Change The Way You Think

Grace changes the way we think, the way we relate to God, ourselves and others.  Grace changes the way we live. It tells us that we are righteous now, perfected forever, just like Jesus in our spirit.  That’s huge and incomprehensible, and yet it’s also so simple. All we need to ‘do’ is accept it in order to gain all its benefits.  The word ‘Grace’ has been watered down in Christian circles to be something we say over our food before we eat, yet Grace is radical.

Grace is in fact the completely undeserved favor of God – undeserved in that we didn’t do anything, nor do we need to do anything – to deserve it. He likes us, loves us, thinks the world of us. Ignore anyone who tries to tell you otherwise! I’d call that Good News! It’s so much the opposite of what religion has told us for centuries. It’s free, bought, paid for and credited to our accounts.

Grace is irrational to the thinker. It is unfair to the judge. It is radical to the religious. Grace is foolishness to the achiever. Grace is a mistake to the disciplinarian. But it is a stream of water to the thirsty. It’s freedom to the imprisoned. It is life to the dead. Grace is rest to the tired. It is another chance to the failed. It is hope to the despondent. It is a way out for the lost and a way in for those who can see the Door.

Right thinking equals right living, you cannot think wrong and live right and you cannot think right and live wrong.  The way you think determines the way you live. 

Romans 12:2 (NKJV),   And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

True transformation begins with the renewing of your mind.  Notice- God does not change us from the outside in, but from the inside out.  He changes the way we think and then that changes the way we live.  Religion basally does the opposite, religion starts with the outside-what you wear, eat or drink, the places you go, religion try’s to make us good be changing the externals.  Behavior modification never works, God’s method works.

Matthew 4:17 (KJV)  From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Repent Doesn’t Mean What You Think

The Greek word commonly translated repentance (metanoia) literally means to change your mind. So to repent is to change your mind. Nothing more, nothing less.  You can change your mind about anything, but Jesus calls us to change our mind about God and believe the good news (Mark 1:15). Biblical repentance is evidenced by turning to God.

Religious people often complain that grace preachers don’t preach repentance.  Here’s something interesting:  Repentance is one of the most important things you’ll ever do but the Apostle John never mentions the word. Not once. Not in his gospel or in any of his three letters.  I suppose John was also a grace preacher.  I think the reason John never mentions it is you don’t get people to repent by preaching repentance. People will not repent just because you tell them to repent.  Your definition of repentance will reveal whether you are living under grace or works. In the Old Testament, sinners repented by bringing a sacrifice of penance and confessing their sins (Num 5:7). But in the new we bring a sacrifice of praise and confess his name (Heb 13:15).

To get people to repent (change their minds) Jesus preached the good news of the kingdom. He painted a picture of where God wanted them to be and He gave them clear directions on how to get there (have faith in God).  It was the same with Apostle Paul. He didn’t walk into Corinth, one of the world’s most depraved cities, and preach “turn or burn.” Instead he resolved to know nothing but “Christ and him crucified” (1 Cor 2:2).

People need to hear how much God loves them. They need to hear about his unconditional favor and grace. The best way to tell them is to reveal the finished work of the cross. When the Corinthian Christians fell into sin, Paul still didn’t preach “turn from sin.” Instead he reminded them of their identity in Christ. He understood that grace, not dead works, is the cure for sin. Got a sin-problem? Turn to the cross and behold Christ. Come boldly to the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace. His grace is your only hope.

Should we repent? Of course! I repent all the time. You cannot renew your mind without repenting for repenting means to change your mind. So when I discover something new about the goodness of God, I repent – I change my way of thinking so that my life lines up with what is true.  We have to give people a  reason to repent and they’ll repent.  Repentance comes as a consequence of hearing about the goodness of God (Rom 2:4). So if you want people to repent, tell them how good God is. Preach the good news: God loves you, he died for you and he offers you His righteousness.  Jesus has done it all!