Thinking God’s Thoughts, Romans 12:1-2; Ephesians 4:17-20
Introduction
In the Christian life there is perhaps no other doctrine which is more directly applicable or important than that of the renewal of the mind. Indeed, is it not the continual and ongoing process of the changing of the thought patterns and presuppositions of the believer that facilitate spiritual development? The battles of the spiritual realm are most often fought in the minds of believers as we leave behind carnal patterns of thought and embrace the thoughts of God. Then, through intentional spiritual disciplines, the Christ-centered thoughts of our minds manifest themselves through Christ-reflecting patterns of living. In what follows I will expand upon these themes by expositing what it very likely the best example and source of such themes in the entire Bible; Romans 12:1–2 and Ephesians 4:17–20.
If we are going to have victory in the Christian life as individuals and as a church then we must embrace the biblical concept of replacing our thoughts with the thoughts of God. In other words, we have to learn to be no conformed to this world but transformed by the renewing of our minds. How are we to avoid compromise in the Christian life apart from renewed thinking? How are we to live the Christian life in any substantive way if our minds are full of worldly, carnal, selfish, self-defeating, wrong-headed thoughts?
Illustration
“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" (Rom. 12:2). When an individual or a congregation has the attitude of compromise in regard to spiritual values and truths, dark days are ahead. All who strive to be Christians feel a certain amount of pressure from the world. Through the strength that Christ gives, we can overcome the world and its temptations.
A man starting a fish business put out his sign that read, "Fresh Fish For Sale Today" and invited all to visit his place of business on opening day. Many came and congratulated him on his new business, but one suggested that he change his sign. "Why the ’Today’? It is today." So he removed the "Today". Someone else said, "Why, ’For Sale’? Everybody knows you have fish for sale--or else why the store?" The words "For Sale" came off the sign. Another said, "Why the word ’Fresh’? You are a man of integrity, that guarantees your fish to be fresh."
"Fresh" came off the sign. Only one word was left, "Fish" and one complained about it. "I smelled your fish two blocks away." The individual or congregation that tries to satisfy everybody ends up by pleasing nobody. If we start compromising, we will end up serving the devil. The man should have put up his sign and then stood by it. This is what we are to do in life. Accept God’s will for our lives and stand on His promises.
Transition
If we desire victory in the Christian life we must allow the Holy Spirit to change our very thought patterns. What we do proceeds from our will, our experiences, and most notably, from our thoughts.
This morning we will look at what the Bible has to say about the renewal of our minds; about the trading in of our carnal thoughts for the thoughts of God!
Exposition
This morning we will go through the Scriptures and examine each of these in close detail to see exactly what the Apostle, inspired by the Holy Spirit, is telling us the renewal of the mind and how we can apply that to our spiritual development.
Romans 12:1: Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy: The Apostle Paul opens this section of his letter to the Romans not in exhortation of his apostolic authority or even with an admonishment toward pleasing the Lord.
The Apostle urges the readers of his letter toward a right response to the grace that God has poured out to believers. In light of what God has already done for us, he says; let us respond favorably to the call of God. Paul then expounds on that theme, giving it definition with regard to the renewal of the mind.
To offer your bodies as living sacrifices: In contrast the sacrificial system of the Temple, the apostle encourages believers to present themselves as a living sacrifice. In the Old Testament system the Israelites would sacrifice an animal to the Lord as a sign of their dedication and trust in Yahweh. The shedding of blood was a requirement for the remission of sins as a foreshadowing of Christ’s ultimate sacrifice. As that system has been fulfilled in Christ, so now, we show our dedication and trust in Lord by way of offering a life that is lived set apart, sanctified, unto the Lord.
Not only our possessions, as the sacrifice of animal and harvest demonstrated in the Old Testament, but our entire lives belong to the Lord!
Holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship: The act of offering’s one’s body as a living sacrifice to the Lord is an act of worship. The Christian life is not lived in a vacuum of application. It is not merely the ascent of the mind to a particular ethos or the embracing of a philosophy which is satisfying to the heart. While these are both components of the Christian journey, the ultimate expression of worship is not found in the singing of hymns or the reading of liturgy on Sunday morning; it is most fully expressed in a life which is dedicated to God in the power of the Holy Spirit day to day, experience to experience, moment by moment, as we become like Christ; life liturgy!
