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The Renewal of
our Mind
 Romans 12:1-2
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the
mercies of God, to present your bodies as a
living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God,
which is your spiritual worship.
2Do not be conformed to this world, but be
transformed by the renewal of your mind,
that by testing you may discern what is the
will of God, what is good and acceptable
and perfect.
 So heres what I want you to do, God
helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary
lifeyour sleeping, eating, going-to-work,
and walking-around lifeand place it before
God as an offering.
Dont become so well-adjusted to your
culture that you fit into it without even
thinking.
Instead, fix your attention on God. Youll be
changed from the inside out. Readily
recognize what he wants from you, and
quickly respond to it.
 Unlike the culture around you, always
dragging you down to its level of
immaturity, God brings the best out of you,
develops well-formed maturity in you.
The Alternatives to a
Renewed Mind
The Way the World
Thinks
 1) A Debased Mind
"And since they did not see fit to
acknowledge God, God gave them up to a
debased mind to do what ought not to be
done."
(Romans 1:28)
 The Message Romans 1:28-30
Since they didnt bother to acknowledge
God, God quit bothering them and let them
run loose. And then all hell broke loose:
rampant evil, grabbing and grasping, vicious
backstabbingLook at them: mean-spirited,
venomous, fork-tongued God-bashers.
They keep inventing new ways of wrecking
livesThey know perfectly well theyre
spitting in Gods face. And they dont care
worse, they hand out prizes to those who do
the worst things best!
Want to know if your mind is
debased?
Sex
Entertainment
Want to know if your mind is
debased?
Sex
Entertainment
 2) A Blinded Mind
"In their case the god of this world has
blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep
them from seeing the light of the gospel of the
glory of Christ, who is the image of God."
(2 Cor 4:4)
 3) A Futile Mind
"Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that
you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do,
in the futility of their minds."
(Eph. 4:17)
 4) A Hostile Mind
"For the mind that is set on the flesh is
hostile to God, for it does not submit to
Gods law; indeed, it cannot."
(Romans 8:7)
LtoR: Penn Gillette, Neil Degrasse Tyson, Bill Maher, Lawrence Krauss, Christopher Hitchens,
Sam Harris, Daniel Dennett, Richard Dawkins, Ricky Gervais, Aayan Hirsi Ali
 5) A Double Mind
"5If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask
God, who gives generously to all without
reproach, and it will be given him. 6But let
him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the
one who doubts is like a wave of the sea
that is driven and tossed by the wind.
7For that person must not suppose that he
will receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a
double-minded man, unstable in all his
ways. "
(James 1:5 - 8)
 The Need for a
Renewed Mind
1) The Key To Transformation
Romans 12: 1 - 2
2 Cor. 5:17
1) The Key To Transformation
Romans 12: 1 - 2
2 Cor. 5:17
2) Important in Spiritual
Warfare
2 Corinthians 10:4 - 5
For the weapons of our warfare are not of the
flesh but have divine power to destroy
strongholds. 5We destroy arguments and
every lofty opinion raised against the
knowledge of God, and take every thought
captive to obey Christ,
3) Necessary for Faith
James 1:5 - 6
5If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God,
who gives generously to all without reproach,
and it will be given him. 6But let him ask in
faith, with no doubting, for the one who
doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven
and tossed by the wind.
4) To Know the Will of God
Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this world, but be
transformed by the renewal of your mind,
that by testing you may discern what is the
will of God, what is good and acceptable
and perfect
5) For A Proper Knowledge Of Self
Romans 12:3
How can our Mind be
Renewed?
1. Choices
1. Choices
 Die - a Living Sacrifice
Lk 9:23he [Jesus] said to all, "If anyone
would come after me, let him deny himself
and take up his cross daily and follow me.
 Die - Desires
Choice: Fleshly desires or,
the blessings in Christ?
"He is no fool to give what he
cannot keep to gain what he
cannot lose.
Jim Elliot
 Die - Habits
- what do you do (use your time for)?
- what do you think about?
- do you ask questions?
The things that captivate our hearts will
dominate our thoughts, and our thoughts
will dominate our lives.
Matt 6:21
 Die - Routines
When do you pray, read, meditate, talk...?
Php 4:8...whatever is true, whatever is honorable,
whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is
lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any
excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise,
think about these things
2. The Holy Spirit
 Ask - Luke 11:9ff
Be Filled - Eph 5:18
Produce Fruit - Gal 5:22-23
 Ask - Luke 11:9ff
Be Filled - Eph 5:18
Produce Fruit - Gal 5:22-23
 The Spirit of God acts with
considerable disturbing effect. It
is part of his nature to do so.
Donald Guthrie, NT Theology
3. Scripture
3. Scripture
Acknowledge - Heb 4:12, Isa 55:8, Rom
10:17ff
Read - when, where, how much?
Memorise - Ps 119:11, Prov. 10:14, 18:15
 Application - James 1: 22ff doers
Foundation - Matt 7:24ff wise man built his
house on the rockthese words of mine
4. Resist
 Resist being like the world -
Do not love the world or the things in the
worldthe lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes
and boastful pride of life. (1 John 2:15-16)
 Replacement Therapy -
Eph. 4:31-32
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and
clamor and slander be put away from you,
along with all malice. Be kind to one
another, tenderhearted, forgiving one
another, as God in Christ forgave you.
 Col. 3:17
And whatever you do, do it all in the name
and the authority of Jesus"