Sermon Tone Analysis

Scripture Reading

Introduction

Last week we considered the call to kill sin.

The Christian, as a new creation, as one who has put to death the old manner of life, and is raised in newness of life, is called upon by God to put off anything to do with the old manner of life.

In other words, any of the conduct, any of the ways that mark the man of sin are to be entirely done away.

We are to be killing sin.

Now, many Christians would affirm this.

Every true believer must surely have come to understand that they are sinners, and that they are in need of radical transformation.

This is the basis of

Christians understand that they must stop sinning.

Looking Further...

But Christians are never merely to put off.

The Christian moves beyond the act of killing sin.

And this is something that we need to keep in our minds.

Some Christians get stuck on the idea of putting off.

They tell themselves that they should put off, and they remind themselves that they should put off.

And this is certainly important.

But the problem is that they stop there.

The putting off is exceedingly important.

We spent the whole of last week Sunday evening looking at this.

But the Scriptures go beyond that.

There is a positive dimension that is required.

There is to be a radical transformation such that the old sinful patterns of acting and thinking and behaving are not only done away with, but actually replaced with positive, God-honouring patterns of acting, thinking and behaving.

Practical Example:

The person who struggles with anger and rage should put off the sin of anger, but they should also replace that with a new disposition and words of kindness and mercy.

A person who steals... a thief...

When the Gospel so invades their life and transforms them, it doesn't just lead them to stop stealing.

Rather, it leads them to seek work, and to engage in that work as best they can.

The goal of that is not simply that they provide for themselves, but that they actually start to give towards others.

The person that is caught in the sin of envy / greed, which is idolatry, is not merely to put off that sin and stop being envious.

Rather, they are to positively be thankful with what they have, and even to be generous with what God has given to them, so far as they are able.

The Macedonian churches are a wonderful example of this.

We could go on with examples.

But the point is that the Gospel radically transforms us such that we put away, we kill the sins of the flesh, and we replace that sinful conduct with God-honouring conduct.

And all of this flows out of a willing heart in humility before Christ.

In other words, it flows out of who we are in Christ.

A Vital Element in Transformation

With that said, there is a vital element that forms part of this change from the old to the new.

I've already said that some Christians get stuck in the putting off.

All they think about is putting off... they don't go further to putting on... to that transformed behaviour that is so radically different.

But there are also many Christians that work on both the putting off and the phtting on, but they repeatedly fail.

They know they're supposed to put off.

They know that they're supposed to different things in the positive sense, they’re supposed to put on… But every attempt has failed.

One of the reasons that I think this happens is that they miss an important part of Biblical teaching on how this transition takes place.

What they do is, they rely on their strength... trying by all means to be a better person.. but they don't use the proper tools that God has given them for this task.

They’re not applying the means of grace that God has given them.

And one of the vital elements that must be in place of we are going to see genuine transformation in our lives is the renewing of our minds.

Our minds, our thinking, must be radically transformed.

Important Scriptures...

Apart from Colossians 3:10, which we’ll focus our attention on this evening, there are a number of other Scriptures that are relevant and important for this consideration.

Ephesians 4:22-24 is one important text.

Note particularly verse 23…

And then, another text that is very well known, but very important in terms of this process transforming…

1.

The Call to a Renewed Mind

The first thing that Paul says here is that the Christian is to be renewed.

1.1.

Renewed

This means to be brought back to a former state.

It speaks of being brought back to a far more glorious state that what is presently the case.

In 2 Corinthians 4:6, Paul speaks about this renewal that is taking place within us as Christians.

Consider that, dear friends, our inner man, that part of us that is spiritually alive, is day after day being transformed.

That is the glorious reality of being a Christian.

A Believer in the Lord Jesus Christ has the power of the Holy Spirit at work within them, and that power works within them to transform, to bring about renewal.

We'll consider a little later more of what that means for us.

But before we get there, consider how it is that Paul says we are being renewed...

He says that we are being renewed...

1.2.

In Knowledge

When it speaks here of us being renewed in knowledge, it is speaking about a renewal of the mind.

What does this mean for us?

There are a couple of important points that are important as we consider this.

1.2.1.

Renewal in the Mind

Paul writes in the parallel passage in Ephesians 4....

There is a powerful transformation that must take place in terms of our thinking if we are going to have this renewal take place.

In other words, what we think and how we think is critical in terms of our transformation, and the clothing of the New Self.

Consider this in terms of the world and its systems.

We live in a world that is teaching us what to think and how to think.

Without us even realising it, we are being taught particular patterns of thought.

Just to draw your attention to the radical difference in thinking.

Christ teaches us that it is more blessed to give than to receive.

The world’s system teaches us that “you deserve the best.”

God’s system, Christ teaches that you are not only to look to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

That you are to consider others more important that yourselves.

The world teaches, “you must do what makes you happy.”

Christ’s teaching says… “Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me...”

The World says… “Follow your heart...”, “Do what makes you happy...”

We need to recognise that the battle for the mind is critical.

What we think and how we think is essential.

Paul writes these words in 2 Corinthians 10:5

There is a clear contrast between the systems of the world, and the knowledge of God.

Keep in mind also that the heart and the mind are connected in Scripture.

Very often used interchangeably.

With that in mind, consider some further elements of this knowledge, and being renewed in the mind entail.

We are to be renewed in a....

1.2.2.

True Knowledge

In other words, this knowledge is a knowledge that is in accordance with truth.

It is aligned only with that which is true.

In the context of the day in which Paul wrote, there were extensive false teachers that were preoccupied with the idea of knowledge.

Knowledge was promoted and exalted and highly esteemed.

Think about those philosophers at the Aeropogus that Paul engaged with.

Ideas.

Think about the Gnostic teaching that was so prevalent.