Romans 12:2: Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind: Followers of Christ are called to be set apart from the patterns of thought in this world. It is assumed in this statement that the pattern of this world is not reflective of the pure life of Christ. This world is fallen and its patterns are corrupt. The kingdoms of the world express their authority by domination; power-over.
In the Kingdom of God, power is most fully expressed in the offer of salvation through sacrifice; power-under. For the believer to maintain old patterns of thought that they had prior to coming to Christ is to maintain a foundation of corruption while attempting to build a structure of holiness. It is akin to attempting to forge a great and mighty river on a bridge which does not extend fully across the mighty torrent.
Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will: Believers who desire to see spiritual growth and maturity must allow the Holy Spirit to work inside of their minds to bring holiness as an experiential reality. It is not enough to love Christ is one does not allow that love to blossom into new patterns of thought that will lead to right action. An outward show of holiness cannot last or produce real spiritual fruit. Only when the mind is renewed can deep and lasting change come in the life of the follower of Jesus Christ who will demonstrate outwardly the work wrought in them inwardly. In demonstrating the beauty and love of Christ in one’s life, the believer moves from a place of self direction and selfish motives to a place of dependence upon God. The believer whose mind is transformed and renewed will find themselves desiring to do God’s will as a natural consequence of having the mind of Christ fashioned in them as our thoughts are gradually replaced by God’s thoughts; as our carnal patterns of thought are transformed into holy thoughts.
Ephesians 4:17: So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking: Inherent in the Apostles address is the idea that the gentiles live in futility of thought. Perhaps the Apostle Paul is speaking more to the “unbelieving world” in this instance than he is specifically speaking to non-Jews.
Those who are outside of the covenant of the Lord develop and devise many vain and fleeting philosophies. Such ideas separate one from the pure wisdom God and thus, lead to futile thinking. Paul admonishes believers to adopt the thought patterns of Christ rather than the thought patterns of the fallen world. It is right for believers to live set apart from the world in their patterns and thinking even as this renewed thought leads to total and pure engagement with the world as ambassadors for Christ.
Ephesians 4:18: They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts: One aspect of the fall of humanity into sin is that the human mind has been darkened to the understanding and the human heart has naturally been hardened to truth and love. When humanity stepped outside of the will of God the consequences reached to the depths of his very soul; he has been inexorably changed apart from the power of the love of Christ manifest in the heart and mind of the believer.
Ephesians 4:19: Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more: Sin’s nature is to corrupt and further to continue to corrupt. Sin is an unwelcomed guest that takes what he can, then takes what he can by force, and continues until nothing of value remains. The unbelieving world sees nothing wrong with sin because apart from the presence of Christ there is no conviction of sin; in their lack of ability to perceive God and unwillingness to respond to grace they are lost.
Having been born with the inheritance of sin, it is imperative for believers to cast off the restraints of sin by embracing the mind of Christ.
Ephesians 4:20: You, however, did not come to know Christ that way: Those who have received the pure Gospel of Jesus Christ have received the ability to perceive the working and moving of the Holy Spirit in the world and in their lives. For those who have received Christ more expected but alas more is given, for the Christian has received not only the command to be renewed but the power of renewal according to the presence of the Holy Spirit at work within.
Praises be to the God of our salvation, redemption, and sanctification. Though we will not see pure holiness in this life, we are moved ever closer as we yield to the work of God in our lives. By opening up His word, in prayer, in worship, in the day to day application of biblical truth in our lives we draw nearer and nearer to the throne of God and to the very heart of God.
Conclusion
Victory in the Christian life is contingent almost entirely upon our right attitude which proceeds from right thoughts. A good tree bears good fruit. Right thinking leads to right action.
Charles Swindoll said: “The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company, a church, a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past, we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string that we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10 percent what happens to me and 90 percent how I react to it. And so it is with you. We are in charge of our attitudes.”
Dear child of God, today, if you will only hearken unto the sound of His voice calling out to you; lay down all that you are and I will come into you; let go of worldly thinking and embrace rather the mind of Christ; the thoughts of God. Amen.
