LIVE LIFE WITH A RENEWED MIND
[8-min read]
Christians are not often associated with being modern, open-minded, progressive or even sociable people. They are often accused of being resistant to change and for acting as though that God’s salvation gives them moral superiority. Admittedly, Christians are themselves conflicted between modernity and spirituality: how does one live a modern life while remaining faithful to God?
In this second-part study of Romans 12, we’ll look at verse 2: “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” The problem begins when we misread this verse and mistake it as a call to resist changes, reject all new information, and live as a social recluse in order to avoid moral contamination. Doing so can make us out of touch and ineffective.
To understand Romans 12:2, we ought to see the first part as a problem statement: “And do not be conformed to this world”. The second part is the solution: “But be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” The third part is the outcome: “So that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
As God’s children, we can expect to constantly evolve if we allow the Holy Spirit to transform our thinking. We will have access to God’s way of seeing things and His insights that bring down unproductive thinking that constantly create relational roadblocks and friction with others. Our minds will continually be refashioned and never out-of-fashion if we let the Holy Spirit do a deep work in us when we meditate on the Word of God. Assuredly, this transformation in Christlikeness is not a one-time event but is ongoing – happening every moment of every day in all ordinary situations and life crises.
But how do we keep the spiritual OS (operating system) of our minds constantly updated, yet protected against threats that enter under disguise?
The Bible offers us three safeguards to keep our spiritual minds in check against a slow decay:
1. DO NOT ENTERTAIN SIN
On the surface, this may sound straightforward, but sin is often undetectable till it becomes a full-blown habit. By then, we would have become so habituated to it that it becomes normal to us. Sin usually starts as value compromises that we casually permit. We indulge in family and friendly gossips because others ‘have it on good authority’ and we make moral verdicts based on what we hear. We let someone at work rant on about another person and commiserate without helping with a remedial perspective. We fail to take a stand against unhealthy life choices because we are afraid of losing a key relationship or being characterized as ‘difficult’. When we approach Christian living as rule-bound instead of value-based, we bend the rules every now and then to get some ‘space’.
However, sin is certainly no playground and safeguards are not old-fashioned practices. Today, we are have safeguards against pandemics, natural disasters and crowd crushes to protect people from dying. We also safeguards against information and identity thefts. We can be caught off-guard against risks and harm when we are unprepared.
The recent human tragedy in Itaewon, South Korea involved party-goers celebrating Halloween who did not expect to find themselves locked in a fatal crowd surge that killed over 150. They thought the streets were safe. Halloween had become so fashionable that people just turned up to have some fun. What killed them was a lack of safeguards.
Yet, Romans 12:2 sends a warning that is still relevant today: “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Our response is one that calls for self-regulation, discipline and discretion that conforms to the Word of God. As Christians, we ought to ask ourselves this question: is following what is fashionable and popular the only way to be modern? Is agreeing with the latest trending ideologies or becoming ‘woke’ the only way to stay relevant and sound smart? While we should read and keep ourselves informed about global developments and societal changes, we ought to let God’s Word teach us how to best live our life.
2. WATCH THE COMPANY YOU KEEP
Psalm 1:1 is essentially a relational safeguard: “Blessed is the person who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers!” Sounds simple if only it is easy to spot malicious people (Christians included), or those committing sins (many sins are not visible), or mockers who characterize those who don’t agree with them.
Like it or not, the people who mean the world to us are the people we give the greatest access of our time to. Without accepting God’s Word as a good safeguard for our life, we will constantly be conflicted and in two minds about taking the goodness and counsel of God’s Word about how we should live and who we want to give our time to.
1 Cor 15:33 also issues this reminder: “Do not be misled: bad company corrupts good character.” This is not to say that Christians are faultless. Rather, it points to God’s good character that we are called to emulate. At the same time, ‘bad company’ can be loved ones who covertly or overtly play down God’s standards that we try to live by; they are people who tell us how we should spend our weekends. They could be close ones who consistently tell us that when we face problems, self-reliance should be the first recourse rather than rely on God. They could even be people who perpetuate the idea that blessedness is the quality of happiness we pursue in life.
Think of your decades-old friendships with people you say ‘we can always pick up where we left off’ - ages ago! But if you’re honest, most of these friendships last only because you’re cautious about not taking them to new places, and as long as the old rituals are maintained. They are delicately kept on the basis of mutual agreeability with great effort taken to avoid talking about things that truly matter or things that you and your friends truly need to hear. In fact, they do nothing to help us flourish or grow as humans and as Christians. Yet, we all boast about our ability to keep friends – at all costs!
For sure, Psalm 1:1 does not suggest that we should cancel people or cut them out of our lives; rather, it reminds us to take a different posture when we are with different people in different situations. Walking, standing and sitting suggest the different postures we assume when we are spending time with others. In the area of sexual purity, we should know that sleeping together will feel natural after we have spent enough time in all other postures with another person we are not married to. However, what feels natural should never be mistaken as what is good and acceptable to God. We should not give everyone the same access to our body and time that we give God. For us to grow and be more Christlike and effective in our testimonies through our lived experiences, we need to be circumspect in our relationships and think about who we seek or take counsel from – even with family and spouses.
3. CONSUME THE WORD OF GOD
2 Corinthians 3:3 describes our lives as “a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.” As followers and disciples of Jesus Christ, we cannot treat the Word of God like a tasting menu or a buffet – selecting our favourite verses based on their palatability. What does a ‘favourite Bible verse’ even mean? Instead, we ought to consume the Word of God, mentally devouring and digesting it so that the Word gets lodged in our entire being. It will change our appetite, habits and behaviour. If not, we have not let it do its best work in transforming us.
Psalm 1:1 has to be understood in the context of what follows in verse 2, “But his delight is in the Law of the Lord, and on His Law he meditates day and night.” This means that our blessedness is the direct result of allowing the instruction and revelation of God’s Word (we call it rhema Word) to scrutinize our minds and hearts. It is about the Word being activated in the day-to-day moments and challenges of our lives, so that our lives will demonstrate and testify “what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 1:2).
Let’s be clear: ‘good’ refers to only what is good for our spiritual well-being. ‘Acceptable’ means what is acceptable to God and not what feels normative and right. And something is indicative of God’s perfect will if it does not contradict or compromise His Word. For example, God made only male and female in His image: He did not make ‘others’.
In closing, let’s pin this warning on our hearts: “Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” (Ephesians 5:15-17).
This is a summary and reflection based on a virtual BIR Session held on 5 November 2022.
