Serve God With Your Mind  [1]

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Let us be transformed by the renewing of our mind.

                John 4:24 - It is true that we are to serve God in Spirit and truth.  The spirit is the Holy Spirit and our inner spirit.  The truth is when we know the truth and serve God in that knowledge of the truth.

Introduction  [2]

1.            Conformed – fashioned according to the same pattern.

2.            Transformed – “metamorphose” or to make a completely different creature. 

a.       II Cor. 5:17 – when we are in Christ, we are a new creature.

b.        

3.       By – the means behind or the process that causes us to be transformed.

4.       renewing or renovation.  This is a complete remodeling of our minds, so we will think what we ought to think, and not think what we ought not to think.

a.       Mind – Not our spirits – renewing the spirit is God’s job.  Renewing our minds is our job.

b.       Compare to verse 3 where Paul commands every man to think right.

c.       Eph. 4:23 – Use the verses before and after – “And be ye renewed in the spirit of your mind.”

d.       Phil 4:8 – This is what we ought to think.  We can have the peace of God by asking God to take care of all of our problems, but we can have the God of peace when we think as we should.  (compare verse 7 and 9.)

e.       Heb. 12:1 – Wherefore…a great cloud of witnesses.

f.        Heb. 12:12 – Therefore lift up the hands which hand down and the feeble knees…

g.       prove –

1)      Eph. 5:10 – Prove what is acceptable to God.

2)      Eph. 5:17 – Understand what the will of the Lord is.

            A lot of religions cater to the emotions, some to blindly following traditions, some to family values.  True religion deals with the mind.

I.    The lost serve Satan with their minds.

A.  Rev. 17:13 - These have one mind and give their power and strength to the beast.

B.   II Cor. 4:4 - The god of this world has blinded the minds of those that believe not.

C.   Rom. 1:28 - God gave unbelievers over to a reprobate mind.

D.  Titus 1:15 - The conscience and mind of the unbelieving is defiled.

II.   When we were lost, we served Satan with our minds.

A.  Eph. 2:3 - The lost follow the desires of the mind.

B.   Col. 1:21 - The wicked works of the body were caused by the mind, which alienated us from Christ.  (If you think wrong, you can’t serve God his way!)

III. When we are saved, God gives us a new mind.

A.  II Tim. 1:7 - God doesn't give us the spirit of fear, but of a sound mind.

1.      Mark 5:15 - The demon possessed man was in his right mind when he was saved.

2.      Acts 17:11 - The disciples at Berea searched the scriptures with readiness of mind to see if the things taught were true.

3.      Matt. 28:18-20 - The Great Commission is taught, therefore it must also be learned.  The mind is involved in this teaching and learning.

4.   II  Tim. 2:15 - Paul instructed Timothy to study to show himself approved unto God.  This study would necessarily involve the use of the mind coupled with Holy Spirit leadership, which involves prayer and a disregard of what I think the Bible is saying and a complete regard for what the Bible is actually saying.

B.            Christian service comes through a ready mind.

1.   Phil 2:5 - "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus."

2      Matt. 22:37 - The greatest commandment is to love God with all your mind.

3.   II Cor. 13:11 - A command given to Christians is that they be of one mind.

4.      Rom. 7:23-25 - True service to God comes through the mind, even though there are conflicts Satan puts there.

5.   II Cor. 8:12 - A willing mind is more accepted than material gifts.

C.   When sin occurs in our life, we must be reminded of it before we will repent and turn to God.

1.      Mark 14:72 - When Peter denied the Lord three times, he called to mind what God has said, thought on it, and repented.

2.   II Thess 2:2 - Paul desired this church to not be shaken in mind concerning the return of Christ.

D.            Conclusion.