Kelli Trujillo Supporter Loving Wife, Mother, Grandmother, Teacher, Musician

I think Philippians 3:17-21 is helpful in understanding this:

17 Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. 18 For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 

19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

Once we're saved, we're no longer citizens of the earth (in the physical, yes, but in the spiritual sense, no), and our entire way of thinking in regards to how we act, what we believe, what we say, our view of right and wrong, etc... needs to become adjusted to our new status as citizens of heaven.

In addition, we are instructed to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:12). If we want to become transformed as Christians so that we reflect more and more of Jesus and act more like citizens of heaven, we must start by renewing our minds. To do this, we must set our minds on the things that are above, the things that have to do with godliness.

There are many things I could list that help us accomplish this kind of renewal of our minds, too many to list comprehensively in this space. Reading the Bible, being taught by knowledgable Christians, reading spiritual books, and participating in worship will certainly help. I also think Philippians 4:8 sums this issue up nicely:

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.

November 25 2013 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report