Renewing The Mind

An Ethiopian family fled economical, social, and political repression in their North African country to Port Elizabeth in the southern tip of the Sub Sahara Africa. Indeed, Port Elizabeth offers the peace and the prosperity that the Ethiopian family so desired. However, norms, traditions, and way of thinking or lifestyle in Port Elizabeth are completely different from what they are used to in Ethiopia. In no time the family realised that their ability to access the enormous resources available in their new residence would depend upon how well they adapt to the norms and way of thinking in Port Elizabeth. 

The new creation has its own way of living. It is living by faith. “The just shall live by faith.” Living by faith is to live according to the word of God regardless of how one feels.

A person comes to the Lord from a background where the norms are to live according to the senses.

The Bible talks about three distinctive mind attitudes with which people identify. They are natural mind, carnal mind, and spiritual mind. The natural mind operates in a mindset that is contrary to the word of God. It is logic dependant and demands empirical evidence of the existence of God. As such it opposes anything supernatural. The carnal mind is a double-minded fellow because it vacillates between the senses and faith in God’s unchanging Word. As such carnal minded Christians are unstable (James 1:6-8). The spiritual mind lives by faith in the word of God. “The Just shall live by faith” is the orientation of the spiritual mind. The spiritual mind does not ignore the five senses, but when and where the senses conflict with the word of faith (God’s word or promise), it would lean on faith rather than on the senses.   

Like the narrative of the Ethiopian family, the renewing of the mind is a necessary condition for the believer to successfully live the new creation life and mature spiritually.

One cannot please God and access His great resources such as peace prosperity and power with natural or carnal mind attitude. When the mind is renewed fear and insecurity easily give way to boldness and assurance.