Romans 12:1-2

Well, good morning and happy Mother's Day.

If you will please take out your copy of God's Word and join me in Romans chapter 12.

Romans 12 · chapter mention

!

I find these two verses to be of great importance for the church of our day.

In an age of post-modernity and moral relativism, we find ourselves particularly susceptible to the temptation of allowing our passions to lead the charge in directing our lives.

To let emotions rule the day.

If you have no truth, what is left?

It's whatever you feel may be true.

And this just should not be so amongst Christians.

We are to be a distinct people set apart for the glory of Christ.

And Paul, in part, tells us how this is to be in these two verses.

So Romans 12, verse 1 and 2 is our text for today.

Romans 12:1

Before I read it, let me remind you, beloved, that this is God's Word to us.

It was written for His glory and our good, and so we would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and obey its commands.

Paul writes,

And we will spend the bulk of our time and attention this morning drawing out the meaning of the phrase.

Be transformed by the renewal of your mind.

And we're going to move quick this morning because I have more notes than I normally do.

But before we get to that phrase, we must take a look at the preceding words of Paul's exhortation.

He begins at the beginning of chapter 12 with,

I appeal to you, therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God.

Verse 1 contains the conjunctive adjective, therefore.

And these conjunctions in the Bible carry a great deal of weight and should be paid a special attention to.

You could think of the phrase, for that reason, in the place of the word, therefore, which begs, for what reason?

This little word, just three Greek letters in the original language,

bridges everything that Paul has said in the first 11 chapters to everything he will say in the following five chapters.

So, this, therefore, is packed full of meaning.

The first 11 chapters of Romans is Paul's magnum opus of Christian theology.

It is the most extensive and clearest defense of justification by grace alone, through faith alone,

in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone.

We've been deriving that across the past months.

It speaks to the Christ followers' adoption in Jesus and identification with Christ as our federal head.

Paul tells us that we are no longer captives of the law, but captives of grace.

He speaks of the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit who intercedes for us,

leads us in holiness, and helps us in all our affliction.

He gives us reason for patient hope as we stand in God's election,

the certainty of coming glory,

the confidence that nothing can separate us from the love of God,

and total assurance in God's continued faithfulness.

He then works out what all this means for missions.

Condemnation, justification, adoption,

soteriology, pneumatology, missiology.

It is grand and all contained in this therefore,

and all summarized by the phrase,

by the mercies of God.

Paul is making an appeal to his brothers,

and he wants to root it in all that he has taught so far in this letter.

Therefore, then, accordingly, consequently,

these things being so,

indicating that something follows from another thing necessarily.

Because God has been so merciful to you,

Paul says,

I appeal to you, brothers.

Paul's appeal is for those who have received the mercies of God,

those who are adopted sons.

And ladies, you want to be sons in Christ,

receiving all the benefits of the Father.

Adopted in Christ,

as Paul is,

those who are co-heirs with Jesus.

For anything that Paul will go on to say to be of any benefit to you,

you must ensure that you are counted in this number here called brothers.

If you have yet to place saving faith in the personal work of the Lord Jesus Christ,

turn from your sin and throw yourself on his mercies.

Assuming that you are a brother,

including you, ladies, moms, this morning.

Paul moves from doctrine to practice,

from theology to ethics,

from foundation to application.

And what is it that Paul urges us to do in light of the mercies of God?

Two, present your bodies as a living sacrifice,

holy and acceptable to God,

which is your spiritual worship.

The word present in Greek is an active, aorist, imperative verb.

It is the same word used in the Septuagint,

which is the Greek translation of the Old Testament,

to speak of the priestly duty of sacrifice,

which Paul develops in the next phrase.

This type of verb means that this presentation is a decisive,

deliberate, and continuous surrender of our whole selves,

over and over and over again.

We are urged by Paul to present our bodies as a living sacrifice,

not one that is slaughtered and laid on an altar,

but one that lives devotedly for the aim of the glory of God.

The word here translated bodies is used in the New Testament

to speak of the physical body,

but is more commonly used to speak of the whole self.

So all of us, decisively, deliberately, and continuously,

because of the mercies of God,

are to present our bodies as a living sacrifice,

give all of ourselves in devotion to God.

Paul then qualifies the presenting of our whole selves

as a living sacrifice with the word holy

and the phrase acceptable to God.

What kind of sacrifice are we to be?

One that has been set apart for a particular purpose.

One that has been declared without spot or blemish.

But I suggest, as Paul transitions this letter from doctrine to practice,

one that is also in the process of being made pure.

Justification, Paul has argued, guarantees sanctification.

Having been saved guarantees that we're going to be made perfect in very degree.

And he is urging our part in this glorious work of God.

So it is this sacrifice that is acceptable to God.

One that has been washed and one that is being washed.

