Classic Sermon #6050: The Renewing of the Mind
Dr. Roberto Miranda(Audio: Spanish)
SUMMARY:
In Ephesians 4:17-32, the Apostle Paul speaks about the importance of holiness for Christians. He emphasizes that holiness is not an option, but a requirement from the Lord. He contrasts the way the Gentiles walk with the way of Christ, and encourages Christians to put off the old man, which refers to the external carnal man that has been strengthened by sin and cannot conceive the things of God. Christians are called to renew themselves in the spirit of their minds and put on the new man created in righteousness and holiness of truth. This requires discarding lies, speaking truth with others, controlling anger, not stealing, using words that edify, and forgiving one another. Christians must get rid of everything that does not glorify God in their lives, including attitudes, fears, and speech that dishonor the Lord.
The speaker emphasizes the need for Christians to let go of their old ways, to get rid of the "old man" who is corrupted by the desires of the world. He compares Satan to a skilled hunter who sets traps for humans in the form of deceitful desires. The only way to overcome this is through renewal in the spirit of the mind and plugging into the divine energy of God. The speaker encourages young people to focus on the things above, to prioritize the search for God's glory in their lives, and to make their bodies a temple for the Holy Spirit. Ultimately, the speaker reminds us that although our outer man may wear out, our interior spirit is renewed from day to day, producing an even more excellent and eternal weight of Glory.
The only hope for true renewal and transformation in life is in Christ Jesus. Men try to renew themselves periodically, but they only collect dust and debris, as they close the windows to the glory of God. Only in Jesus can we receive a spiritual renewal from within. The renewal process begins when we receive Christ in our lives, and as we submit different parts of our being to Him, He purifies our minds and gradually renews a new life in us. This process can only be fulfilled in our lives if God passes us through the cross of Christ, where the weapon God uses to transform and renew us is the cross of Christ made real in our lives. The Lord wants us to obey His word, submit to Him, and put on the new man in Christ Jesus, where we have the joy, peace, and rest for our souls that we lack despite everything we adorn our lives with. The only hope of true change in our lives is in Christ Jesus, in the blood that Christ has shed for us on the cross of Calvary.
God offers rest and salvation to those who believe in Him through His son Jesus Christ. Believing is all that is required to receive this gift.Ephesians chapter 4, verse 17 onwards. And let us listen to the word of the Lord that speaks to you, it speaks to me that it can change my life if I open my heart to its regenerative effect. Says the word of the Lord: "This I say and require in the Lord that you no longer walk like the other Gentiles who walk in the vanity of their minds, having their understanding darkened, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because the hardness of their hearts, which after they lost all sensitivity they gave over to lasciviousness to greedily commit all kinds of impurity. But you have not learned Christ like this. Truly you have heard him and have been taught by him according to the truth that is in Jesus.”
And this is the passage that concerns us, these three verses today. It says: 'As for the past way of living, put off the old man that is vitiated according to deceitful desires and renew yourselves in the spirit of your mind and put on the new man created in one God in righteousness and holiness of truth. For this reason, discarding the lie, speak truth each one with his neighbor, that we are members one of the others. Get angry but do not sin, do not set the sun on your anger, do not give place to the devil.