Meat Head part 4
If the carnal mind isn't subject to the things of God (and CAN'T be subject to them), then why are we spending so much time trying to modify people's behavior? If it comes from the outside-in, from an external list of laws, then it will never produce real, true, lasting change. Because it's not about changing. It's about understanding the change that took place on the cross. It's not about changing your mind, it's about letting the mind of Christ (that's already in you) BE in you. It's about BEING transformed (into what we've already been transformed into) by the renewing of our minds. Here's what I'm saying: Instead of telling people what to do, we should be telling people who they are! Instead of trying to get people who are in the flesh--of human effort, trying to "be a good person" through the knoweldge of good and evil--to behave differently, we need to try to get people to SEE differently. And in order for someone to SEE differently we have to SHOW them something different. The world is full of condemnation. The natural mind is almost singularly focused on avoiding punishment. That's why Adam and Eve hid themselves from the presence of God--not because He was mad at them, but because they THOUGHT He was mad at them. That's always our first thought--He's mad at me. I'm a dirty sinner and God's out to get me. We judge ourselves by our actions, specifically our BAD actions, and we think God is mad. But let me say this about it, "And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled" (Colossians 1:21). We thought our wicked works separated us from God, even though He promised He would never leave us nor forsake us. See, "sin" is not a problem or an issue to God. Jesus is the Lamb of God who TOOK AWAY the sin of the world. God isn't afraid of sin. Even when sin was at it's worst... Jesus BECAME sin so that we could be made the righteousness of God in Him. Our sin doesn't separate God from us. But what happens is we let it separate US from Him. We run from Him until we feel like we've earned the right to return to His presence. But, again, that's not how it really is. When we were enemies (in OUR minds) He reonciled us back to Himself. When we were trying--through the flesh--to stay out of trouble, God drew us to Himself and said, "Son, I'm not mad at you. I'm mad ABOUT you. And even though YOU are the one who put this sense of separation between us, I would rather die than be without you." He died, and removed the separation. He died, and then rose again. And since we were in Him when He did it WE died and rose again. And now we are NOT meat heads. Now we do NOT try to do in order to be. Now we simply be who we are because we KNOW who we are. It's this knowledge of our true identity as the beloved Son of God in whom He is well pleased that allows us to rest. That allows us to receive and release the love of our heavenly Father!