Paul then says that this decisively, deliberately, and continuously offered whole self-sacrifice

is your spiritual worship.

The word translated spiritual is an interesting one.

And a tricky one to assign a single English word to.

I am using an English standard version of the Bible.

Some translations, you may have one open in front of you today,

render this word reasonable.

And, on first glance, you may think that these English words run in contradiction to each other.

Spiritual and reasonable.

This Greek word is the word that we get our English word logic from.

So reasonable or logical are fair words here, but still not perfect.

The word sets itself in contrast to the material world.

The Greek word sets itself in contrast to the material world.

It is the rational immaterial that it is concerned with.

But that would be a clunky translation, wouldn't it?

This is your rational immaterial service.

Which is why we get the word spiritual in the ESV and many other good translations.

So, what are we to think of this word?

First, let's praise God for the faithful work of good Bible translators

and for Greek tools to dig around a little bit deeper on these words.

Second, Paul is introducing this idea that he is going to flesh out for us in the following verse.

And here it is.

The transformative power of God for sacrificial living begins in the mind.

Our faith is a mindful faith.

There is one other place in the New Testament that this Greek word is used

and rendered once again spiritual in the ESV.

It's found in 1 Peter chapter 2 and verse 2.

1 Peter 2 · chapter mention

There Peter writes,

Like newborn infants long for the pure spiritual milk

that by it you may grow up into salvation.

What is the pure spiritual milk that Peter is talking about?

The saving knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

So, it could have been translated like newborn infants long for the pure reasonable milk.

Knowledgeable milk.

Before we have received the practicality of verse 2,

bear with me as I present a bit more proof

that our faith is a mindful faith.

Paul has much to say about this.

I will show you three examples from four texts in rather rapid fashion.

Are you ready?

Hang on.

If you turn back just a few pages to Romans chapter 8,

Romans 8 · chapter mention

I'll begin reading in verse 5.

There Paul says,

Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh.

But those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.

For to set the mind on the flesh is death,

but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.

For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God,

for it does not submit to God's law.

Indeed, it cannot.

Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

You, however, are not in the flesh,

but in the Spirit.

If, in fact, the Spirit of God dwells in you,

anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ

does not belong to Him.

So you see the functional work of the Spirit in the life of the Christian,

in part,

is to take their mind

to the things of God.

The things of the Spirit are the things of God.

The Word of God.

Another text.

Now this is Ephesians chapter 5.

Ephesians 5 · chapter mention

If you'd like to join me, feel free.

If not, listen carefully.

Beginning in verse 17.

Therefore, do not be foolish,

but understand what the will of the Lord is.

And do not get drunk with wine,

for that is debauchery,

but be filled with the Spirit.

Addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,

singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart,

giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father

in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Now to show you this,

I need to take you to a parallel passage to this one.

And I read so much of that

because I want you to see them as parallel passages.

So that was Ephesians 5, 17-21.

Now listen to Colossians 3, 12-17.

And I'll point out why it matters in just a second.

There, Paul writes,

Put on then, as God's chosen ones,

holy and beloved, compassionate hearts,

kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,

bearing with one another,

and if one has a complaint against another,

forgiving each other,

as the Lord has forgiven you,

so you also must forgive.

And above all these, put on love,

which binds everything together in perfect harmony,

and let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,

to which indeed you were called in one body,

and be thankful.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,

teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom,

singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs

with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

And whatever you do in word or deed,

do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,

giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

You probably heard a lot of similar language throughout there.

I hope that you heard,

I'm going to draw your attention to two phrases

just before this idea of teaching and admonishing one another

in songs, hymns, spiritual songs.

Right?

In Ephesians, you see the phrase,

be filled with the Spirit.

In Colossians, you see the phrase,

let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.

And so I think what Paul's communicating to us

as you look at these passages,

Romans chapter 8, Ephesians chapter 5,

Romans 8 · chapter mention Ephesians 5 · chapter mention

Colossians chapter 3,

Colossians 3 · chapter mention

is that for those who are filled with the Spirit,

those who are walking by the Spirit,

who are setting our minds on the things of the Spirit,

that means that the word of Christ is dwelling within us.

We have a mindful faith.

One final text, an example, very briefly,

2 Corinthians chapter 10 and verse 5.

2 Corinthians 10 · chapter mention

There Paul says,

we destroy arguments

and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God

and take every thought captive to obey Christ.

Christ.

Our faith is a mindful faith.

And don't hear me saying

that there's no place for emotion in our faith.

What I'm saying is,

it should be led mindfully.

I do not have the time to prove

what I'm about to say to you,

but nonetheless,

I think it important to say at this point,

our earthly existence

is a dichotomous existence.

And this is probably not the best word

for our existence,

as it means branching out

or in some cases set against.

But the point is that we are made of two parts.

