Changing the Way We Think

Repentance. Repentance means literally to change your mind. That is to change the way you think. And all through the New Testament, this is stated as the primary requirement for reconciliation with God. There is no way for man, with all his different ways and thoughts, to be reconciled with God unless he changes the way he thinks. That is, unless he repents. Let’s just take a few quick examples from the New Testament.

In Mark chapter 1, verses 2 through 4, Mark gives the introduction to the gospel ministry of Jesus.

“It is written in Isaiah the prophet: ‘I will send my messenger ahead of you who will prepare your way.’—A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord; make straight paths for him.’”

And so John, that’s John the Baptist, came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The key word in John’s ministry was repentance, and that was needed to prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah, Jesus. Until God’s people had been confronted with their need to change their way of thinking, they were not ready to receive the Messiah.

And then a little further on in Mark 1, verses 14 and 15, Mark describes the beginning of the public ministry of Jesus. After John the Baptist was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. That’s the gospel.

“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news.”

Notice, the first commandment Jesus gave in his public ministry was, “Repent.” Change the way you think. And only after that can people believe. It’s a great error to imagine that we can believe, in a true sense of the word believe, until we have repented. It’s always repent first, then believe.

After his resurrection, Jesus told his disciples in Luke 24:47,

“Repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”

Notice, the message is repentance first, and then forgiveness of sins. There can be no forgiveness of sins without repentance. That is without our changing our minds and the way that we think.

And then on the day of Pentecost, in Acts 2 and verse 38, when the convicted but unconverted multitudes said to the apostles, “Men and brethren, what must we do?” Peter replied,

“Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven.”

What was the first thing that he had to do? And he was the spokesman both of God and of the church. The first requirement is repent. Change the way you think.

All people everywhere have to repent, change their way of thinking. Now, why is that? The reason is given in Isaiah. One simple verse in Isaiah gives the reason. Isaiah 53:6,

“We all like sheep have gone astray; each of us has turned to his own way.”

That’s true of every one of us. So how do we get back into fellowship with God? By repenting, by changing our way and our thinking. In connection with this process that I’m speaking about, changing our way of thinking, I want to introduce you to another important biblical word, which is the word meditation. I want to suggest to you that meditation actually means, in the Bible, learning to think God’s way. And meditation opens the door to God’s favor and blessing.

And then in the first Psalm, there’s this beautiful opening passage which really sets the keynote for the whole of Psalms. Psalm 1, verses 1 through 3,

“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever he does prospers.”

Notice, there are three things that such a man must not do. He must not walk in the counsel of the wicked, stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers. In other words, he must renounce man’s ways and thoughts. And he must, in turn, replace those with God’s ways and thoughts, which come to him through the law of the Lord. And he has to meditate on it day and night. He has to fill his mind with God’s thoughts and God’s ways. And when he does that, then this beautiful promise is given. It’s similar to the promise that we’ve already looked at in Isaiah 55. Such a man, “He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.” He’s always blessed. He’s always flourishing. He’s always fresh. He doesn’t know withering. He doesn’t know barrenness. Such things are not his portion. And it’s all summed up in that simple, beautiful phrase, “Whatever he does prospers.” Would you like to be like that? God has shown us the key. It’s to let his word come into our hearts and minds, meditate on it day and night, replace our ways and thoughts with his thoughts, and the result is whatever we do will prosper.