The Renewed Mind

Rightly Diving The Word: The Renewed Mind

Renewing the mind has been one of the most misunderstood principles in the Body of Christ. It has contributed to the lack of spiritual growth in the Body. However, by rightly dividing the

Word, we are going to allow the Word to reveal the truth about this matter. Please do not be deceived. The renewal of the mind is something the Father did at salvation. It is not something that is being done after salvation. On the day we received the Lord Jesus Christ at our born again experience, everything that was in Christ came into us. We received His mind. But we have the mind of Christ (1

Corinthians 2:16). We often say that we have Jesus Christ on the inside. What this really means is the personage of Jesus Christ came by way of the Holy Ghost. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you (John 14:26). Everything about Jesus Christ is contained in the Holy Ghost. What Jesus Christ taught while He was here on earth, is the same thing being taught today by the Holy Ghost, through the lives of His people.

Acts 2:1

1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

Keeping this scripture within the context, its setting, Jesus Christ has ascended back to the Father in heaven. The disciples, however, are waiting in Jerusalem, in the upper room, for the promise of

the Father, as they were instructed by Jesus Christ to do. The word Pente means fifty (50). However, the day of Pentecost itself had nothing to do with the coming of the Holy Ghost.

Pentecost was the fifty days of harvest celebrated by the Jews who came into Jerusalem from all nations. But God, who knows all things, and who worked all things after the counsel of His own will (Ephesians 1:11b), knew that Jews from all parts of the world would be in Jerusalem on this day. He allows Jesus Christ to walk the earth for forty (40) days after His resurrection, before ascending to Him (the Father). He allowed the disciples and others to go into the upper room and wait the other ten (10) days for the promise of the Father, which is the Holy Ghost. When the day of Pentecost was fully come, God allowed the Holy Ghost to come to the earth.

Acts 1:2-5

2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:

3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.

5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

The key verses here are verses three and four. Jesus instructs them to wait on the promise of the Father that He had spoken of. Then He tells them what the promise is, the Holy Ghost.

Hebrews 11:4-5, 7-8, 20-23, 32-40

4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God

testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

...

7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house;

by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

...

20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.

21 By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.

22 By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.

23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment.

...

32 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David

also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:

33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions.

34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:

36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:

37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;

38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:

40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. These great men of God who were under the Mosaic Law, believed God, however, they did not receive the promise of the Father.

God has provided a better thing for us, the Church. The Old Testament saints could not receive until we were made perfect by the Holy Spirit. In other words, they could not receive the Holy Ghost until we received Him. In addition, this scripture declares that perfection comes by the receiving of the Holy Ghost, which rules out the fact man had anything to do with it; it

is what God did by His Spirit. Remember, we are setting the boundaries of the faith, which hinges on the Life or Mind of Christ. The boundaries being: oneness, faith, purpose, and suffering. However, theologians are teaching that after salvation, we have to still come into the Mind of Christ through the continuous learning of the Word of God, and that this is when our mind is being renewed. One scripture, among others, that they use to try and substantiate this principle is:

Romans 12:2

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

For all intents and purposes, every time we see the term renew, renewing or renewal in the scriptures, we need to think on its definition: new, fresh, strengthened and regenerated.

If we take it out of context, being transformed by the renewing of the mind, sounds as if the scripture is saying that we are going to be transformed into the mind or character of Christ by renewing

our mind. This makes it something that we have to do. In other words, this is a process, and this process of renewing our minds is the method by which we will be transformed.

Titus 3:1-5

1 Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work,

2 To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.

3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.

4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,

5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost

There is no process that we have to go through to attain the mind of Christ. It was given to us at the receiving of the Holy Ghost. He renewed our mind when we were birthed into Christ. However,

if we are not persuaded that our mind has been renewed by the Holy Spirit, consider the following scripture:

I Corinthians 2:16

For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

This scripture clearly states that we have the mind of Christ. It does not say we will eventually get it as we renew our mind. If the Holy Ghost has not renewed our mind, we could not receive

instructions from the Lord. We would not be able to comprehend the Word of God. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2:14).