but you are being renewed by the spirit in your mind
What does it mean to be renewed by the Spirit in our mind? The phrase “be renewed” means “to be or become reestablished in a new and improved manner.” In other words, we become a New Person by the Power of the Holy Spirit. By entering a relationship with Jesus, we become “new creation” in Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17 17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. But this requires cooperation with the process. We have to sacrifice what our flesh wants to do, and the kind of life that it wants to live apart from Christ.
Spending time daily in fellowship with Jesus Christ is vital to being renewed in the spirit of our minds. We are renewed in our internal nature as we learn to know God, our Creator and become more like Him—which is how He created us to be-created in in His Image, in true knowledge, and right-relationship with our creator. Colossians 3:10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created it. This is our destiny as believers. Romans 8:29 29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters; 30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. The more we look to Jesus, the more that we see our Heavenly Father. John 14:8-9 Philip *said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus *said to him, The more that we get to know Jesus, the better we understand the nature of God. His life, death and resurrection is the picture that shows us most clearly what God is like. Hebrews 1:3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. As we learn more about Him in His Word, we spend time with Him, and become more like Him. Psalm 105:19 Until the time that his word came to pass, The word of the Lord refined him. Proverbs 17:3 The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, But the Lord tests hearts. We walk the path that God has put before us, knowing that HE will use it to make us more and more like Christ, our example. 1 Peter 4:1 Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because the one who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin. God’s Word is essential to being renewed in the spirit of our minds. Jesus prayed to the Father for all believers in John 17:17 17 Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. So, we are made holy by comprehending and applying the truth of God’s Word to our lives. As we develop in our understanding of the truth in Scripture, our minds are renewed and transformed by God’s Spirit, and our lives reflect that change.
Our knowledge of Him comes from the Word, given to us for our edification & growth. Spiritual growth is a lifelong process that depends on our study and application of God’s Word 2 Timothy 3:16-17 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man or woman of God may be fully capable, equipped for every good work. Our Spiritual growth, no one can take away, and we get to take it with us when we die!
Prayer is also necessary to be renewed in the spirit of our minds. Paul prayed for the Colossians to be filled “with the knowledge of [God’s] will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:9–10). As you seek the Lord in relationship with Jesus, in the truth of His Word and in prayer, you are renewed in the spirit of your mind, and you trade the anxieties and worries of life for a certainty and peace that God will get you through whatever comes your way. Phil 4:6-7 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Prayer gets our heart synced up with His, our desires aligned with what He desires for us, and grows us to be more like Him.
and [that you] have put on the new person.
We have put on the new person. This is from the word endyo ἐνδύω, which has the idea of putting on clothing “to put on, clothe oneself, wear.” There are several passages in the New Testament using this phrase, and all of them speak of the transformation of our life from the old self that we used to be, into Newness of Life. And, it begins with the power of the Holy Spirit. In Luke 24:49 when Jesus said 49 And behold, I am sending the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high. Rom 13:12 12 The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let’s rid ourselves of the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. We put on the new person and lay aside, put away that old sinful person that we were. Gal 3:27 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. We are changed when we are saved, regenerated, we are a New Creation in Christ. And that means that we are changing from the inside out.
This new person has been newly created after God’s image. God creates in us a new person. We are regenerated, we are born again. It’s one necessary aspect of what it means to be saved. John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” AndJohn 3:3-5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ This new person has been created by God and was “put on” at the time of conversion, when we were saved.
in righteousness and holiness that comes from truth.
This person that God creates in us to work His Will out through us is a New Creation in Righteousness and Holiness. The word δικαιοσύνη dikaiosyne means “righteousness, justice.” It means right-living. Righteousness, or right-living is what protects our hearts from attack in the armor of God. Ephesians 6:14 14 Stand firm therefore, having belted your waist with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, It means having a right standing before God, which is only possible through faith in Jesus Christ (Rom 3:21–23 1 But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 but it is the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, And, in fact our faith in Jesus is credited as righteousness by God. We put on the righteousness of Christ. Rom 4:3 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” We are justified, declared righteous, at the moment of our salvation. Justification does not make us righteous, but pronounces us righteous. Our righteousness comes from placing our faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross. His sacrifice covers our sin, allowing God to see us as perfect and unblemished. Because as believers we are in Christ, God sees Christ’s own righteousness when He looks at us. This meets God’s demands for perfection; so, He declares us righteous—He justifies us.
The second description of this new person in Christ that we have become is hostiotes, which has the idea of service to God with an attitude of personal piety and right-attitude before God. Basically, it means to have personal piety, devotedness, or reverence before God, exhibiting justice to people, and holiness before God. And these both come from knowing the truth, aletheia, which means knowing reality instead of being deceived by a lie. Knowing the truth, about reality in Christ. So our right-living and right attitude toward God and people comes from the fact that we have a proper perspective of the truth, and value the Spiritual life over the momentary pleasures of Earth. As Christians, we are characterized by righteousness and holiness based on truth. It is a process of growth, under God’s direction, and guidance by the Holy Spirit. It is not always easy, but it is the only way to be the people that God wants us to be.