Renewing

We are going to look at five verses in the New Testament that deal with the subject of renewing.  Titus 3:5, Col 3:10, 2 Cor 4:16, Rom 12:2, Eph 4:23.  Renewing is a process that begins with salvation.  You are renewed:

Titus 3:5 by the Holy Ghost.  We are saved by the renewing of the Holy Ghost.  We now have a new man for the first time in our lives.

Col 3:10 in knowledge.  We put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.  We know nothing about this new man when we first have him.  But as we read the Bible, we start learning how the Holy Spirit is conforming us to Christ’s image, Rom 8:29.

2 Cor 4:16 day by day.  The inward man is renewed day by day.  There is no neutral or plateau in our renewal.  If you don’t renew one day or two, you begin to go back to what you were.  As with exercise and nutrition. Sunday to Sunday doesn’t even get close.

Rom 12:2 in your mind.  Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Here is where the Lord shows you all the worldly things that are keeping you from being conformed to Jesus.  You have to cut off access to these.  You need to be transformed.

Eph 4:23 in the spirit of your mind.  This is like rewiring your circuitry completely.  Your members (eyes, ears, nose, hands, etc) were all used by the old man to serve sin.  These members were hard-wired to your mind to accomplish things in your corrupt flesh according to the deceitful lusts.  Being renewed in the spirit of your mind is like disconnecting the wires from the old man and connecting the wires to the new man.  So now your members can be used for the purpose of serving God in the new man.  This is a spiritual transformation that cannot be made in performance Christianity.

Conclusion: once we are saved, we should be going through this process of renewal every day till Jesus comes or we go to be with him.