Pioneer Christian Monthly - July, 1977

Do We Need Re-Programming?
Mrs. June Van Farowe

Few of us understand the complicated workings of an automatic transmission or automatic washing machine. We know that they are pre-set and programmed into a certain cycle. We don't tamper with the cycle and they work very well.

We think of ourselves and other people as programmed and automatic too.

"He is a stubborn Dutchman."

"She is a rot-tempered redhead."

"I have some bad habits, but everybody has some."

"He blows his top just like his Dad did."

"I come by my quick temper naturally. I'm like my Mom."

The person who says 'I come by it naturally' is absolutely right. Left to ourselves we would not be able to overcome personality quirks. We hardly understand ourselves, let alone change ourselves. Usually we are reacting to something someone else does. For example, Mother just burns up when little Jimmy whines in a certain way. Or she may get soft and give in to this whining. She thinks that her way is natural and she cannot change it. But there are some people who feel defeated by their natural reactions. They want a way out. They have read all the "How to Improve your personality" advice they can find. They try and fail again and again.

Jesus has a process of re-programming and change that includes reading and thinking correctly, but his process has a first step which only the Spirit can do. His fantastic process begins with a new birth and continues if the new baby reads Scripture and allows it to renew his way of thinking.

BE SURE YOU HAVE HIS "LIFE" IN YOU

If you are not "born" into His spiritual life, reading the Word alone does not give you power to change. Many church-going people put a lot of effort into trying to live right. They think that there is good in living the Christian way so they set out to be "good". This works until Johnny spills his milk, until someone says a nasty critical remark, until a church friend disagrees with a favorite project or idea. Your best effort ends in resentment and frustration. You cannot think in a new way (a way that goes against the natural) without a new power source.

His Spirit must enervate our spirit with his new life ability. This is conception by the Spirit or being "born again". Being born by the Spirit is receiving a life dynamic that responds to God like a plant responds to water and sun.

Now you can begin to "Have this mind in you which was also in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 2: 5). Now you can "be renewed in the spirit of your mind" (Eph. 4 :23).

AFTER YOU ARE BORN WITH HIS LIFE

Just to be born-again does not guarantee that you will begin to think and respond with a renewed mind. Now you must get into the x-ray of the word to find out where change is necessary and possible. The reading of the laws and "shoulds" in the Bible tell us that change is necessary. That is why many ministers read the 'Ten Rules each Sunday. The sermon on the mount and other of Jesus teachings tell us that we must act right. They also discourage us. I think we can actually be discouraged by reading only parts of the Bible.

The law tells us how we should live; it tells us what is expected of us. We then know we can't live up to it so we run to Christ. The law is the school teacher to bring us to Christ (Gal. 3 . 24). , But then what? The law cannot give us strength to overcome failures that come with natural condition.

For example: I know that a good little wife always keeps her house clean and spotless without a speck of dust or mess. I should be that way. Yet knowing that I should be a good little wife does not make me a perfect housekeeper.

I need not only to know what pleases God (the shoulds) but I also need to know that he has provided the actual power to please him. I need to be convinced in my mind that it is possible for me to please God. My mind says I can't, but the Word says you can. First Corinthians 5 : 17 tells me that I am a "new creature" in Christ. People most often read the last verses of Romans 8. Why not read the first verses as often? We must read more than the shoulds.

THE RENEWED MIND NEEDS BALANCE

If we are to be re-programmed we must feed our minds properly. Be sure to read enough of the Bible to be balanced in your thinking. A mind trained in Scripture is not content to say only that "we are conceived and born in sin". (We are also conceived in Christ.) "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Phil. 4 :13). I need to know that he will strengthen me with control when my child provokes me and I am tempted to beat him over the head. I need to count on His ability when I am tempted to scorn my child or belittle him with words. I need to believe that His control can become my control. The natural tendency to knock someone down does not need to erupt from me. Why not? Because having life in Christ is having a dynamic from Christ. This dynamic force makes one able to keep the laws. For what the law could not do Christ did. He did it so that "the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk after the Spirit." Rom. 8: 3, 4.

GO BEYOND THE READING OF THE SHOULDS

I don't want anyone to think that I am against the reading of the shoulds". The law is necessary. But we must not stop there. How about turning to second Corinthians 5 : 17 along with the reading of the law by our ministers on a Sunday morning? Or, for a real mental and spiritual lift read all of Romans 8. (Usually ministers preach more often on the last verses of this chapter.) How often we turn to the shoulds in Ephesians 5. We know them by heart:

"Wives, submit yourselves, Husbands, love your wives, and children, obey your parents." But do we as often turn to Ephesians 1 : 19? "How great is his power working in us who believe." You should do this, you should do that then becomes 'I can do this." "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Because his power is at work we begin to obey God's laws.

If we want to be renewed in our minds we must feed our mind properly. When the Bible says we are called to be saints we must believe that. A mind trained in Scripture is not content to say only that "we are sinners and always will be". To be true to Scripture we must know that we are conceived "in Christ" for better things. "You are to think of yourselves as dead, so far as sin is concerned, but living in fellowship with God through Christ Jesus" (Romans 6 : 11).

WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO THE NATURAL MAN?

Your new mind must focus itself on what really happened to the selfish, defeated, natural man. The natural tendencies that war against God suffered death and burial with Christ. Christ took all human failure and natural rebellion and pulled them with him into his grave when he was buried. You find this in Romans 6: 4. Colossians 2 : 12 says you were buried with Christ and then raised with Christ. You do not do this by getting baptized, but it is pictured in baptism. Your part is to believe this, accept that it happened "through your faith in the active power of God, who raised him from death". This goes beyond positive thinking you see. It is reality thinking because it banks on something that really happened. (Really!)

TAKE IT BY FAITH

You notice how important faith is because you do not see your old ways buried. You can still be Li impatient, angry, resentful, etc. But you see "by faith" that Christ overcame these. The life I now live I live not by faith in myself, but "by faith in the Son of God" (Gal. 2:20). Whenever your natural impatience erupts, and you sin, you know again that you are unable in your own power. It is His power, His patience, His love, etc. We are bankrupt on our own. Our faith takes His adequacy in place of our inadequacy.

CONCLUSION

You may never understand an automatic transmission or an automatic washer. No great problem there. But will you operate on a New Life Cycle or go on in your good old natural way. Will you be renewed in your mind?

Some people do not feel a need to be re-programmed. There is a mind-set that is carnal and the carnal mind is 'enmity against God" (Rom. 8: 7). This natural frame of mind cannot be subject to God's ways because it does not want to be.

The natural mind carries the delusion that "Everybody has to have some faults" and "God cannot expect us to act like Jesus, we are only human". Now it is no delusion to say that we are sinners. We do come by sin and defeat naturally. But while all Christians choose to sin at times, they do not have to sin compulsively. Christ's new life power is really within. It is delusion to think Christ's way is impossible.

Be renewed by the Words of the Spirit. Allow your mind to be renewed and re-programmed. Your mind will live on delusion or half-truths if you do not feed it on "reality".

MAKE A CHOICE

You have a choice to make. Choose the natural cycle or the unnatural cycle. Believe that "His power is at work within you" or go on trying in your own power. Now, you may screech and scrape if rubbed the wrong way; you may need to be soothed and oiled often. But you'll be quite convinced that even Jesus didn't think you could change. He never called you to be a saint!

Please click the "Back" button of your browser to return to previous page.