What does it mean… to the Christian to ‘renew’ your mind…? Before one is ‘born again’ by the Holy Spirit of God, his mind is focused ‘solely’ on earthly things. It is what the Bible calls the ‘carnal mind’ and it cannot please God, because its thoughts are ‘only bent’ on pleasing one’s self. Its sole agenda… is to pleasure one’s self at the cost of all else. The carnal mind drives the carnal body and nothing else is important to that one. “I – is the middle of – sIn”.
*** (Romans 8:6-to-9) For to be ‘carnally minded’ is death, but to be ‘spiritually minded’ is life and peace
(Rom 8:7) because the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can it be.
(Rom 8:8) So then they who are in the flesh ‘cannot’ please God.
(Rom 8:9) But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone ‘has not’ the Spirit of Christ, he is ‘none’ of His.
*** (Philippians 2:4-5) Do not let each man look upon his own things, but each man also on the things of others.
(Philip 2:5) For ‘let this mind’ be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
Most of all… ‘You’… as the ‘new creation’ in Christ, should seek a ‘renewed’ mind; by the Holy Word of God. Your goal is to please God with ‘obedience’ to His Holy Word. Your focus is now to please God and not to please yourself; at the expense of others. The word in the NT translated ‘Servant’, is in the Greek NT the word for “Slave”. One becomes a ‘Love Slave’ to God the Father in obedience to His Word… in order to share the… “Love of Christ” with Others!
*** (1Peter 2:1-2-3) Therefore, rid yourselves of every kind of evil and deception, hypocrisy, jealousy, and every kind of slander.
(1Pet 2:2) Like newborn babies, thirst for the pure milk of the Word so that by it you may grow in your salvation.
(1Pet 2:3) Surely you have tasted that the Lord is good!
*** (Luke 4:4) Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'One must not live on bread alone’, but on every word of God.'"
*** (James 1:22) Keep on being Doers of the Word, and NOT merely hearers who Deceive themselves.
This process is one… of your ‘Will’… I ‘will’ or I ‘will’ not…! Your human ‘free will’ is not forced to do what is good and right by God. Your response to Him; is out of ‘love and obedience’… for the price paid for your salvation, by the Death, Burial and the Resurrection of Christ Jesus from the dead. He paid your price of death… to set you free from ‘both’ the… “Power and the Penalty”… of Sin/Sins. The Holy Spirit that indwells each Truly Born Again believer… is this power to live for God and for His Word. But that ‘choice’ still remains yours and yours alone!
*** (2Peter 3:17-18) Therefore, beloved, knowing beforehand, beware lest being led away with the error of the lawless, you fall from your own steadfastness.
(2Pet 3:18) But grow in grace and in knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
*** (John 3:30) He [Jesus] must increase, but I [me] must decrease.
*** (Luke 7:41-42-43) There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. The one owed five hundred denarius, and the other fifty.
(Luke 7:42) And they having nothing to pay, he freely forgave both. Then which of them do you say will love him most?
(Luke 7:43) And answering, Simon said, I suppose that one to whom he forgave most. And He said to him, You have judged rightly.
This is a ‘life–long’ process… and does not happen overnight. When one comes to Christ on His “Terms”… John 7:38-39… “As the Scripture has said”… his or her “Position in Christ”… from Carnal to Spiritual is immediate… being Born Again [Born from Above]… by the Holy Spirit of God. But their… “Practice in Christ”… i.e. “How they Love and Serve Him”… is a matter of Spiritual Growth. God gives His Holy Spirit to that new believer… so that they may… “Know the Things of Christ!” These verses will show the transition and how God works in His new creation… “You!”
*** (Ephesians 1:7-to-14) In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace,
(Eph 1:8) which He caused to abound toward us in all wisdom and understanding;
(Eph 1:9) having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself,
(Eph 1:10) for an administration of the fullness of times, to head up all things in Christ, both the things in Heaven, and the things on earth, even in Him,
(Eph 1:11) in whom also we have been chosen to an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His own will,
(Eph 1:12) for us to be to the praise of His glory, who previously had trusted in Christ;
(Eph 1:13) in whom also you, hearing the Word of Truth, the gospel of our salvation, in whom also believing, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
(Eph 1:14) who is the earnest of our inheritance, to the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
Once again your… “Position is Eternally Secure”… “Romans 8:9”… But Your “Practice”… is a matter of Spiritual Growth! A human baby does not automatically eat ‘Steak & Potatoes’… but is fed milk and then develops an appetite for solid food with ‘likes & dislikes’. As a baby, I would not eat Peas! Even as a young child I would ‘not’ eat pea soup and would even go to be hungry to avoid it. Still as an adult, when invited out for Thanksgiving dinner, I will only eat a ‘no thank you helping – one teaspoon helping’… as a matter of courtesy and respect to my host.
*** (1Corinthians 9:24-to-27) You know that in a race all the runners run but only one wins the prize, don't you? You must run in such a way that you may be victorious.
(1Cor 9:25) Everyone who enters an athletic contest practices self-control in everything. They do it to win a wreath that dies, but we to win one that never dies.
