New & Renewed Mind

This morning I am reminded of something I was thinking about last evening, the idea of God’s complete healing. What I mean by this is that when God heals, He often does such a complete healing work that there is nothing left of the old condition or any of its effects. One could say that the people and their lives were transformed. In scripture Paul writes about us becoming a new creation when we receive Christ, and I think the idea of complete healing is a sign pointing to the greater spiritual reality. I was reminded of a couple of different healing stories from Scripture that demonstrate this complete healing, restoration and new creation.

In John 9, Jesus heals a blind man, who is so transformed that people don't believe it is him. Here are a couple of verses - John 9:6-9 NIV:

[6] “After saying this, he [Jesus] spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. [7] “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. 

[8] His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” [9] Some claimed that he was. 

Others said, “No, he only looks like him.” 

But he himself insisted, “I am the man.”

I might be reading into this, but the fact that people didn’t recognize the formerly blind man says to me that his outward appearance was changed, but so was his character and way of acting. While this one is understandable, we need to know that the blind were essentially beggers, looked down upon, for as we see earlier in the chapter, the common thought was that their blindness was the result of sin. Blind beggers were likely some of the lowliest in society, and certainly not righteous, nor allowed in the Temple Sanctuary (see Lev. 21)

This man was so transformed, that people didn’t recognize him. In fact they called his parents as witnesses because they just couldn’t believe how different he was! When he was called before the Pharisees he not only stood his ground, but was accused of lecturing them! He went from begger to lecturer in an instant! :-)

The second story is found in Acts 3, where the man born lame was healed and transformed in an instant through the name of Jesus. Here are the verses - Acts 3:6-10 NIV:

[6] “Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” [7] Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. [8] He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. [9] When all the people saw him walking and praising God, [10] they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.”

This man’s body, brain and nervous system were all healed in an instant. Someone who is born lame, means that they were never able to move naturally, and in this case the man was carried every day and placed outside the temple to beg (See verse 2). He was clearly unable to walk which means his brain never developed in the area needed to walk. Not only were the muscles atrophied, but his ligaments, and tendons were most likely all shriveled. Additionally the nerve pathways required for walking and jumping had certainly never developed. In an instant his legs, ankles and feet were completely healed, as was nervous system and nerve pathways and brain function were created anew in him.

This time people could recognize him. What was transformative was his ability to enter the courts and temple itself! I think some of his joy was the result that his healing meant he could enter the temple! He was not longer lame, no longer under any restrictions. 

Again, this man was completely transformed! I believe these two healings represent the reality that Paul was speaking about in his letter to the Romans 12:1-2 NIV:

[1] “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. [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.”

What I love about this, is the fact that this is available to all of us! Not only can we learn to think differently, we can see the complete renewal of our mind and even our brains!  

It is my conjecture that this man born lame, didn’t have a limp, nor did the man born blind have any of the vestiges of his blindness so complete was their healing! 

This gives some additional meaning to Paul’s statement found in 2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV:

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

What a great promise! We are a new creation! I pray that we might experience the fullness of this promise, the fullness of God’s redemption, healing, deliverance, reconciliation and restoration!  

Yes Lord! Heal us completely! Make us new! Give us renewed or new minds! Rewire our brains, change us so completely that those who knew us before would question as to whether we really were the old person! 

Amen and Amen!