We are two parts.

We are bodies

and we are souls.

And better yet,

we could say we are embodied souls.

This is the state of your earthly existence.

There is the part of us

that is readily observable

through plain vision

or instrumentation

like an x-ray

or CT scan

or microscope.

And then there is the part of us

that is not so readily observable

like our affections,

our sorrows,

our thoughts.

We are embodied souls.

If you have trouble in this world

and you certainly do and will,

then those troubles fit within a Venn diagram

of being either physical,

which means you need physical relief,

or spiritual,

and often but not always

some intersection between the two.

Your spiritual issues

need spiritual solutions

which begin

in the mind.

John Owen,

in his book

Spiritual Mindedness,

which I commend to you,

a quote that's on the back of your bulletin

said this,

The mind is a leading faculty

of the soul.

When the mind fixes upon an object

or course of action,

the will and the affections

follow suit.

They are incapable

of any other consideration.

The mind's office

is to guide,

to direct,

to choose,

and to lead.

End quote.

So our faith

is a mindful faith.

It's not a stoic faith,

but it is

mindful.

Beware of anybody

that teaches you

that Christianity

is first and foremost

an emotional endeavor.

Now let's look at verse 2

and because

it's been a minute

since we read it,

let's read it

once again.

Paul says,

Do not be conformed

to this world,

but be transformed

by the renewal

of your mind,

that by testing

you may discern

what is the will of God,

what is good

and acceptable

and perfect.

Verse 2

is an explanation

of how we are to fulfill

the encouragement

of verse 1,

which Paul will then

work out in greater detail

to the very end

of the chapter.

He begins with the negative

part of the exhortation,

Do not be conformed

to this world.

To be conformed

is from a word

that means

shaped

or molded.

It refers to the

outward appearance

of a thing

and not the substance

of it.

Paul is saying

that we are not

of this world

and therefore

we should not look

like we are

of this world.

World could also

be rendered age,

which I prefer.

I think it pulls

our thinking

beyond just the material

and presses us

to think toward

the immaterial.

Thoughts,

emotions,

motivations,

ideology,

and so forth.

G.C. Trench

in his book

Synonyms of the New Testament

on this word

world

or age

says this,

quote,

that floating mass

of thoughts,

opinions,

maxims,

speculations,

hopes,

impulses,

aims,

aspirations,

at any time

current in the world

which it may be impossible

to seize

and accurately define,

but which constitute

a most real

and effective power

being the moral

or immoral atmosphere

which at every moment

of our lives

we inhale

again inevitably

to exhale,

end quote.

Right?

This is explanation

of this word,

world.

Do not be conformed

to that.

Paul distinguishes

this world

or age

from the will

of God

which is good

and acceptable

and perfect.

So the spirit

of this age

runs in contradiction

to the ways

of God

and we ought

to not be conformed

to it.

It will always

be pressing

onto us

and into us.

The age

in which we live

cries out

for conformity.

But our reasonable

worship

is to rather

be transformed

by the renewal

of our minds.

We are to be changed

by thinking

differently

than this age.

This Greek word

is where we derive

our word

metamorphosis.

Whereas to be

conformed

is in contradiction

with our nature.

To be transformed

is to be becoming

consistent

with our nature.

we have been

made new

in Christ.

So we are to be

about appearing

new

in

Christ

by the grace

that God provides.

This is

the glorious

work

of sanctification.

Paul says of us

in 2 Corinthians 3

and verse 18

and we all

with unveiled face

beholding

the glory

of the Lord

are being

transformed

into the same

image

from one

degree

of glory

to another.

For this

comes

from the Lord

who is the Spirit.

He is the Spirit

working in us

to make us

look more

like Christ

bit

by bit

by bit.

The Spirit

of Christ

empowers us

to look

more like Him

as He leads

us

in the Word

of Christ.

I see my argument

coming together

here.

What part

do we

play?

This is an

exhortation

to us

to be

transformed

by the

renewal

of our

mind.

What are we

to be about

in this

work

of being

transformed?

Before I

spend the

remainder of

our time

addressing

this question

I want

to make

a brief

aside

concerning

mental

health

by making

four

axiomatic

statements.

I don't

want to

oversimplify

this.

There are

complications

in the

world

in which

we live.

Four

quick

statements

and then

we'll

press on.

Number

one,

we are

embodied

souls

and our

thinking

faculty

takes place

within an

organ

that is

susceptible

to the

curse.

There is

a gray

matter

organ

in which

all

the

neurons

fire.

This is

where our

thinking

is

going

on.

It is

also

susceptible

to the

curse.

I'm a

type 1

diabetic

and my

pancreas

does not

produce

insulin.

In the

same way,

we should

understand

that the

organ

is

susceptible.

