A Renewed Mind – A New Mindset (Part 1)
· What does renewed mean? To be spiritually transformed, to take on a new mindset.
In a couple of days, there will be challenges about scriptures that are used that I feel according to the Word of God, are misinterpreted. So, the title of this series is “A Renewed Mind”- this means that we need to think like Christ and come out our way of thinking.
· I beseech (urge) you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith (Romans 12:1-3).
· Each of us has been THE measure of faith, not a measure, because we all started off at the same level, that’s why we do not have the right to think more highly of ourselves than we ought. Example: If you were told to pick up a chair, you would pick up any chair in the room. However, if you were told to pick up the chair, you would pick up a specific chair. Therefore, we were given the specific (same, clearly defined or identified) measure of faith.
· Since we started our walk with the Lord with the same measure of faith, no one is better than the other. For there is no respect of persons with God (Romans 2:11).
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:5). Jesus humbled Himself and God highly exalted Him. Pride keeps us from being open to the truth of God’s Word; that’s why the Word of God is mishandled. My people perish [are destroyed] for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge (Hosea 4:6).
Perish in this sense means to suffer loss, meaning to not live a victorious and effective life, and whatever errors are passed on to others causes them to suffer loss, if they accept what is told as being correct. Not only that, but it also affects our eternal status - One cannot lose their salvation, but there will be a loss of rewards. Why? Because the person ran the race the way they wanted to, rather than adhering to God’s rules. Pride keeps us from being open to the truth of God’s Word; that’s why the Word is mishandled.
Pause: I have been and still make mistakes, but I am willing to correct them. When people challenge me, I go back and search out the scriptures again to see if I was wrong.
· Search for yourselves - I am not against any leader per say, but I do not agree with erroneous teaching. Paul the apostle is the prime example of someone with a renewed mind, and it is evidenced by his epistles. He had to change his old way of thinking and develop a new mind set. Before Paul’s born again experience he was taught by the best scholars, but once he came into a relationship with Christ, he changed his way of thinking.
· Paul wrote about what he was and what he became. With that being so, we much be careful that Paul’s writings are understood; he speaks of what he was (some take that as present tense), and he also talks of His present walk.
· In studying the Word of God, this is very essential; see what the scripture is not saying and then see what it is saying. Not only that, reason within yourself, does it make sense?
Example: Some translations say that God hated Esau. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated (Romans 9:13). The scripture means God preferred Jacob over Esau, otherwise the scripture would be contradictory since God LOVES everybody. Remember to see what it is not saying and what it is saying.
Tomorrow- Part 2 of the Introduction “A Renewed Mind”
God bless you ~ Betty A. Burnett
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