If you will receive the Word of God with a teachable Spirit, your soul can be saved. The soul is your mind, will, and emotions. The saving of your soul is a process - its final destination is the perfect will of God.
Verse two says, "be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed," or changed. Changed how? "By the renewing of your mind." When you begin renewing your mind, you don't start off on top. Before you get to God's perfect will, you have to begin with the good, then the acceptable, leading up to the perfect will of God, this process develops as your mind is being renewed day by day.
The Greek word for renew is renovate. When you renovate something, you strip off the old and put on the new. Well, the same is true with renewing your mind. You have to strip away your way of thinking and put on God's way of thinking.
This isn't a one-time deal, you have to continually renew your mind in everything - how to be a husband, wife, parent, pastor - whatever. A renewed mind is always changing, always striving for the things of God.
Philippians 2:5 tells us, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." Jesus was willing to submit to God. When the time came for Him to be crucified, His mind started yapping. "Haven't you seen people crucified before? Don't you know it hurts? You know, you're going to die?" Yes, yes, yes! Now that's pressure. I'm sure His mind told him, "Don't do it!"
But the Spirit on the inside of Him compelled Him to go the garden of Gethsemane to pray. He prayed until He could say, "Father, not my will but thy will be done." That's why God has given Him a name that is above every name. Jesus is who He is today because His mind was to do the will of God, even when it hurt.
Keep renewing your mind by the Word, eventually it will prove what is the perfect will of God.
Scripture References: Matthew 26:36-46; Philippians 2:8-11
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Keith Butler has been an ordained minister since 1974. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan and holds diplomas from Canada Christian College and Rhema Bible Training Center.
He serves in ministry with the support of his lovely wife, Pastor Deborah L. Butler, and their children: Pastor Andre Butler (granddaughters Alexis, Angela, and April), Pastor MiChelle Ferguson and husband Pastor Lee (grandson Lucas), and Minister Kristina Jenkins and husband Pastor Joel (grandsons Andrew and Austin, and granddaughter Alyssa).
