THEME: The Renewed Spirit - Eph.4:23.
Study Topic – Possessing the Renewed Spirit - Lk.9:23.
Digging Deep (Into The Word) – January 23, 2024
A. Introduction
- In our last study, we examined the nature of a person who is not born again, variously called ‘the carnal man’, the natural man’ or the one ‘born of the flesh and that such nature cannot be reformed by training or human effort, but must be ‘crucified’ or ‘put to death’. This ‘putting off’ of the ‘old man’ and the ‘putting on’ of the ‘new man’ is what the renewed spirit does. At first sight, it appears this process begins and ends with us, but it has been explained that the process begins with God, who supplies the grace for us to become aware of the wretchedness of the ‘old man’ nature we inherited at birth.
- It is also the same grace that makes us to hate that nature and desire to put it off by repentance. Our responsibility begins upon receipt of this grace which gives us the power to now ‘work out our own salvation’. Even after we begin the working out, we need God to give us the Holy Spirit to continue the renewing of the spirit of our mind by the Holy Spirit which now dwells in us. Let us examine these steps and process in detail
B. The ‘Potential’ and ‘Kinetic’ Energy
- Using the language of physics, we may compare God’s grace to potential energy, which is the spiritual energy that we have been supplied by the outpouring of grace from God for the purpose of carrying out spiritual disciplines to renew our spirit. When the spiritual energy is put in motion by our endeavours and ‘working out’, then it becomes energy in motion, which is kinetic energy. When potential energy is supplied, and the Christian, through doubt, laziness or complacency does nothing, then the ‘old man’ remains.
- The potential energy for giving us the will and desire to do God’s pleasure – Phil.2:13, calling Jesus LORD – ICor.12:3, possessing an integrated and circumcised heart – Ezek.11:19, and drawing near to Jesus – Jn.6:44, is supplied by God. When the Gospel is preached under the unction of the Holy Spirit, Jesus comes to us to invite us to repent, giving us the ability to repent – Rev.3:20. The ‘knocking’ of the door of our heart by Jesus is to evoke sorrow for sin, a humiliation that makes us to hate committing it. However, grace is only a potential energy.
- There must be the desire on our part to work out our salvation. This is by ‘presenting our bodies’ for the old man to be crucified – Rom.6:6; 12:1, bringing
our bodies under subjection and control – ICor.9:27, fighting the good fight of faith – ITim.6:12, resisting the devil – Jam.4:7 and drawing near to God – Jam.4:7. Fasting, prayer or studying the Word, without the supply of grace cannot draw us near to God, help us flee youthful lusts, or make us hate iniquity or submit to God. - We do these by working on the mercies, love, strength and favours that grace supplies(the potential energy) and turning them into energy in motion through spiritual disciplines. This can be seen in the command of our Jesus that those who would come after Him by the possession of the renewed spirit, must ‘deny themselves’, ‘take up their cross daily’ and follow Him – Lk.9:23.
C. Spiritual Disciplines
- A very great Christian, Dallas Willard, recommended a very practical way of actualising self-denial, taking up the daily cross and following Jesus, which he called spiritual disciplines. I recommend that we read his book, “The Spirit of the Disciplines”. He classified the disciplines into two- those of abstinence and those of engagement. Going to the gym, abstinence from food to lose weight, or from sex to become a monk, are all physical exercises, as they are not powered by grace and are not done to please and obey God. However, an activity undertaken to bring us into more effective cooperation with Christ and His kingdom, that makes use of grace so that more can be received from God through Christ is a spiritual discipline.
- Some examples of the disciplines of abstinence are solitude, silence and frugality. In solitude, we purposefully abstain from interaction with other human beings and close ourselves away. It is to create time for meditation, hearing from God, self-examination and sharpening of vision. Jesus did it often, and we need it for the renewing of our spirit, though it must be done prayerfully and under spiritual guidance – Matt.14:23. In silence, we close off our souls from “sounds”, whether those sounds be noise, music or words. It has been said that silence is the way to make solitude a reality. In frugality, we abstain from using money or goods at our disposal in ways that merely gratify our desires or our hunger for status, glamour or luxury.
- Some examples of the disciplines of engagement are study, worship and prayer. Study is the positive counterpart of solitude and silence. In study, we not
only read and hear and inquire, we meditate on what comes before us, seeking to go beyond the letter into the spirit of the Word. In worship, we just don’t sing. We see God as worthy and ascribe great worth to Him. Our thoughts are focused on Him and the words that come out of our mouths are inspired by Him. In worship, we draw to God with our hearts and not with our mouths. In prayer, solitude and silence are also important. Prayer is also a heart-matter rather than a mouth-matter, as was shown with Hannah. We connect with God, listen to what He wants us to pray on and we pray His words back to Him. Prayer-points are good, but they must be inspired by God. Indeed, the need for frequency in prayer is that it is the way one can be sure to know that God will speak. A person who does not pray always is not likely to find God speaking to him – Lk.18:1; IThess.5:17.
D. Conclusion
- The main thing we must bear in mind is the lordship of God through Christ in the renewing of the spirit of our minds. Let us therefore surrender to Him that He may have mercy on us and reveal to us our spiritual state that we may be renewed.
