Be Transformed by the Renewing of your Mind

by David Ritchie
Published June 17, 2005

Rom 12 v 2 states, Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

It’s all in the mind, is a quite common statement and while that may be an overstatement, it is nevertheless true that a lot goes on in our minds. Our minds can take us wherever we allow them to go, which places a great responsibility on us to control our minds. Sometimes when a person with an over inflated ego makes a statement, about themselves someone will say, “Aye, but its all in your mind.” Really a lot of what goes through our minds never comes to pass, good and bad. There are thoughts, fears, anxieties, suspicions, doubts all of these prey on the mind. Many people experience character changing behaviour in their mind through illness, infections, etc. They can have all sorts of hallucinations in their minds, and can have difficulty in determining what is real and what is not. On the other hand as children we used to play in rafts in the harbour, but in our minds we were in the middle of the Atlantic in an ocean going liner.

Sometimes someone will say, “That was not nearly so bad as I thought,” referring to some experience they have had. Basically their mind had told them what to expect, but the reality was different. In a TV court drama sometimes the judge will say, “Strike that remark from the record.” However while the lawyer expected it to be struck off, he is delighted that he got it said, as he knew it could be stroked from the record, but not from the mind of the jury. Romans 8 v 11 If your sinful nature controls your mind, there is death. But if the Holy Spirit controls your mind, there is life and peace.

At one point in my life I was full of excitement and positive thinking on the way forward. Nevertheless in my mind I could not let go of some things from the past that I felt was wrong, and without realising it as I thought on them more and more I was getting into the ‘victim’ mode. In that mode we may start thinking about the injustices but gradually the vision blurs and before we know, we begin seeing ourself as a victim. It was only after a changed mindset that I was able to shake it off and move forward. Then it became clear, what did it matter- it was history God will have to sort it out, things had moved on so I had a choice - I could let my mind dwell on it and burn up or I could deal with it from a renewed mind and move forward.

Choice is another thing that affects our lives in a big way. What we decided yesterday has determined where we are today. What we decide today will determine where we will be tomorrow. Certainly there will be issues that are out with our control, however it is not the issues themselves, it is how we respond to them that makes the difference. As long as we live in the blame culture always seeing our predicament as someone else’s doing, we will never be what God intended us to be. Our choices have and will have a great effect on our lives.

When our minds are not under the control of the Spirit of God, they will lead us into all sorts of trouble. A lot of emphasis is laid on the heart, but if the mind is not brought under control, the heart will soon follow it.
Rom 7 v 25 Paul said, “In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.” There is a constant battle for the mind, TV programmes, commercials are all battling for the mind. Constantly they are trying to acclimatise our minds to certain ungodly ways of living. Planting seeds in our minds, gradually pushing back the boundaries. Millions of pounds is spent on advertising to win minds and set trends and fashions, for they know that if they can implant ideas in our minds, they will soon have our money, this is especially true where children are concerned. It all begins in the mind.

In our heart we want to do what is right, but all sorts of ideas carry our minds away. Unless we bring our minds under subjection we can be in one place in body but in another in our mind. It is even possible to partake of the emblems without entering into what we are doing because we have allowed our minds to drift. ‘Be transformed by the renewing of our minds.’ When our minds are renewed we will be at peace with God, in the knowledge that he is in control of every situation. We will see the best in everyone. We will be at peace with ourselves.

How then do we get transformed by the renewing of our minds? Was this not something that happened when we got saved? After all 2 Corr 5 v 17 states, “If any man be in Christ he is a new creation, old things have passed away, all things have become new.” Does this not include our minds? After Jesus had washed the disciples feet and Peter had said, “Not me Lord.” Jesus told him that unless he washed him he had no part with Jesus. Peter’s response was not only his feet but also all over. Jesus told him that a person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean.

At the moment of conversion everything was made new, but God did not rob us of our free will, nor make us robots that had no mind. He did not take away our ability to choose. He could have taken us to Heaven at that point for we were as clean as we were ever going to be. But he left us here to show men and women that with a free heart and mind we can live a Godly life that would bring others to God. That his regenerating work in our life would turn us from works of darkness to light, living for self to living for God, that we would demonstrate to a dying world that we have the mind of Christ. (Phil 2 - Let this mind be in you …) Through that regenerating power we can have a new mindset!
So conversion was not the finished article it was only the start, the potter was remolding his clay to change it from a vessel of dishonor to a vessel fit for the very presence of God. But we have our part to play; we need to have a ready mind, a renewed mind, a mind in tune with the Spirit of God.

God also knew there would be times when we would blow it, he made us, he knows our weak points. That’s why he made provision for us through Jesus as our High Priest and Advocate. 1 John 2v1 “If we sin we have an advocate with the father, Jesus Christ the righteous one.” Yes like Peter we have been washed all over but our minds stray and our feet follow and again they need to be washed. Thank God the potter is still working on the clay. We need to lie still in his hands, and we can only do that when both our heart and mind is submitted to him.

It’s maybe not all in the mind, but so much is, and we constantly need to bring our minds under control. Having a renewed mind is not like getting saved or baptized, things that are a one-time experience. A renewed mind is a constant thing; you can have it today and lose it tomorrow. That’s why people backslide, their mind carries them off to wherever they let it dwell. Demas is a man who was an accomplice to Paul in his early ministry and twice he is mentioned positively. Then as Paul nears the end of his life he wrote, “Demas has forsaken me having loved this present world.” (The things of this life) 2 Tim 4 v 10

A renewed mind is like being filled with the Spirit it needs to be done over and over again. It is only after our minds are renewed that we begin to see the bigger picture and realise what God’s good and perfect will is for our lives.

When our mind is renewed, our outlook changes. We walk on a higher level. Things that once bothered us are no longer important. We are no longer the victim we are over comers. It gives us no problem to say I was wrong, we can even laugh at the stupidity of situations that we got ourselves hopelessly dug into.

Take a little time on a regular to do a little mind searching, you may be surprised at what you find.

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