Can the Gospel change the way we think?

If you are the type of reader that wants to skim, then don’t waste your time here.  yes.  Yes it does.

But if you want to know a little more, stay with me.  This is the sermon I am currently working on.  So I am using this to sort of flesh out my own thoughts on a couple of key scriptures.  You have Romans 12 where Paul tells those in the Roman church to be transformed by the “renewal of their minds.”  The word he is using here is the same sort of word we might use if we were talking about restoring an old house.  Something I am learning more about than I would like.

The image is implying that we have one sort of mind, but we need a different type.

I think this is a pretty significant issue. I think a lot of people sit in church once a week or so and yet the rest of the time they see the world the same as people who don’t.  Now, I’m not slamming or shaming on anyone who doesn’t attend church, but I do think that Jesus would back me up when I say that if we claim to be his followers we ought to think about things a little differently than everyone else.

In fact I would also be happy to argue that this apparent lack of difference between “us and them” has possibly the single greatest influence in the growing cultural disregard of the church.  So here’s the thing – if you don’t want to be disregarded by the world around – be a little different.  You might be disliked, but you won’t be disregarded.  Just ask a Syrian Christian, they’ll tell you what I mean better than I can.

I think that looking different starts with this restoration of our minds.  And Paul later gives us another hint.  In Colossians 3 he says “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things of the earth.  For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

This is a key part of what we will be approaching on Sunday.  This is the gospel.  The fact that in Christ, this world is not our home.  And yet let’s be honest.  What percent of your time do you spend thinking of the stuff of earth?  As Rich Mullins said it “competes for the allegiance that I owe only to the giver of all good things.”

How do we apply the gospel to the renewal of our minds?  I’m still working that out.  If you thought I had all the answers, I’m sorry to have misled you. But if you join us on Sunday we’ll try to figure it out together.