Ephesians 4:23

“and that ye be renewed in the spirit of your mind”

“Renewed”: To reform. “ The present passive infinitive suggests continual action. Literally the command requires that we ‘continue to be renewed' (Caldwell p. 203). “In the spirit of your mind”: “You must adopt. new attitude of mind” (Gspd). “Is the moral direction that one chooses to pursue. Each individual's human spirit, his free moral agency, changes direction and he takes on. new disposition of mind toward the things of God” (Caldwell p. 203).

The key to this transformation is. new attitude towards God and sin. The "new man" is. new thinking man (Romans 12:1). Thus to be successful against temptation and successful in developing Christian character one must have the proper frame of mind. Certain fundamental truths or perspectives are essential for the Christian: God is God and we are not. God is good and every command is always given in our best interest. If God says “no” then there is good reason for behind this heavenly “no”. The Christian life is not the deprived life. God is always right. Selfishness only results in misery and frustration. Serving and self-denial is the true path to purpose, meaning, satisfaction, happiness and "Life" (Matthew 16:25).. don't deserve the good things that happen to me in life,. actually deserve to be treated much worse, therefore gratitude is an essential element of the new life (Colossians 3:15). Therefore guarding our minds and maintaining the proper perspective and attitude, which means believing the truth, is an essential aspect to enjoying the Christian life. Believing the correct doctrines and maintaining the proper attitudes are absolutely necessary for successful spiritual growth, which means if. am perpetually in. condition of spiritual weakness, it means that. am entertaining some worthless thoughts, concepts and attitudes.. have found that "self-pity" or the preoccupation with self is one of the most common "rotten" mind-sets found in those who are either spiritually weak or those who abandon God all together. The change required by God must reach all the way down to our inward attitudes. Merely getting rid of some bad habit is not enough. We must clean up our minds as well (Matthew 23:23).