Be Renewed
"Be renewed in the spirit of your mind and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth." Eph 4:23-24
When I think about this passage, a number of thoughts come to mind. Paul uses this phrase in his epistles a number of times to "put on" or "put off" like a person puts on clothing. I actually used a jacket to illustrate that one time in a sermon. We need to make a conscious choice to put on one and to take off another. Even as believers, we can remain in the flesh. It is a daily decision, to cling to Jesus and to let go of the things of the flesh.
You notice that Paul emphasizes "the mind" in verse 23. It basically is challenging me that I need to change the way I am thinking and to adopt a biblical view of my world, of who I am and who God is. When we adopt this new way of thinking it is renewing. For example, the Bible tells me God loves and cares for me. It tells me that he hears my prayers. I have to remind myself of this daily. That though this world may seem cruel, God does love me. God does care about the things that are on my mind. Not only that, but that he wants to hear from me!
I think it also means that God wants us to change our way of thinking in terms of priorities. The world system in some places in the Bible is referred to as a "Babylon" or "Rome". You see this in Revelations 18 where the world system is described as the whore Babylon. The world is guilty of committing spiritual adultery with this whore. They have not remained faithful to God and His values. I am sanctified or "set apart" for the purpose of his kingdom. God calls us to set ourselves apart and to be different. Different in thinking and different in priorities.
This concept also means that we are different in values. The world appears to place a low value on human life. When gunman can open fire on crowds protesting in Egypt or Syria or places like that they are saying that those who they are firing upon are not valued. When we call unborn babies a choice and abort millions of babies a year it shows what our true values are. In contrast to this, our values are placed in people, because Jesus found people valueable. To the point that he was willing to suffer and die for save us.
This true is so renewing, that God loves us, wants to hear from us and values our relationship with Him.
When I think about this passage, a number of thoughts come to mind. Paul uses this phrase in his epistles a number of times to "put on" or "put off" like a person puts on clothing. I actually used a jacket to illustrate that one time in a sermon. We need to make a conscious choice to put on one and to take off another. Even as believers, we can remain in the flesh. It is a daily decision, to cling to Jesus and to let go of the things of the flesh.
You notice that Paul emphasizes "the mind" in verse 23. It basically is challenging me that I need to change the way I am thinking and to adopt a biblical view of my world, of who I am and who God is. When we adopt this new way of thinking it is renewing. For example, the Bible tells me God loves and cares for me. It tells me that he hears my prayers. I have to remind myself of this daily. That though this world may seem cruel, God does love me. God does care about the things that are on my mind. Not only that, but that he wants to hear from me!
I think it also means that God wants us to change our way of thinking in terms of priorities. The world system in some places in the Bible is referred to as a "Babylon" or "Rome". You see this in Revelations 18 where the world system is described as the whore Babylon. The world is guilty of committing spiritual adultery with this whore. They have not remained faithful to God and His values. I am sanctified or "set apart" for the purpose of his kingdom. God calls us to set ourselves apart and to be different. Different in thinking and different in priorities.
This concept also means that we are different in values. The world appears to place a low value on human life. When gunman can open fire on crowds protesting in Egypt or Syria or places like that they are saying that those who they are firing upon are not valued. When we call unborn babies a choice and abort millions of babies a year it shows what our true values are. In contrast to this, our values are placed in people, because Jesus found people valueable. To the point that he was willing to suffer and die for save us.
This true is so renewing, that God loves us, wants to hear from us and values our relationship with Him.
