Has this world lost its mind?
Lately, I have found myself looking at the world around me: Confused. Discouraged. Dumbfounded. Scared. “ Specifically scared for my boys who have to grow up in it. Thinking, “Has this world lost its mind?” I see anger, violence, civil unrest, a lack of love for our neighbors, confusion, and ungodliness running rampant in our streets.
How did we get to the point where some of the most basic and foundational things in creation, such as gender (male and female), marriage, family structure, etc. become so blurred and obscure?
Here is what I have found in the chaos: The further away we get from the Creator, the further away we get from the very foundation on which the creation itself was built. The further away we get from the light, the darker our minds and therefore our culture will become.
Paul saw the same thing when he looked at the culture he lived in. He talked about those who, “because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools … Therefore, God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie … and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason God gave them up to vile passions … And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting” (Rom 1:21-28).
His point is that when we set our minds on this world and our flesh, we are setting ourselves up for failing at the most fundamental level of how we ought to be thinking. We have all been there, done that. We have all given ourselves over to the “futility of our minds” had our “understanding darkened” and our lives showed the fruits of it (Ephesians 4:17-18).
That is why later on Paul said if you are living that way you did not learn that from Christ (Ephesians 4:20) and that is why we need to renew our minds. He says YOU need to change.
If you heard the truth Jesus taught, then you need to “(vs. 22) put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts … (vs. 24) [and you need to] put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”
Then in vs. 25-32 Paul lists all these characteristics we are supposed to “take off” and remove out of our lives (like lying, stealing, corrupt words, anger, bitterness, etc.) and “put on” or add all these Christian (godly) characteristics in our lives (like telling the truth, forgiveness, generosity, edifying words, etc.). That is the Christian walk.
So, how do we go from our old man to the new? How do we make such radical changes in our lives? How do we overcome addictions? How do we remove sin from our lives? How do we become the person God wants us to be?
Do you know the difference between vs. 22 (the old man) and vs. 24 (the new man)? It’s vs. 23, where Paul says must “be renewed in the spirit of your mind.” We change the way we think about things. Solomon said, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7).
So, how do we renew our minds? According to Paul it is being taught by Jesus. Since Jesus is not in the flesh for us to hear Him, we need to have our hearts and minds in the scriptures (where we find Jesus and his apostles teaching) working on thinking more like Jesus. Spend more time reading, studying, and thinking about the Word, then applying it to real life. You will never change or grow if you do not.
God has called us to be transformed by the “renewal of our minds” (Romans 12:2). So, instead of being conformed by focusing on this world and our flesh, He is refocusing our minds on Christ and “seek[ing] those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set[ting] your mind on things above, not on things on the earth…” (Col 3:1-2).
We would love to help if you have any interest in spending more time in the scriptures, please reach out. We have multiple opportunities in our assemblies, digitally online, and within the community each week.
Visitors are welcome and valued. We meet at 15530 Herriman Blvd., Noblesville. Our phone number is (463) 287-0664. We meet for Sunday morning Bible Study at 10 a.m. and have classes for all ages. Worship begins at 11 a.m. and we have a Bible Study Wednesdays at 7 p.m. A warm welcome awaits!