Chapter four: The Eight Marks of the Renewed Mind.

In our study thus far we have focused on how man, and specifically the mind of man, came to be in the state of discomposure that it is. "Every trace of evil we see about us is the direct result of man's loss of the knowledge of the glory of the Lord." The natural and the un-renewed mind, has been totally captivated, by the enemy of our soul. By way of review, Dr. Gottier would like us again to think of how it was with the first man, Adam. His spirit was alive, in consistent communion with the Father. He was the continuous recipient of revealed knowledge from the Spirit of God, his mind ruled by revelation knowledge; his ways were God's ways. While the natural man stands no possibility of ever achieving that relationship with God, through the cross and resurrection of Christ, through redemption and restoration, that hope has become achievable for the Christian.

Isaiah 55:8 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways," declares the Lord.

As we have studied in the previous three chapters, when carnal man is made alive spiritually, his new hearts desire, is to seek and follow the ways of the kingdom of God, but his flesh trained mind pursues those realities, through rational knowledge.

Romans 7:21-23 I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wishes to do good. [22] For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, [23] but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind, and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members.

Dr. Gottier presents three observations that will do us well to examine.

First: The longer that you walked in the ways of this world, limited by sensory input, the more you will have to unlearn before you can begin to develop a renewed mind.

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding.

Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

Romans 8:32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?

The longer that we have trained ourselves to rely on the flesh and rational knowledge the more difficult it is to move into a renewed mind and totally trust revealed knowledge.

Second: The longer that you remained carnally minded, the more religious tradition you have accumulated and must unlearn. You may have tried to walk a victorious Christian life, relying on sensory knowledge, and have had many discouraging defeats and experiences to overcome. Perhaps this is the proper place to define religion here. Between Christian and many others, religion is always an attempt to win God's acceptance by our own efforts and in the keeping of traditions. Most often it goes beyond the commands and teachings of Scripture. Jesus, addressing the Pharisees (religious leaders of His day), illustrates how religious teachings and teachers can lead us astray.

Mark 7:6-9 And He said to them, "Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, 'This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far away from Me. [7] 'But in vain do they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.' [8] "Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men." [9] He was also saying to them, "You nicely set aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition.

Lest we take this too far, is all tradition bad? No! Listen to the words of Jesus: . . . "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him, and make Our abode with him. [24] "He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father's who sent Me. (John 14:23-24)

·         Tradition is only bad when it is based on the precepts of men. It pleases the Lord when we follow traditions based on the ___________ of God.

Third: "The more that you have been steeped [educated] in academic traditions of man and the more that you have been impressed with the cleverness of your own mind the greater degree of brokenness that will be required of you as you press on toward a genuinely Renewed Mind." What comes to my mind, although it occurred before the cross and Pentecost and so it wasn't possible for him to have a renewed mind, is the story of the high priest, Caiaphas, and his prophecy recorded in John 11:50-52 [50] "nor do you take into account that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation should not perish." [51] Now this he did not say on his own initiative; but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, [52] and not for the nation only, but that He might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.

Having mentioned these three hindrances, we can see that the person who would have the least trouble of reclaiming the revealed knowledge of God through a renewed mind, is a person, relatively young, who has recently come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior and who accepts his position in Christ with relative humility.

The Profound Possibility: A Renewed Mind.

The apostle Paul gives us a penetrating look into the human mind in the epistle to the Romans. Having looked at these passages earlier in the NASB, by way of review, we'll examine them this time in the New International version.

Romans 1:21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Romans 1:28-31 Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. [29] They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, [30] slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; [31] they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. (Niv)

In Romans 7, Paul clearly displays the battlefield of the mind as the spiritual truths of revealed knowledge, by the Holy Spirit of God, war with the yearnings of the flesh. This is carnal man, born of the Spirit, yet still depending on rational knowledge, to find his way in this world.

Romans 7:14-15 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. [15] I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. (Niv)

Romans 7:21-23 [21] So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. [22] For in my inner being I delight in God's law; [23] but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. (Niv)

·         When he wants to do good, the carnal man finds that __________ is right there with him.

In chapter 8 of Romans Paul shows us that the carnally minded person has a choice: Romans 8:2,4-5, For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. (4) in order that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. [5] For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

We no longer need to walk according to the ______________. We can choose to set our _________ on the things of the flesh and walk accordingly, or we can choose to set our minds on the things of the Spirit, walk according to the _________.

