Classic Sermon Outlines (continued)
The Christian's Responsibility to God
2. Sanctification. The progress of sanctification, dying to sin more and 'more and living to righteousness more and more, is the carrying on of this renewing work until it is perfected in glory.
B. The Manner of the Renewal of the Mind.
1. It is the work of God. We cannot work such a change ourselves; we could as soon make a new world as to make a new heart by any power of our own; it is God's work. It is God that turns us and then we are turned.
2. It is our duty to seek God's grace to bring this about. "Be ye transformed,' that is, use the means which God has appointed and ordained for it. Lay your souls under the changing, transforming influences of the blessed Spirit; seek unto God for grace in the use of all the means of grace. Although the new man is created of God, yet we must put it on (Ephesians
4:24).
C. The Obstacle to the Renewing of the Mind.
I. The obstacle named. The great enemy to this renewing which we 'must avoid is conformity to this world. All the disciples and followers of the Lord Jesus must be nonconformists to this world. Do not fashion yourselves according to the world.
2. The obstacle explained. We must not conform to the things of the world; they are mutable and the fashion of them is passing away. Do not conform to the lusts of the flesh or the lusts of the eye. We must not conform to the men of the world, of that which lies in wickedness, that is, we must not follow the multitude to do evil.
D. The Effect of the Renewal of the Mind.
It is the proving of the good, acceptable, and perfect revealed will of God concerning what He requires of us. This reminds us of three things.
1. The will of God is good, acceptable, and perfect. It is good in itself; it is good for us. It is acceptable, it is pleasing to God. It is perfect, to which nothing can be added. The revealed will of God is a sufficient rule of faith and practice.