There is a scene in a 1999 movie, The Matrix, where Neo has a choice of the Red pill or a blue pill. Taking the red pill leads to truth and self-knowledge. The red pill has become a well known meme since then. For this article, I am referring to The Matrix concept here, as opposed to the concept from the documentary movie, The Red Pill.
In today’s cancel culture, it is very easy to fill empty spaces in our brains, with something. That means there are a lot of people without normal, moral rules — and they do not care for spiritual guidance. We could even say that these people live in a state of ‘blissful ignorance’ (aka ‘the blue pill culture’). Sadly, Christians with nominal beliefs can be part of the blue pill culture. Moment by moment they have no sense of guidance from God. They live in the moment and their focus is self centered and conceited.
Take the Red Pill!
In Romans 12 Paul has some great lessons on how we can move our perspectives to a Godly mindset. In modern vernacular, it explains how we can take the red pill and gain truth and self -knowledge. I will start with Romans 12:3 ” 3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.”
It is basically saying, we need to develop a serious opinion about our faith. A ‘serious mindset’ is not the same as going with the moment. In Paul’s teaching, he advocates for reflective, serious consideration of the things that confront us in life. If you are not used to thinking that way, maybe you are thinking – “What is he asking? How does one pursue serious reflective thinking?” The answer is in verse 2: “2 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.” The key to changing the way we think is to be transformed by a renewed mind.
In Mark 17 Jesus was ‘transfigured’. It gives an extra insight since it happens to be the same word as ‘transformed’ used in Romans 12. In Mark 17, when Jesus was transfigured,we see a dimension of a visible, dramatic change from the inside out.
Transforming renewal is not like a switch where we decide to implement a ‘to-do’ list. Rather, it is more appropriate to think of it is as a dramatic change, brought about by the Holy Spirit. Christian life is about being submitted to God. It is a about doing what we love to do — and it also happens to be what we ought to do (naturally).
The Christian life is a process of getting rid of the old and taking on the new. I constantly long for deeper life, a spiritual transformation that takes me deeper in my relationship with God. God changes and transforms. If we do not feel like we have been moved very far, we especially need to be transformed from the inside out.
But, some may still not be convinced – “Why do I need to be renewed?”. Perhaps you would rather sit in a ‘blissful, ignorant state’. Maybe you might say, the only problem ‘I’ have is that I need education. Give me the info I need and I will make up my own mind.
Sadly, this only gets us so far. Consider – the most educated sinners do the most damage. News is replete with TV evangelists and big church pastors who fall from grace. They were educated men and women. If they ‘fell’ , how can we have any chance at being renewed? To understand the fall that prevents renewal, we have to understand the cause.
The Cause
There is more that one cause. At the root, the problem stems from a life of uncontrolled living (what Ephesians calls deceitful desires). Even for those that discount this idea, we should recognize that too much of anything is not a good deal. Things done in excess in our lives will cause problems.
In Ephesians 4:20-24, Paul explains what is needed in Christian living: “20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”
What is the ‘attitude of your mind’? Think of it this way: . The mind has its own mindset (viewpoint). Our minds take a specific posture and attitude. Unfortunately our earthly mindset is hostile to God and may not be in compliance with our own heart.
- Our mind is bent, away from God. We are more about the ways of man (things that build up man) rather than things that build up of God. If we suppress the truth God imparts, our personal truths will be in control.
- Former perspectives can keep us in the thralls of what we should not be doing.
- Besides our mindset, our perspectives can be overwhelmed by emotions and affections of the heart that prevent us from seeing God’s perspective. In Ephesians 4:17, Paul describes these causes as futility, darkening, and ignorance — things that track back to hardness of the heart.
The Remedy
The solution. or remedy, may be a surprise to non-Christians. Once you become a Christian, things change. Your are not merely a person who has accepted Christ as Lord and Savior. You are a person that has established a relationship (with God). Relationships change you. It is not the case that you begin a pattern of following rules, ‘do’s, and ‘do nots’. As in any relationship, there is give and take. When I met and eventually married my wife, I changed. I became a person who wanted to share, I wanted to spend my life with her. We wanted to to know , understand, and fulfill each other’s needs. Our relationship with God also provides a relationship through the Holy Spirit. By every means, our relationship with God is not one sided.
In regard to how to renew our mind, lets clarify what comes by way of the Holy Spirit. The word ‘renewal’ is only used once in other passages, specifically in Titus 3:5. It says “He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit”. Once we become believers in Christ, the Holy Spirit is able to begin working. Paul describes this work in 2 Cor 3 “18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”
We must have a steady gaze on Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit works inside and outside. He must lead us externally, and help our focal direction. Internally we need to see with our Heart, and gaze at Christ.