In Romans 12:1- Paul offers the believer the exciting news that we can have a renewed mind. [1] I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and Holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. [2] And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Now armed with the knowledge of what God desires from us, that we are to offer ourselves daily as a living sacrifice. This will offer new importance to Christ' words said to His disciples "if anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me." Matthew 16:24

Let's examine these passages again, this time in the NIV, and adding verse 3. Romans 12:1-3 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, Holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. [2] Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will. [3] For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.

___________________________________________________

Matthew 4:18-22. And walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. [19] And He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." [20] And they immediately left the nets, and followed Him. [21] And going on from there He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and He called them. [22] And they immediately left the boat and their father, and followed Him.

Matthew 8:21-22 And another of the disciples said to Him, "Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father." [22] But Jesus said to him, "Follow Me; and allow the dead to bury their own dead."

One of the greatest hindrances to our gaining a renewed mind is peer pressure; what do others think of us? Perhaps your deterrent is found in self evaluation (still a form of peer pressure), by reflecting on what your pre-Christ self, thought of others, who were dedicated, following Jesus.

Do not think of yourself more _________ than you ought. Paul cautions us to think of ourselves with sober judgment; in accordance with the measure of ______ God has given you. What is important here is what God thinks of you!

Dr. Gottier now poses this central question: How do you recognize the essential characteristics of a Renewed Mind?
The First Mark of the Renewed Mind: Knowing the will of God.

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

Today most Christians still depend upon sense knowledge to try and discern the will of God. They will use the fleece of Gideon in an attempt to discover that will. Judges 6:17 So Gideon said to Him, "If now I have found favor in Thy sight, then show me a sign that it is Thou who speakest with me."

Judges 6:36-37 Then Gideon said to God, "If Thou wilt deliver Israel through me, as Thou hast spoken, [37] behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I will know that Thou wilt deliver Israel through me, as Thou hast spoken."

Judges 6:39 Then Gideon said to God, "Do not let Thine anger burn against me that I may speak once more; please let me make a test once more with the fleece, let it now be dry only on the fleece, and let there be dew on all the ground."

"The process of gaining the Renewed Mind is a gradual one, as we unlearn the old sense knowledge, rational knowledge, and learn to know His voice and hear revealed knowledge from Him." That this is an ongoing process is made clear in Philip. 1:6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

That same thought is reflected in Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

If the first and most obvious outcome of moving toward a renewed mind then, is understanding that the will of God can be known and discerned, then the second, is acting upon the now known will of God. A subject, which we will get too shortly. This is usually contrary to our own ways in which we formally walked or the ways of this world. We walked in the cleverness of our own thinking and arguments Cor. 1:17-20 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, that the cross of Christ should not be made void. [18] For the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. [19] For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will set aside." [20] Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

To confirm this lets review 1 Cor. 2:1-8 And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. [2] For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. [3] And I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. [4] And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, [5] that your faith should not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God. [6] Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; [7] but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom, which God predestined before the ages to our glory; [8] the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory;

I remember, as do most converts, those thrilling moments, in the youth of my salvation, when the light came on and I could begin to understand the will and wisdom of God. This is the first step on the process of the Renewed Mind. Jesus, the first man born spiritually alive, and therefore the first man in possession of a renewed mind, illustrates how we should be aware of and respond to the will of the Father. John 5:19-20 Jesus therefore answered and was saying to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner. [20] "For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and greater works than these will He show Him, that you may marvel.

John 8:28-29 Jesus therefore said, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me. [29] "And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him."

Because we have repetitively referred to this passage you may begin to think that Dr. Gottier is making a case built on just one verse. Listen to Paul in Ephes. 5:17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Col. 1:9 For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,

2 Tim. 2:22-26 Now flee from youthful lusts, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. [23] But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels. [24] And the Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, [25] with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, [26] and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.

Romans 8:6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,

The Second Mark of the Renewed Mind, Being Led by His Spirit.

Romans 8:9-14 However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. [10] And if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. [11] But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you. [12] So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh-- [13] for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. [14] For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

The Second mark of the Renewed Mind then is to be led by the Spirit of God; Dr. Gottier believes these eight qualities are progressive in nature. The first was beginning to know the will of the Father without always following it, step two then is to begin to follow the directives of the Holy Spirit as he leads you. Jesus confirms this in the allegory of the shepherd and the sheep. He identifies himself at the end in John 10:11 "I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep."

John 10:3-4 "To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out. [4] "When he puts forth all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.

