Renewal of the Mind

Spiritual Disciplines of the Early Pioneers

　　Not long ago, Dr. Mo-yu So from the China Graduate School of Theology invited me to share about Baptist spirituality with their students, sparking my deeper exploration of related topics. Subsequently, I shared my research findings with the brothers and sisters at the Tsim Sha Tsui Baptist Church and the Fanling Baptist Church. Feeling the immense importance of this subject, I thereafter always use, to various extents, the Baptist tradition of spiritual discipline, with prayer being the focus, in my sermons.

　　John Bunyan (1628-1688) pointed out in his book Grace Abounding that most of the early Baptist believers were wholeheartedly set on journeying toward heavenly Jerusalem, inevitably encountering the sins of the world along the way. Faced with human sinfulness, they chose to respond with meditation and prayer. Bunyan believed that only through grace could a person repent, trust in God, and embark on the path to redemption. The Bible is a precious resource for meditation. During times of emotional turmoil, Bunyan once said: “[I]ndeed, I was then never out of the Bible, either by reading or meditation; still crying out to God, that I might know the truth, and way to heaven and glory.” At that time, Baptist believers each practiced their own version of lectio divina. Many of them read one chapter of Scripture in the morning, at noon, and in the evening each day, aiming to read through the entire Bible in a year while meditating on its teachings and revelations. This approach to the spiritual reading of Scripture highlights the critical importance of prayer.

　　In addition, Bunyan asserted, “Prayer is a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the heart or soul to God, through Christ, in the strength and assistance of the Holy Spirit, for such things as God has promised, or according to the Word of God, for the good of the church, with submission in faith to the will of God.” He stressed the spontaneity of prayer, disliking “set prayers,” which he considered mere “lip labor”—superficial and likely to hinder the work of the Holy Spirit. He firmly believed that prayer is a sincere expression from the depths of our hearts.

　　Inspired by the early Baptist pioneers, I resolved to devote myself fully to prayer, focusing more intentionally on it in my life.

The Road to Emmaus

　　On the morning of March 20, the HKBTS community experienced a profound journey of prayer and spiritual growth. That day’s morning chapel service was an All Seminary Prayer Meeting, meticulously planned by students from the Spiritual Devotion Department of the Student Union. They led the entire faculty, students, and staff in practicing spiritual meditation. The theme of the gathering was “The Road to Emmaus.”

　　The first part of the meeting involved several students reading Luke 24:13-27 twice through role-playing, giving the congregation ample time to listen, savor, and meditate on God’s Word. This passage recounts Jesus walking with two disciples on the road to Emmaus, unrecognized by them throughout the journey. After the reading, the facilitator posed two questions to guide our reflection:

1. As Jesus’ disciples who had been living with Him, why couldn’t they recognize Him at this moment?
2. What has been occupying your thoughts lately, distracting you or hindering your relationship with the Lord? What color has your life been recently?

　　The second part began with another reading of Scripture: Luke 24:28-35. Then, the screen in the Hall displayed Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio’s famous painting The Supper at Emmaus. The painting vividly captures the moment when the disciples recognize Jesus as they dine together at the inn in Emmaus; their expressions of shock and awe create a lasting impression. Next, the facilitator posed three questions, transporting us across two thousand years to our present circumstances, encouraging us to face current challenges and reflect:

1. What finally enabled them to recognize Jesus? At this moment, do you realize the Lord is walking with you?
2. “The Lord has truly risen”—what does this mean to you?
3. When you encounter the risen Lord drawing near to you personally, how do the colors and perspectives of your life change?

　　Before the gathering concluded, the students invited me to offer a benedictory prayer for the congregation. Still immersed in God’s Word, I prayed with a heart of gratitude, moved by the Spirit at that moment:

　　Dear God, thank You for gathering all the brothers and sisters here this morning, set apart as holy, to pray together. We have heard, seen, and received Your precious Scriptures, reflecting on Your Word.
　　Over the past few years, our lives have been shrouded in darkness; even when we met You on the road to Emmaus, we failed to recognize You. We heard You explain the Law and the Prophets, and the Scriptures about passion, yet we couldn’t fully grasp or understand them. These were Your teachings, dear Lord, spoken to us, yet we couldn’t perceive them! Lord, have mercy on us.
　　Yet, on this pilgrimage, as we come to Your table, hear You speak, and see You break the bread and hand it to us, You open our eyes, and we recognize You. Lord, may we continually experience this grace, for You are our hope, the risen Lord; You fill us the jars of clay with the power of resurrection and hope.
　　Yes, Lord, our days were once filled with gloom; but when our eyes recognized You—not by our own strength, but through Your work in our lives—our hearts were naturally filled with satisfaction and joy, and the colors of our lives were transformed by You.
　　Lord, may the teachers, students, and staff of this seminary experience this grace of life, breaking free from darkness to live in Your light; may we delight in drawing nearer to Your light.
　　Forgive our sins and make us Your vessels. Let us run with perseverance for You, proclaiming Your gospel to the world, making disciples of all nations, and teaching them all that Jesus Christ has commanded—not only teaching others but deeply experiencing the truth of Your Word ourselves.
　　May the spiritual feast prepared for us by the students this morning become an opportunity for our lives to be transformed by You. Thank You for Your presence, thank You for opening our eyes to recognize You. We pray in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Renewal and Transformation of the Mind

　　The All Seminary Prayer Meeting reminded me of Paul’s exhortation in Romans 12:1-2. Paul says, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice” (12:1a). A “living sacrifice” is a way of life, involving inner transformation and a commitment to social justice (e.g., 1 Sm 15:22; Is 1:10-20; Jer 6:20; Hos 8:11-13; Am 5:21-27).

