Changing Our Mind: God’s Way

Now, today I’m going to explain more fully what’s involved in this process of changing the way we think. It’s of the utmost importance.

The Bible has a special word for this: 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 1:14-15, 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 the 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 2:38, when the convicted but unconverted multitude 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.”

And then Paul, speaking to the men of Athens, a very different kind of crowd, intellectuals, Gentiles, not people with a Jewish background, in Acts 17:30, Paul tells these men,

“In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but he now commands all people everywhere to repent.”

That leaves out no person and no place. 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.

In Joshua chapter 1, verse 8, God told this to Joshua,

“Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”

The Word of God had to fill Joshua’s mind. He had to think in terms of God’s Word all the time. Then he had to speak it out with his mouth, and he had to follow it up with corresponding actions. But it started in his mind. The key was right meditation. The promise for right meditation is, “Then you will be prosperous and successful.” That’s the pine and the myrtle coming up in place of the thorn and the briar.

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