John 10:14 "I am the good shepherd; and I know My own, and My own know Me."

John 10:27 "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me."

There is a problem with all of this, and your entire life, before coming to Jesus, you have been following a different voice, the demanding commands of your flesh and of the ruler of this world, Satan. Our minds must be retrained to hear the voice of the Good Shepherd, "this is the central task of moving into a Renewed Mind." God has given us a gift to help according to

1 Cor. 2:14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

God has revealed true wisdom to us, by his Spirit. The natural man, the wise man of the world, cannot receive the truths of God. The pride of reasoning is opposed to spirituality. The sanctified mind begins to discern the real beauties of holiness. 1 John 4:1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

Dr. Gottier points out that there is an enormous price to be paid in terms of time spent before the Father humbling one's spirit, if one desires to hear the voice of the Lord in all situations and normal facets of life.

Isaiah 57:15 The high and lofty one who inhabits eternity, the Holy One, says this: "I live in that high and Holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I refresh the humble and give new courage to those with repentant hearts."

Isaiah 66:2 b. . . . declares the Lord. "This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word."

In review then let me quote Dr. Gottier directly. "The ability to discern the will of the Father and the ability to know His voice and obey His Holy Spirit - these are the cornerstones of a spiritually rebuilt house," That form the foundation of the Renewed mind.

The Third Mark of the Renewed Mind: Focusing on the Things of the Spirit.

We only have two examples of humans in the pattern or form that God intended, Adam and Jesus. Adam was created with an intact spirit and Jesus born of the Holy Spirit. The minds of both Adam and Jesus were focused upon the things of their spirits and on God's Spirit. We should now reexamine Romans Chapter 8: verses 1-7 to determine the third mark of the Renewed Mind, plainly evident in these two men. Romans 8:1-4 are given for context. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. [2] For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. [3] For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, [4] in order that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

So we are no longer bound by the weakness of the flesh to conform to the law, but the law is still God's law, and God still wants us to live by it; because the righteous requirements of the law have been fulfilled in Christ, we are no longer condemned by it. He has given us His Holy Spirit, working through our human spirit, to guide our mind and thus rule the un-ruley flesh. We still have a choice. Dr. Gottier points out that, "it is precisely at this point that you will determine the nature and maturity of your spiritual life."

It is through your spirit that has been made alive in Christ, that God's Holy Spirit reveals the things of God. Let's examine some confirming passage in Colossians.

Col. 3:1-2 If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. [2] Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.

Col. 3:3-9 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. [4] When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then, you also will be revealed with Him in glory. [5] Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. [6] For it is on account of these things that the wrath of God will come, [7] and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. [8] But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. [9] Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices,

Verse 10 defines the goal of this book and the purpose of this Bible study. Col. 3:10 and [we, those born from above] have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him

Dr. Gottier now refers us to the above chart, and offers three terms that will help us to define human differences. God intended for man's spirit to rule his mind, and in conjunction with Gods Spirit, to rule the body. Due to the "fall" or rebellion of Adam, that condition was reversed.

1. When the demands of the flesh rule the entire being we have a man we can call a barbarian. A barbarian lives for pleasure and pleasure rules his being.

2. When the mind begins to dominate in varying degrees the body, we have a man that we can call civilized.


3. When we have a man whose mind is "set" on the spiritual things, the Holy Spirit controlled, spirit of man, rules the mind, and together they rule the body you have a Spirit filled man.

In light of the above terms let's look again at the passage in Col. 3:1-11

If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. [2] Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. [3] For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. [4] When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.

[5] Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. [6] For it is on account of these things that the wrath of God will come, [7] and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. [8] But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. [9] Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, [10] and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him [11] a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and un-circumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.

1 Cor. 2:12-15 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God, [13] which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. [14] But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. [15] But he who is spiritual appraises [Greek-anakrino; to examine, investigate] all things, yet he himself is appraised by no man.

The third mark of a mind being renewed then is a mind that is set on the spirit. A man still has a free will. He can choose to grow or ??? Romans 8:6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,

The Fourth Mark of the Renewed Mind: Fellowshipping with the Reborn Spirit.

Dr. Gottier has conclusively defined the first two states of the human mind, natural and carnal. The natural mind, un-influenced by a dead spirit, is hostile toward God. The carnal man, having a new born spirit, his mind is still outside of the control of the human spirit and the Holy Spirit, until he "sets," chooses, to submit his mind to their control. To discover the fourth mark of a renewed mind we must again look closely at Romans 8:6-7. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, [7] because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so.

