Romans 12:2, the Greek word for mind is nous, in scripture, depending on context, it can involve understanding, perception, moral judgment, reasoning and discernment. In Romans 12:2 specifically, the mind is tied directly to testing and approving the will of God. Paul is dealing with the inner faculty by which a person recognizes what is true and good and the word translated renewing is anakainosei, it is not a common New Testament word, the noun appears in Romans 12:2 and in Titus 3:5, where Paul speaks of the renewing of the Holy Spirit. The word points to a making new, not merely the collection of new religious information, that is important, because information can sit on the surface while the old interpretation keeps running underneath.
A person may know, God provides and still treat every financial pressure as abandonment. A person may know, God forgives and still hear conviction as rejection. A person may know, love your enemies and still feel that mercy is defeat. A person may know, seek first the kingdom and still treat achievement as salvation. The old age has not only taught people what to do, it has taught them what things mean. So, renewal is not less than truthful thinking, but it is more than thought replacement, doctrine matters, scripture matters, a mind is not renewed by lies, but Romans 12:2 is describing the mind being made new at the level of recognition. The mind begins to recognize temptation as slavery even when it promises freedom, it begins to recognize humility as strength even when pride calls it weakness, it begins to recognize obedience as worship even when the flesh calls it loss.
How does God renew the mind? Paul does not give Romans 12:2 as a hack, there is no one mental trick hidden in the verse, the New Testament describes renewal as the work of God by the Spirit through truth inside a life of surrender and obedience. Titus 3:5 says God saved you through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, that line keeps renewal from becoming self-salvation. The Spirit is not an accessory to Christian change, the Spirit gives life, convicts, leads, empowers, bears fruit and forms holiness in the people of God, the Christian life is not human strength wearing religious language, it is life by the Spirit, scripture is clear that renewal is not merely human effort.
A person may know, God provides and still treat every financial pressure as abandonment. A person may know, God forgives and still hear conviction as rejection. A person may know, love your enemies and still feel that mercy is defeat. A person may know, seek first the kingdom and still treat achievement as salvation. The old age has not only taught people what to do, it has taught them what things mean. So, renewal is not less than truthful thinking, but it is more than thought replacement, doctrine matters, scripture matters, a mind is not renewed by lies, but Romans 12:2 is describing the mind being made new at the level of recognition. The mind begins to recognize temptation as slavery even when it promises freedom, it begins to recognize humility as strength even when pride calls it weakness, it begins to recognize obedience as worship even when the flesh calls it loss.
How does God renew the mind? Paul does not give Romans 12:2 as a hack, there is no one mental trick hidden in the verse, the New Testament describes renewal as the work of God by the Spirit through truth inside a life of surrender and obedience. Titus 3:5 says God saved you through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, that line keeps renewal from becoming self-salvation. The Spirit is not an accessory to Christian change, the Spirit gives life, convicts, leads, empowers, bears fruit and forms holiness in the people of God, the Christian life is not human strength wearing religious language, it is life by the Spirit, scripture is clear that renewal is not merely human effort.
