How does God’s word renew my mind and influence my actions?
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"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable– if anything is excellent or praiseworthy– think about such things." Philippians 4:8
"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." Romans 12:2
"… we have the mind of Christ." 1 Corinthians 2:16
"So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking." Ephesians 4:17
Maturing Christians develop a thought life that is pure and excellent. The mature Christian life begins with the mind. As we think in our hearts, so we will live with our bodies. The human mind is the most astonishing physical thing God ever created, with its hundreds of millions of neural interconnections. The chemistry of thought is staggeringly complex, but even more complex is the transformation of the mind by the Holy Spirit and the word of God. At conversion, the Spirit removes our heart of stone and gives us a living heart ready to respond rightly to the word of God. (Ezekiel 33:26) This is what Paul meant when he said, “We have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16). We are now able to think like Christ does about everything. But despite the decisive and instantaneous transformation this entails at conversion, sanctification involves a gradual process of learning to control the thoughts every moment. Therefore, Paul also tells us, “Have this mind in you which was also in Christ” (Philippians 2:5). He also says we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds by the constant influx of the word of God.
"We are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds by the constant influx of the word of God."
Having established this radical change at conversion, as well as the need for ongoing transformation of our thoughts, it is right for us to ask what kind of thoughts we should have. Philippians 4:8 is a great “thought filter,” purifying the thoughts we allow to roost in our conscious minds at every moment. Look again at the verse above: “Whatever is… true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, praiseworthy—think about such things.” Add this word “ONLY”. Let us weed out of our thoughts anything that does not meet this filter. And what is true? Everything the word of God asserts as true. What is noble? That which the word of God elevates to nobility. What is right? Whatever lines up with the righteous standard of the word of God. What is pure? Completely free from those things the word of God calls filthy or defiled. What is lovely? What the word of God depicts as beautiful to behold. What is admirable? Whatever the word tells us to praise. I have been helped by thinking about Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of the Philippians 4:8 mind filter. Jesus is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, praiseworthy. And since "He is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of God’s being" (Hebrews 1:3), God the Father is all those majestic words as well.
So, think only about such things. Control your mind. Do not allow temptations to roost and build a nest in your brain. Wash your thoughts every moment with the perfect word of God. Scripture memorization will help you do this, because it forces you to repeat passages over and over again, driving away ignoble thoughts. As you think with the mind of Christ more and more, so you will be more and more conformed to his life.
