Repentance of the Mind

You’ve heard me in my sermons. You’ve read my words in this blog. Repentance comes from the Greek word μετάνοια (metania) which literally translates to change of mind. Although we think of repentance in terms of changing our behavior, until we change our mind our behavior will always remain.

Brethren, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as refuse, in order that I may gain Christ, and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, based on law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith; that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that if possible I may attain that resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brethren, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature be thus minded; and if in anything you are otherwise minded, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained. Brethren, join in imitating me, and mark those who so live as you have an example in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.

Philippians 3.8-19

Saint Paul’s lesson this morning is so basic, it can be hard to determine. Talk of imitating Saint Paul. Talk of suffering death and expecting resurrection. These are all matters of how we think about life. If we consider our suffering as a gift from God, that we are honored to share in the same treatment He received, then we are blessed by it.

There were, and are, those who think suffering is punishment from God. Some think suffering is the result of us trying to do the right thing but being trapped by evil. What if we changed our mind (repented) and thought of our suffering as sharing in God? Would it change our behavior?

There were, and are, those whose minds are ‘set on earthly things’. They (and maybe we) try to avoid suffering. We try to escape being treated the same way ‘they’ treated God. Christ already prepare us when He said, “A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.” (John 15.20)

Even salvation is a matter of how we think. How we think about God’s love which we experience through His will for us, will determine if we experience His love as heaven or hell. It is why Saint Paul calls us saints. We are the ones who are called to have our minds set on holy things rather than earthly.

As you go about your day today, ask yourself one basic question. “How is this moment bringing me closer to having the mind of Christ?” If the moment is not brining you closer to having the mind of Christ, then change your mind. Set your mind on Christ, even if you have to change everything about your life to do it.