　　Paul states that this “living sacrifice” is “holy and acceptable to God.” “Holy” means “pleasing to God.” He further points out that this is our “spiritual worship” (Rom 12:1b). The term “spiritual” (logikos) can be translated as “true and proper” (NIV), “reasonable” (NET), or “offered by mind and heart” (NEB, REB).

　　Paul urges church members to offer their bodies to God as a “living sacrifice,” adding, “Do not be conformed to this world” (v. 2a). This is a statement expressed from a negative point of view: a rejection of the values of this (evil) age. Positively speaking, Paul calls for the renewal and transformation of the mind. “Mind” refers to intellectual perception, the way of thinking, or the result of thinking. Put simply, “mind” is a person’s power of discernment. Discernment is the ongoing pursuit of God’s will amid confusion and difficulty, rather than judging by the norms or standards of “the world.”

　　Such a renewal of the mind comes from the Holy Spirit and must therefore begin within a person’s heart. The result is a life “transformed”—a complete change (metamorphosis) of life. A person with a transformed life can “discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (v. 2b), including discerning God’s will and even engaging in a process of collective discernment. The outcome of Christian discernment is obedience.

　　I deeply hope that the teachers and students of HKBTS can experience the wonders of this renewal and transformation of the mind.

Scripture Reading and Prayer

　　We know that renewal of the mind cannot be achieved by human will alone; it is God’s work. Specifically, renewal of the mind occurs as a person is shaped and changed by God’s Word. As we meditate on God’s Word day and night, His will shapes and transforms our hearts, like water wearing away the stone, subtly softening even a heart of stone. Thus, at the seminary, we not only study various types of biblical criticism (e.g., historical criticism, literary criticism, redaction criticism, socio-scientific criticism, etc.) but also consistently engage in prayerful readings of Scripture through lectio divina. Reading Scripture with a prayerful heart can transform the human heart, prompting meditation, renewing the mind, and bringing about changes in one’s life. In summary, God’s Word is the fountainhead of mind renewal. The human “mind” (i.e. the capacity for thinking and discernment) is renewed through the illumination of the Bible. Such renewal comes from the Holy Spirit.

　　Besides Scripture reading, the importance of prayer is self-evident. The early Baptist pioneers were truly people of persistent prayer, through which they responded to the evils of the world. By comparison, my own prayer life falls far short. Very often, in many matters—be they personal, family, church, or societal—we act hastily without first praying to seek God’s will. As a result, we rarely have meditation or learn through prayer how to confront the evils of the world and ourselves, let alone discern “the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Discernment and Obedience

　　It is well known that discerning God’s will is not easy; the challenge becomes even greater when we realize that seeking His will cannot be reduced to a fixed set of rules. However, the key lies in whether we live by the Holy Spirit, eagerly obey God, and prioritize understanding His will, because God will surely grant us the strength to help us accomplish arduous tasks.

　　For example, in the face of intense interpersonal conflicts, while most people cry out “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,” do we also rush to retaliate in kind? We claim to be followers of Jesus Christ, but do we prefer the world’s ways, deeming them more effective? Yet, Jesus Christ’s teachings starkly contrast with the ways of the world. He said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles” (Mt 5:38-41). Jesus calls us to renew our minds, cultivating new habits of thought and soul. He reminds us not to judge others by the standards of this present world but to live according to God’s will.

　　We also recall Jesus telling His disciples, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again” (Mk 8:31). Peter objected, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you” (Mt 16:22). Jesus rebuked him, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man” (Mk 8:33). Jesus points out that Peter’s problem was not thinking in God’s ways but in human ways. Jesus chose to obey God’s will rather than His own wish; He demonstrated God’s “good, acceptable, and perfect” will, displaying a life of righteousness.

　　In summary, our hearts should discern and obey “the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” In doing so, our lives will no longer remain in darkness but will enter God’s light. As we keep renewing and transforming our minds, understanding and submitting to God’s will, no longer led by pride, greed, deceit, or narcissism, our lives can leave the path of pain and despair and enter the abundant way of God’s presence.

　　I deeply hope that on this pilgrimage, our hearts and souls will be continually renewed and transformed; and that we will repent and turn back with honest hearts. Let us give weight to prayer in the Spirit and prayer of freedom. This is our passion and the foundation that sets us totally apart from the world. Honesty of the heart, renewal and transformation of the mind, and discernment of God’s will are the essence of the church, the cornerstone of ministry, and the core of character and soul. Only in this way can the church be renewed, and our lives made anew.

May 2025