In chapter two, we learned that Natural man cut off from the knowledge of God's glory and goodness, knows only a world under the control of Satan, the prince of the powers of darkness.

Not having spiritual input, he is unable to determine the awful source of this evil, so he blames God. The carnal man doesn't fare much better for, he more often than not, questions why God would subject him to harsh treatment or require of him such stiff recompense. The cause of this ill-placed culpability is the basis of the fourth mark of the renewed mind. The mind, through years of conditioning, does not readily accept the control of the spirit, nor release its animosity toward the Spirit.

The mind must move from forced submission to appreciation and acceptance of the control of the spirits, both human and Holy. Galatians 5:16-21 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. [17] For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. [18] But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. [19] Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, [20] idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, [21] envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Dr. Gottier draws our attention to an enigmatic truth; the man with the mind being renewed is beginning to resemble man as God originally created him, walking with God in peace and harmony.

The Fifth Mark of the Renewed Mind: Being Saturated with the Word of God.

As he did in the garden, Satan will again and again try and insinuate that God has evil motives and will intentionally withhold blessings from those subjected to his austere authority. Swaying a mind already hostile toward God is easy. In this next passage Paul shows us the renewed mind, a mind that loves the co-authoritarian leadership of the spirit and the Spirit.

Col. 3:16-17 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. [17] And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

Philip. 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.

You might ask how the reborn spirit within acquires counsel from the Lord. The first and primary is that the Holy Spirit speaks to the mind through the Word and the second is found in Hebrews 8:10-12 "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel. After those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their minds, and I will write them upon their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be My people. [11] "And they shall not teach everyone his fellow citizen, And everyone his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' For all shall know me, from the least to the greatest of them. [12] "For I will be merciful to their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more."

Hebrews 10:16 "This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord.

I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds." (NIV)

Sounds reasonable in theory but does it work itself out in real life, Dr. Luke brings it out in a passage concerning Paul, ministering in Ephesus; observe the results. Acts 19:19-20

And many of those who practiced magic [occult] brought their books together and began burning them in the sight of all; and they counted up the price of them and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. [20] So the word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing.

The fifth mark of the renewed mind can be observed in those around us in accordance with what Jesus said in Luke 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. [KJV]

Psalm 119:11 Thy word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against Thee.

Psalm 119:105 Thy word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path.

The Sixth Mark of the Renewed Mind: Walking Worthy of the Lord.

Col. 1:9-10 For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, [10] so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Dr. Gottier puts it this way; "If the Renewed Mind doesn't clean up your act outwardly than it is not the genuine thing."

Col. 2:5-9 for even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ. [6] As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, [7] having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. [8] See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. [9] For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,

As you become rooted, established and spiritually in control of your mind and flesh, you will no longer be swayed by false doctrine. A passage in James makes this really clear. James 1:8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

We have a choice when we receive Christ and are born again, we must choose to set our minds on the spirit, or we can remain worldly -- carnal, with a mind that is hostile toward God. Listen to Paul in Ephes. 4:1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called.

Choices are made in the mind. The mind must first conceive of an act and then it is carried out. That is why Jesus warned us that hatred or lusting in out hearts and mind is as much of a sin as carrying out the deed, for the mind is set on the flesh and is not pleasing to God. The mind and thus the walk are not in line with the Word of God. Galatians 5:13-16 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. [14] For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." [15] But if you bite and devour one another, take care lest you be consumed by one another. [16] But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.

Galatians 5:18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.

Galatians 5:22-25 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. [24] Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. [25] If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

You can't choose to produce fruit, to have more patience, or to have more peace; you can only choose to set your mind on the Spirit. When you choose to set your mind on the Spirit, the fruits of the Spirit will be produced in us. Listen to Jesus' words as recorded John 15:4 "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in Me."

Jesus also declared himself to be that vine. John 15:5 "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing.

It would be again beneficial to review chart 9 again.

The Seventh Mark of the Renewed Mind: Speaking in Agreement with the Word of God.

The Seventh mark of the renewed mind is the conforming of the words of our mouths to agree with God's word. Dr. Gottier would have us remember that Satan often creates a counterfeit doctrine to draw people away from the real truth of God's word, and so he has concerning the power of words.

1 Cor. 2:12-13 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God, [13] which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.

