Renewing the mind is the key…

The Verse of the Day for January 27, 2023, is found in Ephesians 6:12-13, which is part of the most celebrated passage related to putting on the whole armor of God, beginning with verse 10 and continuing through verse 20. The New Living Translation renders the passage this way:

Ephesians 6:10-14:

The Whole Armor of God

¹⁰ A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. ¹² For we^[a] are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

¹³ Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle, you will still be standing firm. ¹⁴ Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness.

In addition to its use in this passage, the expression “to put on” is used in various other places in the New Testament. Note this reference to putting on something other than specifically “the whole armor of God”

Romans 13:12 (NKJV):

¹² The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.

1 Thessalonians 5:8 (AMP) speaks of similar elements of the armor mentioned in Ephesians 6:

But since we [believers] belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope and confident assurance of salvation.

Romans 13:14 (NKJV) mentions something else to be put on:

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

References in Ephesians and Colossians in the King James Version mention “putting on the new man” as part of the renewing of the mind: In Ephesians 4:22-25 (KJV) we find this exhortation:

²² That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

²³ And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

²⁴ And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

²⁵ Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another

Colossians 3:10 continues with these words:

And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Colossians 3:12-14 elaborate in terms of what believers are to put on:

¹² Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; ¹³ bearing with one another, and forgiving one another if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. ¹⁴ But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.

The discussion of the above Scriptures reveals that the phrase “to put on” is connected to renewing the mind, whereby Paul encourages followers of God to “put off, put on, and put away.” We are encouraged to change our minds and develop new thinking patterns. We are to put off the old man and put on the new man, as we put away lying or any other ungodly practices.  This transformative process is ongoing in the life of every believer and becomes the topic of the following original poem:

The Key to Renewing the Mind

⁹ Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off

 your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds.

¹⁰ Put on your new nature and be renewed as you learn

to know your Creator and become like him.

Colossians 3-9-10

It has been said that the key to power is renewing the mind,

But Father, reveal this ongoing process, and clearly

Show us how to walk in power, excel, and not fall behind,

As we strive to know deeper levels of intimacy.

With laser precision, we target the old-man nature

And put to death all of our carnal members once and for all.

We respond in obedience in answer to God’s call;

Not conformed, we transform ourselves, being made new, mature.

In the secret place of the Lord who ever inhabits

The praises of His people, here we desire to abide,

To put off the old man, vile, corrupt, wrapped in sinful pride

And put on the new man, as one changes garments, habits.

Above all, we put on compassionate love from the start

And abide in our hiding place, filled with a grateful heart.

We conclude with another Scripture Memory Song: Put on the Full Armour (Ephesians 6:11-12)            

Put on the whole armor and more

The Verse of the Day for January 27, 2016 is found in Ephesians 6:12-13, which is part of the most celebrated passage related to putting on the whole armor of God, beginning with verse 10 and continuing through verse 20. King James Version renders the first five verses of passage this way:

Ephesians 6:10-14:

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

In addition to its use in this passage, the expression “to put on” is used in various other places in the New Testament. Note this reference to putting on something other than specifically “the whole armor of God”

Romans 13:12 (NKJV):

12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.

1 Thessalonians 5:8 (AMP) speak of similar elements of the armor mentioned in Ephesians 6:

But since we [believers] belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope and confident assurance of salvation.

Romans 13:14 (NKJV) mentions something else to be put on:

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

References in Ephesians and Colossians in the King James Version mention “putting on the new man” as part of the renewing of the mind: In Ephesians 4:22-25 (KJV) we this find this exhortation:

22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another

Colossians 3:10 continues with these words:

And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Colossians 3:12-14 elaborate in terms of what believers are to put on:

12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.

The discussion of the above Scriptures reveal that the phrase “to put on” is directly connected to renewing the mind, whereby Paul encourages followers of God to “put off, put on, and put away.” We are encouraged to change of our minds and to develop new thinking patterns. We are to put off the old man and to put on the new man, as we put away lying or any other ungodly practices. This transformative process is ongoing in the life of every believer and becomes the topic of the following poem:

The Key to the Renewed Mind

⁹ Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off

your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds.

¹⁰ Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn

to know your Creator and become like him.

Colossians 3:9-10 (Amplified Bible)

It has been said that the key to power is the renewed mind,
But what is the key to the renewed mind? God please show me,
For I seek to walk in power and excel and not be left behind,
As I strive to know levels of deepest intimacy.
With laser precision I target the old man nature
And put to death and mortify my members once for all.
I respond in obedience in answer to God’s call;
Not conformed, I transform myself, as new man, mature.
In the secret place of the Lord who ever inhabits
The praises of His people, here I desire to abide,
To put off the old man, vile, corrupt, wrapped in sinful pride
And put on the new man, as one changes garments, habits.
Above all I put on compassionate love from the start
And abide in my hiding place, filled with a grateful heart.

We conclude with another Scripture Memory Song: Put on the Full Armour (Ephesians 6:11-12):

Key to the renewed mind

The Verse of the Day for November 24, 2015 comes from Colossians 2:6-7(NKJV)

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

This passage reminds us that as we have received Christ Jesus, the Lord, we are to walk in him, which is an aspect of renewing the mind, the process whereby we “put off the old and put on the new.” These lines reflect our prayer to God:

Open our ears to hear the Word that we might do it,

To put on the mind of Christ and learn to renew it.

In reflecting on this topic of vital importance to every believer, the following poem came to mind:

 

The Key to the Renewed Mind

Do not lie to one another, for you have stripped off the old

(unregenerate) self with its evil practices,

 

 And have clothed yourselves with the new [spiritual self],

which is [ever in the process of being] renewed and remolded into

[fuller and more perfect knowledge upon] knowledge after

the image (the likeness) of Him Who created it.

Colossians 3:9-10 (AMP)

 

It has been said that the key to power is the renewed mind

But what is the key to the renewed mind? God help us to see,

For we seek to walk in power and excel and not be left behind,

As we strive to know new levels of deepest intimacy.

With laser precision we must target the old man nature

And put to death those lusts of the flesh that still afflict us all.

Not conformed but transformed as a new creation, we mature,

As we respond in obedience in answer to God’s call.

We put off the old and put on the new, as we change habits

And reckon the old man dead: vile, corrupt, wrapped in sinfl pride.

We strive to dwell in the secret place where the Lord inhabits

The praises of His people; here we desire to abide.

Above all, we put on compassionate love from the start,

Wrapping ourselves in perfect unity, filled with a grateful heart.

The closing phrase of the poem, not only refers to the ending of the Verse of the Day in its reminder of “abounding in thanksgiving,” but the lyrics of a song appropriate of this season also come to mind: “Give Thanks with a grateful heart.” Don Moen offers this expression of gratitude to God in song: