Key Verse: “To take off your former way of life, the old self that is corrupted by deceitful desires, 23 to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, the one created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth.” (Ephesians 4:22-24 CSB)
One of the things that a car, a coffee maker, a furnace and a swimming pool all have in common is that they require a properly functioning filter in order to run effectively. If the filter is damaged or clogged, then problems tend to arise. But if the filter is changed or cleaned regularly, they tend to function properly.
The same is true in the pursuit of holiness and obedience to Jesus. Our minds function like a filter for all that the world, the devil and our own sinful desires throw at us. If the filter of our mind is working properly, we are in a much better position to be walking in a manner worthy of the gospel of Jesus and all that He has called us to.
This is what the Apostle Paul was driving at in Ephesians 4 when he wrote, “take off your former way of life, the old self that is corrupted by deceitful desires” (v.22), and “put on the new self, the one created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth” (v.24). Like we would take off a dirty shirt and replace it with a clean one, we are called to put away our former ways of living and instead put on a life that looks just like Jesus.
So how do you actually do that? One of the keys is found in verse 23. Paul wrote, “be renewed in the spirits of your minds.” Elsewhere, Paul said it this way, “Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2). One of the keys to living obediently to God is through a renewed mind. We need to ensure that the filter of our minds is continually being made new.
Why is this so important? Why is a renewed mind so essential to living in a manner that is pleasing to God? It matters because what you think determines what you do. What you believe affects how you behave. Everything you choose to do or not do is a direct result of your patterns of thoughts ahead of time. Therefore, your mind is the place where the battles for holiness are either won or lost every single day.
The renewal of our minds is something we never move beyond as a follower of Jesus. It’s not a one and done task. It doesn’t matter if someone has been following Jesus for 50 years or for just 5 minutes. We all need to constantly and continually be renewing our minds in Christ Jesus.
So how do we actually do that? How do we go about being renewed in the spirit of our minds? Part of it is being careful about what we allow into our minds. But it also involves being intentional and proactive about what we choose to think about. Paul wrote, “set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Colossians 3:2). This could look like prayerfully meditating on the Scriptures, memorizing a verse, sitting silently in prayer before God, engaging in worship, or taking a walk outside to enjoy God’s creation. Whatever it looks like, it requires an intentional decision to take our minds off the world and seek instead the things of God.
What is on your mind right now? Are you taking the time to ensure that the filter of your mind is being made new? Invite the Holy Spirit to do that work again in you today.
Prayer: Father God, I choose right now to set my mind on things above. I invite you Holy Spirit to renew my mind today. Cleanse my mind from any thoughts that are not of you. Fill me instead with your truth, so that I can put on the new self, the one created to be just like Jesus. Amen.
Author: Jonathan Miller has served in pastoral roles for more than 13 years in churches in Barrie, Oakville and Burlington, Ontario. He currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer at Prison Fellowship Canada, a ministry that mobilizes and equips local churches to engage in the restorative work of prisoners, ex-prisoners, their families, and victims across Canada. Jon holds degrees from McMaster University and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He and his wife Adrienne have been married since 2004, and live in Burlington, Ontario with their 4 children. Jon’s greatest passion is to know Jesus and to see lives transformed by Him and for Him.
