I remember when I came to faith in Christ for everlasting life. I was a senior in college. I wanted to grow in my faith. I wanted to please the Lord. I wanted to be a victorious Christian. But I did not know how to do that.
I did what most new believers who desire to live victoriously do. I read my Bible, prayed, went to a church my spiritual father recommended, and attended an on-campus Bible study and discipleship group.
The key was that the church and the on-campus studies were teaching relatively sound doctrine. I was very fortunate in that regard. Many new believers end up in churches (and home groups) that practice what one megachurch near me advertises as “Inner-tainment.” They enjoy professional bands and singers. They find the preacher to be very entertaining. But they get very little sound doctrine.
After a few years in such a church, believers may lose sight of the importance of God’s Word. Instead, they focus on the joyful feelings they experience when they sing, shout, raise their hands, and hear an entertaining message. But those highs do not last. They do not produce spiritual victory.
Paul laid out the key to victorious Christian living simply and eloquently: “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” (Rom 12:2). We are transformed by the renewing of our minds.
Many Evangelicals downplay doctrine. They minimize the mind’s importance. But transformation comes only to those who are what Paul calls spiritually minded: “For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace” (Rom 8:6).
Are you spiritually minded? Do you view life through the lens of Scripture, walking by faith, not by sight (2 Cor 5:7)? Do you allow the carnal mindset of this world to mold your thinking? Or does God’s Word have its intended impact on your mind so that you have “the mind of Christ” (1 Cor 2:16)?
We need solid Bible teaching week in and week out. That is crucial to becoming and remaining spiritually minded. I know it is hard to find a church that provides this. If there isn’t one close to you, consider: 1) driving a long way each Sunday, 2) moving nearer a sound church, 3) starting a home church, and/or 4) getting sound Bible teaching via online sermons, Bible studies, and podcasts.
Keep grace in focus by hungrily partaking of God’s Word each week (1 Pet 2:2).
