Romans: The Journey. Thanks Renews the Mind. Romans begins with a mind gone dark. Eleven chapters later, Paul tells us to renew it. What happened in between? Romans card

The Word

What does giving thanks
have to do with renewing your mind?

Here’s what caught me: Paul connects gratitude and our thinking long before he ever tells us to renew our minds.

Romans 1:21

Where the mind
first goes dark

Romans begins with a mind gone dark. Read the verse slowly — watch where it happens.

“Because knowing God, they DIDN’T glorify him as God, and DIDN’T GIVE THANKS, but became vain in their reasoning and their SENSELESS HEART was DARKENED.”

Romans 1:21 (WEB)

Four steps, off a single failure to give thanks:

1They knew God
2They did not give thanks
3Their thinking became futile
4Their hearts were darkened

“and their senseless heart was DARKENED.”

Romans 1:21 (WEB)

That is where Romans begins. But it is not where Romans ends.

Notice this

Paul knew what he was doing. Eleven chapters before he asks anyone to be renewed, he opens his own letter the way he wants them to live —

“First, I THANK MY GOD through Jesus Christ FOR ALL OF YOU”

Romans 1:8 (WEB)

The Journey

Eleven Chapters
of Mercy

For the next eleven chapters, Paul lays out the mercy of God. A God who does for us what we could never do for ourselves.

  1. Grace
  2. Rescue
  3. Freedom
  4. Adoption
  5. Hope

And then one word turns

Therefore

“Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service.”

Romans 12:1 (WEB)

Everything he asks from here rests on the eleven chapters you just came through. Not try harder — in view of what you have been given.

Which is where he lands

Be transformed

“Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God.”

Romans 12:2 (WEB)
Romans 1
Romans 12
No Thanks
By the Mercies of God
Their thinking became futile
A renewed mind
Their hearts were darkened
Life transformed
Romans 1:21 (WEB)
Romans 12:1–2 (WEB)

What happened in between?

Nothing happened to them.
Something was shown to them.

Eleven chapters of what they had been given — and then one word: therefore.

A renewed mind changes everything

Giving thanks turns our attention back toward God and His mercy.

Romans 12

Where the renewing
begins

Eleven chapters later, Paul has finished laying out the mercy of God. And now he tells us how to respond.

Do not conform 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.

Romans 12:2

Notice where Paul goes: the mind.

Philippians 4

How it is actually done

So how does a mind get renewed? Paul gets practical.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

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.

Philippians 4:6–8

Notice the order: the thanksgiving goes in before the peace comes out.

The Practice

In all circumstances

Tomorrow morning will not wait for you to have a good week first. That is rather the whole point of it.

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:16–18

Not for all circumstances. In them. Three things, sixty seconds, before your feet hit the floor.