What is Renewing in the Bible and How Can You Be Renewed?

Do you feel the need for renewing?

If you’re a believer, you should.

Why? It’s because you’ve received God’s new life into your deepest part, your spirit.

Yet, the rest of your being, your soul—mind, will and emotion—and your body, are still part of the old creation, suffering from the deadening affect of man’s fall.

So regardless of how young or old you are physically, you’re born into the old creation.

In the damaged old creation there is the killing work of death. It’s that deadening element that’s working in each one of us, every day–from our physical birth to our physical death–making us old.

We desperately need renewing…every day.

So in this post we’ll consider what it means for us as believers to be renewed and also consider some practical ways that we can experience this renewing day by day.

What is the renewing revealed in the Bible?

Renewing is not a matter of determining to change your old ways.

Renewing in the Bible is to have a new element wrought into your inner being. It is this renewing process that produces the inner transformation mentioned in Romans 12:2,

“Be transformed by the renewing of your mind…”

This renewing is something metabolic. It is like eating and digesting healthy food. When you receive some new organic element into your body, you spontaneously discharge some old element. This new element supplies and renews you.

In 2 Corinthians 4:16, Paul says,

 “Therefore we do not lose heart; but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.”

 Footnote 3 on this verse in the Recovery Version indicates that “being renewed day by day” is,

By being nourished with the fresh supply of the resurrection life. As our mortal body, outer man, is being consumed by the killing work of death, our inner man, that is, our regenerated spirit with the inward parts of our being, is being metabolically renewed day by day with the supply of the resurrection life.

But where does this “supply of resurrection life” come from? It comes from the Holy Spirit and the holy Word. But how can you receive this fresh supply for your daily renewing?

How can you be daily renewed?

If you’ve received Christ, you’re reborn and your spirit has been regenerated with God’s eternal life. It’s in your spirit that you receive the renewing.

Then such a “new” spirit needs to spread into your mind to become “the spirit of your mind” (Eph. 4:23). When God’s resurrection life spreads from your spirit into your mind it renews it.

It’s by your spirit, mingled with God’s renewing Spirit (Tit. 3:5), spreading into your mind—the leading part of your soul—that you can experience daily renewing.

Such a renewing needs your cooperation to set your mind on the spirit.  Romans 8:6 says,

 “The mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the spirit is life and peace.”

Romans 8:5 provides a practical way by saying “those who are according to the spirit, mind the things of the Spirit.” To set your mind on the spirit, you need to “mind the things of the Spirit”—the things of life revealed in and conveyed to you in God’s living Word.

Here are eight practical ways you can set your mind on your spirit to daily experience the renewing of your mind:

1. Begin your day with the Lord (Mark 1:35). Have a personal time with Lord each morning.
2. Call on the name of Lord Jesus from deep within, from your spirit (Rom. 10:12-13). It is your spiritual breathing.
3. Rejoice. Open your mouth to praise the Lord – “Always rejoice.” (1 Thes. 5:16)
4. Pray short prayers to maintain your fellowship with the Lord Jesus – “Unceasingly pray.”(v.17)
5. Thank the Lord for everything – “in everything give thanks.” (v. 18)
6. Read the Lord’s Word with prayer (Eph. 6:17-18). In this way you’ll touch the renewing Spirit in the Word.
7. Sing to the Lord in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs (Eph. 5:18-19).
8. Speak your enjoyment of Christ to both unbelievers and other believers.

By calling on the Lord, rejoicing, praying, thanking, pray-reading God’s Word, singing and speaking a little each day you will receive more of God’s divine element imparted into your being for your daily renewing. By this daily cooperation, God will be able to make you his new creation, part of the new man, that will ultimately become the holy city, New Jerusalem for eternity.

 References and Further Reading:

• For a deeper appreciation for this renewing you may enjoy reading Being Renewed Day by Day by Witness Lee. You can read it online at ministrybooks.org.
• Here is a hymn that speaks of the renewing:  Our Father as the evergreen, Thou art forever new and View Lyrics.
• You may also enjoy this post on Being Renewed Unto New Jerusalem  by a fellow blogger at New Jerusalem—A Biblical View.
• Photo credit: Morguefile – albertinins69