Lord’s Day, Vol. 11 No. 27

The Mind Is the Battleground! (Part 3)

The Apostle Paul uses several terms to describe the unregenerated man with the unregenerated mind – as walking in the vanity of their minds (Eph. 4:17) and reprobate mind (Rom. 1:28), unbelieving, defiled mind with a defiled conscience, mind doing wicked works.

Romans 1:28 (KJV) And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

Romans 1:29-32 (KJV) Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

Ephesians 4:17 (KJV) This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,

The Regenerated Mind Emulates the Mind of the LORD

How is a spiritual man able to discern the will of God? 

Jesus showed the way back from straying men when He came upon the earth and taught authoritatively.

Matthew 5:1-4 (KJV) And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Man first realizes his spiritual poverty, that he has strayed from God and could not find his bearing for life. And he begins to mourn for his sins, his waywardness.

Romans 3:23 (KJV) For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Romans 6:23 (KJV) For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 5:8 (KJV) But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Matthew 5:5 (KJV) Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

The meek are those who realize their spiritual poverty and sinfulness and submit themselves to God’s way of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ the Son of God and seek to live according to God’s will.

Romans 10:13 (KJV) For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Romans 10:9-10 (KJV) That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

John 1:11-13 (KJV) He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

It is the work of God through the Holy Spirit of God to bring about a spiritual rebirth. It is in the born-again, regenerated soul, the spiritual man, enabled by the Holy Spirit is able to understand spiritual things. This the Apostle Paul termed as “the mind of God”, the “mind of the Lord”, and “the mind of Christ.”

Titus 3:5 (KJV) Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

The word “regeneration” literally means “new birth”, the beginning of spiritual life in a person. This word is found only once in the NT.

παλιγγενεσία paliggenesía; πάλιν (again, new) and γένεσις (birth)

This “washing” or cleansing is wholly spiritual, in the sight of God, this person is holy.

It is the cleansing work of the Holy Spirit that’s absolutely necessary for one to be saved. 

Ephesians 1:13 (KJV) In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

1 Corinthians 3:16 (KJV) Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 

Titus 3:5 (KJV) Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

άνακαίνωσις anakaínōsis; from anakainóō to renew qualitatively. Therefore, a renewal or a renovation makes a person different from the past. Occurs in Rom. 12:2; Titus 3:5 (cf. John 3:5).

This word “renewing” is found also in Romans 12:2, our theme. In Titus 3:5, regeneration is entirely the work of God, but in renewing in Romans 12:2, this renewing or a theological word “sanctification” where man, as well as God, takes part. While regeneration is never directly perceived by man and becomes known to him only because of its effects, renewal requires the conscious and continued will of man to the will of God. 

“Sanctification is that gracious and continuous operation of the Holy Spirit, by which he delivers the justified sinner from the pollution of sin and renews his whole nature in the image of God, and enables him to perform good works.” [L. Berkhof]

The person in whom God’s Spirit resides possesses spiritual knowledge to guide and direct him in this earthly life. The mind of Christ signifies the believer’s knowing Christ through the working of the Spirit and the appropriation of the gospel message. [Kistemaker]

Jesus says in Matthew 5:6 (KJV) Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

The regenerated soul seeks after God, there is a hunger and thirst for the things of God, to understand spiritual things. Amen.