Dr. Gottier's point is that you cannot express spiritual thoughts in worldly ways. Spiritual words would be as foreign to the natural man as were Gods revelation of future things to John. The apostle John had no corollary in his vocabulary. John struggled to describe 21st century weaponry in his Revelation vision. Look at Rev. 9:19 for example: For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents and have heads; and with them they do harm.

Proverbs 18:21 Those who love to talk will experience the consequences, for the tongue can kill or nourish life.

Again Satan has captured this truth and corrupted it, many have gone far a field. The truth, plainly understood, is easily seen in this quote: "Negative words are those which speak out of sense knowledge and confirm the world as natural man sees it, under satanic control and apart from any knowledge of the Lord." Such words may range from using the Lords name loosely in an oath to dire expectations of some type of loss, ignoring Romans 8:28. And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

Conversely positive words and statements are those that confirm the Word of God and it's place in your life. These are words that confess the authority of the Word of God in your life and the Holy Spirit's place in your heart. Now look at Proverbs 18:21 again, and let's compare it to John 10: 10 Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit. John 10:10 "The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy; I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly."

How important are our words? Again let me quote Jesus-the absolute authority: "And I say to you, that every careless word that men shall speak, they shall render account for it in the day of judgment. [37] "For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned." Matthew 12:36-37

Romans 10:8-10 But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart"-- that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, [9] that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; [10] for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

The Eighth Mark of the Renewed Mind: Possessing the Very Mind of Christ.

Philip. 2:5 Have this attitude [mind set] in yourselves, which was also in Christ Jesus, Paul's understanding of this should excite most Christians, for it means that we also can possess the "Mind of Christ."

Philip. 2:7 but [Jesus] emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.

1 Cor. 15:45 So also it is written, "The first man, Adam, became a living soul." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

1 Cor. 2:16 For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.

If Jesus is the model for the spiritual man with a renewed mind then God's instruction book, the Bible, ought to define for us clearly what a renewed mind is like. It does so in Isaiah 11:1-5 Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse [Jesus], and a branch from his roots will bear fruit. [2a] And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him,

[2b] The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

[3a] And He will delight in the fear of the Lord,

[3b] And He will not judge by what His eyes see, nor make a decision by what His ears hear.

[4] But with righteousness He will judge the poor,

And decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth.

And He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth,

And with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked.

[5] Also righteousness will be the belt about His loins,

And faithfulness the belt about His waist.

The model for the renewed mind is the mind of Jesus, and is evident in all four gospels.

Luke 2:47 And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers.

Matthew 7:28-29 The result was that when Jesus had finished these words, the multitudes were amazed at His teaching; [29] for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.

John 8:26 "I have many things to speak and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and the things which I heard from Him, these I speak to the world."

Listen to Paul's counsel 2 Tim. 1:8a; Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, and Peters counsel: But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 1 Peter 3:15

John 15:15 "No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you."

The renewed mind speaks with the authority of God, Mark 1:27 And they were all amazed, so that they debated among themselves, saying, "What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him."

The eighth mark of the renewed mind then, is that when our mind is renewed, we will think and act accordingly. Paul sums it up best in Col. 3:10 and [we] have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him

Spiritual man:

Dr. Gottier has outlined for us the eight marks of the renewed mind, and we sparsely examined how Jesus walked it out. Paul will give us a little more depth on the characteristics of the person walking in the renewed mind in Ephes. 1:3-4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, [4] just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be Holy and blameless before Him. In love . . .

Since we have looked at Paul's writing in depth, let's examine Paul's own renewed mind.

1 Cor. 2:1-16 And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. [2] For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.

[3] And I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. [4] And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,

[5] That your faith should not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.

[6] Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; [7] but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom, which God predestined before the ages to our glory;

[8] The wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; [9] but just as it is written, "Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him." [10] For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. [11] For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man, which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God

[12] Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God,

[13] Which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.

[14] But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. [15] But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no man. [16] For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.

Paul addresses the church at Corinth, 1 Cor. 3:1-2 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to babes in Christ. [2] I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able,

In conclusion let me again quote Dr. Gottier: A spiritual man is a man "whose spirit has been reborn through the presence of Jesus Christ in his life that submits his carnal nature to the transforming work of God. If such a man will follow through to the end, he will become spiritual man, man as God intended, man once again created in the image of God with all of the possibilities implied therein."

For more o this subject, or to give comment and ask questions, please write to Dr. Gottier at www.carolgot@juno.com

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