When we think about renewal, we remember the fact that things are not as they used to be, but can be again. In some ways we realize that God makes us new. He does new things in our lives that we cannot have done without Him. 

So, how can He renew us, if we were that way in the first place? Well, sometimes renewal is individual, and other times it is not. There are times when God is making us new, not in a way of renewing us to what we once were, but the way He created man to be. The way Adam and Eve were in the Garden, before they brought sin into our world. God can renew us in our knowledge, spirit, thinking, and lives.

RENEWED IN OUR KNOWLEDGE

You may wonder about the order that God does these things. In some senses God can work outside of the order. In other senses, He can do them all at once, but I’m going to offer knowledge as the first step. Colossians 3:10 talks about being “renewed in the knowledge after the image of its Creator.”

Our God needs us to know Who He is. We get to know Him through His Spirit, natural revelation, and His Word. Often what we think we know about God is very out of step with who He really is, so we need to look to His Word, to have a renewed knowledge of His person, being, and character.

RENEWED IN OUR SPIRIT

Once we know who God is, we can start to have a renewed spirit. Once we truly understand His grace, mercy, love, and forgiveness, it can change our hearts to have a renewed love for God. This is why the Psalmists asks God in Psalm 51:10 to “renew a right spirit within me.” Our love for God and our fellow man can change.

RENEWED IN OUR THINKING

If we understand God correctly, know who He really is, which changes our spirit within us, we then have our thinking changed. It will change the way we think about God, money, sex, marriage, children, retirement, politics, and a variety of other arenas of life. We start seeing life the way God sees it. This is what Paul means in Romans 12:2 when he says, “transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

RENEWED IN OUR LIVES

As our knowledge of God, our spirit, and our thinking changes, then our lives will begin to change. II Corinthians 5:17 says, “anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person.” This is the transformation of our lives in order to become like the King we follow.

What area of renewal do you need? Are you hoping to have your life changed without your thinking, spirit, or knowledge of God changed? What is one thing you need to start with today to allow God to renew in you?

Thanks for taking time to read this Maddening Theology post. If you enjoyed this content you can find Pastor Tim’s sermons at www.cornerstoneforestcity.org. You can also join us at 520 Marion St. Browndale, PA 18421 on Sundays at 10 AM. To make following the blog easier you can also register. You can also join us on Facebook at Cornerstone Forest City. Also, don’t forget to download our APP on iTunes  or Googleplay.