Renewing Mind From Worldly Patterns And Behaviors
The concept of renewing the mind from worldly patterns and behaviors is rooted in Romans 12:2, which exhorts believers not to be conformed to this world but to be transformed by the renewing of their minds [1]. This transformation enables them to discern and approve God's good, pleasing, and perfect will.
In the view of John Calvin, this renewal involves redirecting one's life to follow God's will and wisdom, withdrawing from self-governance to obey God [4]. Similarly, Augustine interprets the renewal of the mind as a process of being formed anew from the world's deforming influences, through heeding the apostle's call to not conform to the world [5, 7].
The biblical basis for this concept is not limited to Romans 12:2. Psalms 119:37, for example, expresses a desire to be revived in God's ways and to turn away from worthless things [2]. The renewal of the mind is associated with a deeper understanding and appreciation of God's truth, as Charles Hodge notes, citing the need for illumination of the mind to apprehend revealed truths [10, 11].
The process of renewing the mind involves a change that is not merely superficial but is rooted in a deeper transformation. According to Hodge, this change is not a new purpose created by God or formed by the sinner under His influence but lies beneath consciousness, affecting the soul's underlying disposition [9]. This understanding is echoed in Calvin's description of renewal as being "changed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord" [8].
Different traditions interpret the nature and implications of this renewal. For instance, John Gill understands "this world" in Romans 12:2 to refer either to the Mosaic dispensation or to carnal and unregenerate people, emphasizing the need to avoid conformity to either [3]. In contrast, Hodge discusses the role of the Spirit in regeneration, highlighting the importance of the Spirit's operation in bringing about a genuine change [6].
The renewal of the mind is closely tied to the concept of being created anew in God's image. Augustine describes this process as being formed anew by Him who originally formed the image, emphasizing that the image cannot reform itself [7]. Calvin similarly notes that through regeneration, believers are renewed into the righteousness of God, from which they had fallen [8].
The practical outworking of this renewal involves a reorientation of one's life. Calvin exhorts believers to let God's wisdom and will preside over all their actions, directing every part of their lives to God as the legitimate end [4]. This reorientation is accompanied by a deeper understanding of God's truth and a transformation that affects the believer's entire being.
The historical development of this doctrine is reflected in the writings of the early Church Fathers and Reformed theologians. Augustine's works, such as "Confessions" and "On the Holy Trinity," provide insight into the patristic understanding of the renewal of the mind [5, 7]. Reformed theologians like Calvin and Hodge further articulated this doctrine, emphasizing the role of the Spirit and the need for a deep-seated transformation [4, 8, 6].
The renewal of the mind remains a vital aspect of Christian doctrine, emphasizing the need for believers to be transformed by God's power, rather than conforming to worldly patterns. As Calvin notes, this transformation is a work of the Spirit, changing believers into God's image from glory to glory [8].
Sources
- Romans “Romans 12:2 (BSB) — Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.”
- Psalms “Turn my eyes away from looking at worthless things. Revive me in your ways. -- Psalms 119:37”
- Romans (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Romans 12:2: And be not conformed to this world,.... By this world is meant, either the Mosaic dispensation, and Jewish church state, so called in opposition to , "the world to come", the Gospel dispensation; in which there were a worldly sanctuary, and the rites and ceremonies of which are styled the rudiments and elements of the world; to which believers in the present state are by no means to conform, there being sacrifices and ordinances of another nature, it is the will of God they should observe and attend unto: or else the men of the world are designed, carnal and unregener”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 62: therefore, let his wisdom and will preside over all our actions. We are God’s; to him, then, as the only legitimate end, let every part of our life be directed. O how great the proficiency of him who, taught that he is not his own, has withdrawn the dominion and government of himself from his own reason that he may give them to God! For as the surest source of destruction to men is to obey themselves, so the only haven of safety is to have no other will, no other wisdom, than to follow the Lord wherever he leads. Let this, then be ”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 1: Augustine — Confessions, Letters — CHAP. XXII. -- HE EXPLAINS THE DIVINE IMAGE (VER. 26) OF THE RENEWAL OF THE MIND.: 32. For behold, O Lord our God, our Creator, when our affections have been restrained from the love of the world, by which we died by living ill, and began to be a "living soul" by living well; and Thy word which Thou spakest by Thy apostle is made good in us, "Be not conformed to this world;" next also follows that which Thou presently subjoinedst, saying, "But be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind," -- not now after your kind, as if following your neighb”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 138: and the sinner relapses into his wonted state of insensibility, his faith disappears. To this class of persons our Saviour refers when He speaks of those who receive the Word in stony places or among thorns. Of such examples of temporary faith there are numerous instances given in the Scriptures, and they are constantly occurring within our daily observation. In the third place, the state of mind induced by these common operations of the Spirit, often leads to reformation, and to an externally religious life. The sense of the truth and i”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 3: Augustine — On the Holy Trinity — CHAP. 16.--HOW THE IMAGE OF GOD IS FORMED (part 1): ANEW IN MAN. 22. But those who, by being reminded, are turned to the Lord from that deformity whereby they were through worldly lusts conformed to this world, are formed anew from the world, when they hearken to the apostle, saying," Be not conformed to this world, but be ye formed again in the renewing of your mind;"(1) that that image may begin to be formed again by Him by whom it had been formed at first. For that image cannot form itself again, as it could deform itself. He says again elsewhe”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 58: the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord.” Again, “Be renewed in the spirit of your minds” and “put ye on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” Again, “Put ye on 516 the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.” 310 310 2 Cor. 3:18 ; Eph. 4:23, 24 ; Col. 3:10 ; 2 Cor. 4:16 . Accordingly through the blessing of Christ we are renewed by that regeneration into the righteousness of God from which we had falle”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 6: It is not a new purpose created by God (if that language be intelligible), or formed by the sinner under his influence. Nor is it any conscious exercise of any kind. It is something which lies lower than consciousness. Not a Change of Substance. 4. It is not, however, according to the Church doctrine, any change in the substance of the soul. This is rejected universally as Manicheism, and as inconsistent with the nature of sin and holiness. It is, indeed, often assumed that there is nothing in the soul but its substance and its acts; and, ”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 52: Spirit ( i.e. , of the truths which the Spirit has revealed), that is the reason or cause of unbelief. So also in Eph. iv. 18 , he says, The heathen (unconverted men) are “alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them.” Hence his frequent prayers for the illumination of his readers; and the supplication of the Psalmist that his eyes might be opened. Hence, also, true conversion is said to be effected by a revelation. Paul was instantaneously changed from a persecutor to a worshipper of Christ, when it pleased God t”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1, section 9: by God in His Word ( 1 Cor. ii. 10-16 ). It is not, therefore, a revelation of new truths, but an illumination of the mind, so that it apprehends the truth, excellence, and glory of things already revealed. And second, 16 This experience is depicted in the Word of God. The Bible gives us not only the facts concerning God, and Christ, ourselves, and our relations to our Maker and Redeemer, but also records the legitimate effects of those truths on the minds of believers. So that we cannot appeal to our own feelings or inward experience, as ”