Be Transformed by the Renewal of your Mind

pic taken from: godandtacos.com

Before I know Christ (more accurately, Christ know me first), my thought-pattern is that of the world. Before this, yours were too. But now, however, we are in a new Kingdom and our thought-life needs to be gradually renewed so that we think the way God thinks. Paul writes, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect” (Romans 12:2, NLT); “be transformed by the renewal of your mind” (ESV) another translation puts it.

You might ask, “Richard, why our mind is very important? How about our feelings? Is our feelings doesn’t matter at all?” My answer is this: how we think governs the way we feel. Feelings are important but it needs to be subjected to our mind, and our mind needs to be subjected by the Holy Spirit. Godly-minded person produce godly-feelings – and that what make “a new person” new.

But you see, nowadays people are emphasizing more on feelings first rather than right thinking – namely, God-transformed thinking. Have you ever wonder why Christian concert is more desirable than Bible Study; motivational speaker is more in demand than Bible preacher; and church dinner is more important than church service? Why? In my observation, it is because we – in general – Malaysian Christians are taught in our churches by false teachers and popular writers to seek first religious experiences over Biblical truths. Feelings good is above right Christian doctrines. An average of 35 minutes of praise & worship session, 15 minutes of ice breakings and announcement, 30 minutes of personal testimony and only 5 minutes of preaching the Word every weekend will never produce Christ-minded Christians! Friends, wake up! Church leaders and Christian workers, wake up! We need to seek, ask and pray that God would transform our life “by the renewal of [our minds]”.

In essence, we must think God’s thoughts. How? Only by the power of the Word of God. We need to soak ourselves in the Word of God, the Scriptures daily until our thinking is renewed. God is doing it now as we seek for it. When we’re getting familiar with His Word, “God’s will for [us], which is good and pleasing and perfect” – will become clear. Our praises and worship to the Lord will burst with joy and gladness because our minds are informed with God’s Word and are subjected under the lordship of Christ. We will come to love as God loves and hate (sin) as God hates. The things that break God’s heart will begin to break ours. Our God given-thinking will governs the way we feel – and everything else. God is awesome!

Friends, “let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think”.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.