nosotros to live in light of the saving power of the gospel? That is what Romans 12—xvi aims to teach. The applied section of Romans begins with a great "therefore." Seeing all that God did on our behalf, therefore live like this. The first of Paul'south great exhortations is to be renewed in our minds:

"I appeal to yous therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to nowadays your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and adequate to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do non exist conformed to this globe, but exist transformed past the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is proficient and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12:1–2).

The phrase "the mercies of God" refers to all of what has preceded in chapters 1—xi. The exhortation that Paul presents is that since we have been the gracious recipients of God's great mercies, we are to be "living sacrifices" to God. How do we practice this? We are living sacrifices to God by not conforming to this world, but past being transformed by the renewal of our minds.

This exhortation really serves as a summary statement of all that follows. A living cede to God is i who does not arrange, but is transformed. We are non to be conformed to this earth. Paul is using the discussion world here to refer to the spirit of the age. In other words, world refers to the popular worldview that rejects God and His revelation. As unbelievers, we are naturally conformed to the globe (Ephesians 2:1–iii). As believers, we are no longer conformed to this world because we no longer belong to the spirit of this age. We have been translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God's dear Son (Colossians 1:xiii). Therefore, rather than continuing to conform to this world, we are to be transformed past having our minds renewed.

Information technology is interesting to notation that Paul says that nosotros must be transformed by the renewing of our "minds." The mind is the cardinal to the Christian life. The reason why non-Christians practice not respond to Christian truth is that they cannot discern spiritual truth (1 Corinthians 2:14). The gospel is a call for the unbeliever to repent of his sin and embrace Christ past faith. The Greek discussion translated "repentance" carries the notion of a modify of mind. Our thinking must be inverse (transformed) from old, ungodly ways of thinking into new, godly means of thinking. What we know in our minds to exist true forms a conviction in our hearts of that truth, and that conviction in our hearts translates into action. Therefore, we must first renew our minds.

The only way to supplant the mistake of the world's style of thinking is to supersede it with God's truth, and the only infallible source of God'south truth is His revealed Discussion, the Bible. Transformation through renewed minds comes every bit believers expose themselves to God'due south Word through the true-blue exposition of it each calendar week in church, personal Bible study, and group Bible report. A solid church building that believes in preaching the Word, reading the Give-and-take, and singing the Discussion is invaluable in helping us renew our minds.

There are no shortcuts. In that location is no magical formula for renewing our minds. We must fill our minds with God's Word. Equally Jesus prayed to the Male parent, "Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth" (John 17:17).

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What does it hateful to be transformed by the renewing of the mind?

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This page last updated: January 4, 2022

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