Romans 12:2 - Renewing your mind.

The Apostle Paul, in Romans 12:2, gives the following command: "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will." How easy it is in today's world, to just go with the flow and merge with the crowd. It is deeply distressing that the morals and ethics of so many Christians is not much different from the rest of the world. It is also deeply distressing that so many Christians are Biblically illiterate. They do not know what the Bible says or why, and they do not know how it should be applied to their own lives. Even more disturbing is that many Christians couldn't care less what the Bible says - they just do what they want. It is so easy to rationalise and justify our thoughts and actions, to fall into "situational ethics" and to "turn a blind eye" to the teachings of scripture. But Paul COMMANDS us not to do this! Instead, he wants us to renew our minds (note that this is a command as well). But how do we renew our minds? Remember the old saying "Garbage in, Garbage out"? Rather than moulding their worldview, morals and ethics on the Bible and Christian writers, too many Christians are more influenced by consensus, pop-psychology, Hollywood, and the media. Instead of reading Women's Weekly or watching Melrose Place, why not do something really radical and spend your time reading through the book of Genesis? While your doing this, think about who God is, who Man is, and what God expects of us. I also thoroughly recommend reading books by C S Lewis and Francis and Edith Schaeffer. These authors have had a profound influence on my life and thought. I think you do yourself a great disservice by not reading them. Once we have immersed ourself in scripture and Christian literature, renewal of our mind will follow. Then and only then, will we be able to determine what God's good, pleasing and perfect will is for us...