CHAPTER FOUR

THE RENEWING OF THE MIND AND THE RESULTING TRANSFORMATION SAVING US FROM A LIVING SOAKED WITH THE ELEMENT OF THE WORLD

Scripture Reading: Rom. 8:5b, 6b; 12:2, 5-11

1. The renewing of the mind:
   1. The result of setting the mind on the spirit-Rom. 8:6b.
   2. Minding the things of the Spirit according to the spirit-Rom. 8:5b.
2. The resulting transformation:
   1. The transforming of the entire soul, with the mind being its principal part-Rom. 12:2.
   2. The result of not conforming to this age being saved from a living soaked with the element of the world-Rom. 12:2a.
   3. That we may prove by testing the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God-Rom. 12:2b:
      1. Being members one of another with the saints, coordinating to be the Body of Christ, and living the Body life in it-Rom. 12:5.
      2. Also coordinating and serving with the saints in the Body of Christ for the building up of the Body of Christ in order to accomplish God’s New Testament economy-Rom. 12:6-11.

The life of God in Christ saves us in five aspects, and brings in four results. The first result is that we reign in life to subdue all kinds of insubordination. Thus, we take control of all kinds of environments. Second, we are enabled to live the church life in a locality, being saved from our self-view and self-goal. Every one of us has his own view. It is the church life that saves us from our own view. If a church is full of opinions, it is no longer normal. It becomes Laodicea. Man’s views and opinions produce different goals. These different goals hinder the church from being built up. The third result is the crushing of Satan under our feet which brings in God’s kingdom. Last, the ultimate consummation of God’s salvation in life brings us into glorification.

Tonight I want to tell you again that in order to be in the Lord’s work, you must first have the vision. The vision governs the view. Our view has to be governed by the vision. Second, we must not form parties. To form parties has to do with our private interests and personal goals. The phrase to form parties has been translated in the Recovery Version as factious, strife, and rivalry (Rom. 2:8; 2 Cor. 12:20; Gal. 5:20; Phil. 1:17; 2:3; James 3:14, 16). People are in strife and rivalry because they have their own personal goals and are for their private interests. The result is problems.
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