The just shall live by faith

Have you read Romans 7:7-12?  If so, how would you sum up what he said in one sentence?  OK, that is not fair because there is more than one lesson to draw from that passage.  Here is one thing I hope you took from what he wrote: ‘focusing on what I should not do doesn’t translate into doing what I should do.’   That is the weakness of religious law.  It kind of works like a wet paint sign, you are invariably struck with the urge to touch it just to make sure. 

Romans 12:1&2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 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.

It is kind of like this, the best way to avoid thinking about pink rabbits is to concentrate on purple elephants.  That is the principle behind the renewal of your mind Paul mentions in Romans 12:2. You have to replace the old way of thinking with a new methodology.  What I’ll call a new mindset.  That is actually what the Bible calls for, a total change of mindset. Our natural or instinctive mindset is tied to the material universe in which we live.  Renewing our mind requires new knowledge.  Thus, the command to work at studying the Bible, filling your mind with new information.  So, here is another great Bible verse on this subject.

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Because the righteous one must live by faith (Romans 1:17) we need to know the source of that faith.  Faith must have an object and for the believer that is the Bible, God’s word.  You can’t believe in something you don’t know.  So, we have Romans 10:17 “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” 
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If you have believed in Jesus Christ for everlasting life the next step towards being a disciple is renewing your mind by reading and studying God’s word.  2 Timothy 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.  True knowledge of God’s Word may not change your life, but it will change you.