(1Cor 9:26) That is the way I run, with a clear goal in mind. That is the way I box, not like someone punching the air.
(1Cor 9:27) No, I keep on beating my body and making it my slave so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not somehow be disqualified.
*** (Luke 17:10) So likewise you, when you shall have done all the things commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants, for we have done what we ‘ought’ to do.
*** (Romans 12:1-2) I therefore urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercies, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices that are holy and pleasing to God, for this is the reasonable way for you to worship.
(Rom 12:2) Do not be conformed to this world, but continually be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you may be able to determine what God's will is-what is proper, pleasing, and perfect.
This process begins… and continues when one… “Reads & Studies & Knows and Obeys”… the Word of God. God the Father cares for His children and will ‘not allow’ you to stray from the Path of Righteousness. Those that are really His… are corrected and chastened = “Spanked”… by the Father when they purposely disobey His Word. His love for you is too much… to allow you to return to the World and its ‘passing’ pleasures. Those that say they knew Christ once… and have turned away from the Word… were really ‘never’ born again by the Holy Spirit of God.
*** (Hebrews 12:5-to-8) And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons, "My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when you are rebuked by Him;
(Heb 12:6) for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and He scourges every son whom He receives."
(Heb 12:7) If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons, for what son is he whom the father does not chasten?
(Heb 12:8) But if you are ‘without chastisement’, of which all [say they] are partakers, then you are = “Bastards” [illegitimate] = and ‘not’ sons [Children of God].
*** (1Corinthians 11:30-31-32) That's why so ‘many’ of you are weak and sick and a considerable number are ‘dying’.
(1Cor 11:31) But if we judged ourselves ‘correctly’, we would not be judged.
(1Cor 11:32) Now, while we are being judged by the Lord, we are ‘being disciplined’ lest we be condemned along with the world.
*** (1John 2:19) They went out from us, “but they were not of us”; for if they were of us, they would have ‘continued’ with us. ‘But’ they went out so that it ‘might be revealed’ that they were ‘not’ all of us.
This ‘Growth Process’… begins with a Study which includes a Practice… of the Word of God. Just knowing the Word… will cause pride… but couple that with “Obedience to the Word of God”… and that will cause ‘Humility & Boldness’; to Speak the Truth of God… so that others may come to Him for Salvation. … “John 10:16”… Many say they… “Love Jesus”… but ‘hardly ever’… “Study To Obey”… His Word. If you truly Love Jesus… wouldn’t you demonstrate that to Him… just the way He did so with His Father… God?
*** (1John 2:3-to-6) And by this we know that we have known Him, if we keep His commandments.
(1Jn 2:4) He who says, I have known Him, and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
(1Jn 2:5) But whoever keeps His Word, truly in this one the love of God is perfected. By this we know that we are in Him.
(1Jn 2:6) He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk even as He walked.
*** (John 15:2-to-6) Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away. And every one that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bring forth more fruit.
(John 15:3) Now you are clean through the Word which I have spoken to you.
(John 15:4) Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.
(John 15:5) I am the Vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
(John 15:6) If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered. And they gather and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
*** (John 12:44-to-50) But Jesus cried out and said, He who believes on Me does not believe on Me but on Him who sent Me.
(John 12:45) And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me.
(John 12:46) I have come as a Light into the world, so that whoever believes on Me should not remain in darkness.
(John 12:47) And if any one hears My Words and does not believe, I do not judge him, for I do not come to judge the world, but to save the world.
(John 12:48) He who rejects Me and does not receive My Words has one who judges him; the Word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.
(John 12:49) For I have not spoken of Myself, but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say, and what I should speak.
(John 12:50) And I know that His command is life everlasting. Therefore whatever I speak, even as the Father said to Me, so I speak.
How about IT…? If you ‘have not’ started before… What about “NOW?” Open your Bible and get started. If you have not intently started your study in the Word before… perhaps today… being the first day of the rest of your life… “Get Started?” As Jesus met with His Father… Mark 1:35… meet with your Father… in His Word… so that He may reveal Himself to ‘You’… “1Samuel 3:21?” Before getting started… you must prepare your Heart. Confess any un- confessed sin… 1John 1:5-to-20… and ask God to prepare your heart… for His Word!
*** (James 1:22) Keep on being doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves.
*** (2Chronicles 12:14) And he did ‘the evil’ because he ‘did not prepare’ his heart to seek Jehovah [God].
*** (Ezra 7:10) For Ezra had ‘prepared his heart’ to seek the Law of Jehovah, and ‘to do it’, and to teach statutes and judgments in Israel.
http://truth459.blogspot.com/2009/03/which-bible-101.html Which Bible - 101?
*******
*** (Psalms 138:2) I will worship = toward Your holy temple, = and = praise Your Name = for Your loving-kindness = and = for “Your Truth's” sake; = for You [God] = have magnified = Your Word = ‘above all’ = Your Name. = [Psalms 119:18 & 1Samuel 3:21 & Deuteronomy 29:29]
Thank you for Your EAR! [Job 12:11] Roger //Email// atruth459@yahoo.com
Home Page: http://truth459.blogspot.com/
Ende…!
