Renewed

"This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; 19 who being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20 But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man, which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness."
Ephesians 4:17-24

After I finish mowing the lawn and doing the edging at our house, I am usually all hot and sweaty, not to mention dirty and dusty. But there is this rejuvenating, refreshing, and renewing invention called the shower, and when I use it, the dirt washes away, and I come away feeling like a totally new man. This is not what spiritual renewal is. It is not just the washing away of the dirt. It isn't just the washing away of the "old man." When we come to Christ, when we are "born again," the Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:17, that we are a new creation, not something just wash and cleaned up, but we are newly formed. We are something totally new.

When we walked "as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind," we were following after this world and the spirit of this world. Our hearts were blinded, and they needed to be be made anew. Not just washed up, cleaned up, and covered over. We are a new creation. We are newly "created according to God." There is a concept out there, that to be a Christ follower it is merely a behavior modification. "If I just keep all the rules, I'm all set." Being a Christ follower, beloved, is not about keeping any "rules," it is about having a relationship with Jesus Christ the Son of God. And when we come to Jesus, and accept Him as our Lord and the Savior of our life, He creates a "new man" in us. And our spirit is renewed - made new- and created "in true righteousness and holiness."

Here is the thing: once we walked in darkness, and in the ignorance that separation from God brings, when the devil puts that dark cloud of blindness and illogical thought over our minds, so that we cannot think straight, or even "see" the blindness with which we walk. And so, because we walk in the darkness of our mind, our minds must be renewed as we walk with Christ. The "new man" is formed in us. Created. And we are renewed in our mind (see Romans 12:1-2). Christian, we are called to walk through this world, to be in this world, but we are not to put our roots in this world, and not be tied to this world. Do not let the world system and the thought patterns of this world be found in us. We are called to be in the world, to walk through this world, but not be of this world. Be in the world, but don't let the world be in us. This world is not our home. We are just passing through. Our citizenship is in heaven. And in order for us to walk through the world and not let it get in us, we must be renewed in the spirit of our mind. We "...have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him" (Colossians 3:10).

So go out there today, beloved, and let the Word of God wash your mind in the Truth of His love, and let Him renew your mind, and let us live for Him, because He died for us. Amen.