Secondly,

some,

not all,

but some

of our

spiritual

problems

intersect

a

physical

problem.

My

really big

and obvious

common

example of

this is

schizophrenia.

This is a

physical

problem going

on in the

brain,

but it

has

spiritual

implications

and both

need to

be

addressed.

Thirdly,

physical

problems

are never

an excuse

for sin.

They don't

become

entitlement

to sin

against God

because,

fourthly,

God is

more

powerful

than your

physical

and,

for that

matter,

spiritual

problems.

He is

more

powerful.

1 Corinthians

10,

13,

Paul says,

no temptation

has overtaken

you that

is not

common

to man.

So,

guess what?

You're not

unique.

You don't

get a

pass on

your sin.

God

is faithful

and he

will not

let you

be tempted

beyond

your ability,

but with

the temptation

he will

also provide

the way

of escape

that you

may be

able

to endure

it.

So,

grace

comes

with it

and God

is more

powerful

than your

physical

or

spiritual

problems.

Okay,

so,

what are

we to

do in

the work

of being

transformed

by the

renewal

of our

minds?

What is

the activity

that we're

meant to

be engaging

in?

Let me show

you two

biblical

examples

and one

extra

biblical

so that we

can learn

just a bit

about it.

So,

if you will,

please join me

in Genesis

Genesis 3 · chapter mention

chapter 3.

In the

fall,

I want you

to see a

negative

example

of the

leading of

the mind.

Here we

see beginning

in verse 1,

now the

serpent was

more crafty

than any

other beast

of the

field

that the

Lord God

had made.

He said

to the

woman,

he addresses

her at

her point

of faculty,

did God

actually say

you shall

not eat

of any

tree

in the

garden?

Satan

tempts

Eve to

doubt

God's

word,

to doubt

the

truth.

And the

woman said

to the

serpent,

we may

eat of

the fruit

of the

trees

in the

garden,

but God

said,

you shall

not eat

of the

fruit

of the

tree

that is

in the

midst

of the

garden,

neither

shall

you

touch

it,

lest

you

die.

So here,

Eve fails

because

Eve adds

to God's

word.

The very

first

legalist

in the

Bible.

As you can

see in

Genesis 2,

Genesis 2:16

verse 16

and 17,

Lord God

commanded

the

man saying,

you may

surely

eat of

every

tree

of

the

garden,

but of

the

tree

of

the

knowledge

of

good

and

evil,

you

shall

not

eat,

for in

the day

that you

eat of

it,

you shall

surely

die.

Eve has

added this

prohibition

from

touching

as well.

But the

serpent

said to

the woman,

you will

not

surely

die.

He

tempts

Eve to

doubt

God's

goodness,

for God

knows that

when you

eat of

it,

your eyes

will be

open and

you will

be like

God,

knowing

good

and

evil.

So,

Eve

disbelieves

God.

This is

a mental

activity

that's

going on

and then

we see

the results.

So,

when the

woman saw

that the

tree

was good

for

food,

it is

objectively

not,

and that

it was a

delight to

the eyes

and that

the tree

was to

be

desired

to make

one

wise,

she took

of its

fruit

and ate

and she

also gave

some to

her husband

who was

with her

and he

ate.

A failure

on both

of their

parts

to let

their

minds

lead

and win

the day.

Second

example,

let's go to

Psalm 73.

Turn with

me if you

will.

Psalm 73.

Psalm 73.

Asaph,

one of the

Old Testament

saints I

look forward

to meeting

someday.

And we

see a

complete

arc in

this

Psalm of

his

thinking.

He feels

a way

and then

he

thinks

and feels

a different

way.

Starts out

in verse

1.

Truly,

God is

good to

Israel.

For me,

my feet

had almost

stumbled.

My steps

had nearly

slipped.

And he

tells us

the story

of what

happened.

For I

was

envious

of the

arrogant

when I

saw the

prosperity

of the

wicked.

For they

have no

pangs

until death.

Their

bodies

are fat

and

sleek.

They

are not

in

trouble

as

others

are.

They

are not

stricken

like the

rest

of

mankind.

Therefore,

pride is

their

necklace.

Violence

covers

them

as a

garment.

Their

eyes

swell

out

through

fatness,

seen as

a good

thing.

Their

hearts

overflow

with

follies.

They

scoff

and speak

with

malice.

Loftily

they

threaten

oppression.

They

set their

mouths

against

the

heavens

and

their

tongue

!

struts

through

the

earth.

!

!

So he

observes

people who

are not

following

God

and they

just seem

to be

doing

great.

They

have

favor

with

the

people.

Nothing's

going

bad

in

their

lives

at

all.

And

then he

says,

verse

13,

all

in

vain

have

I

kept

my

heart

clean

and

washed

my

hands

in

innocence.

For

all the

day

long

I

have

been

stricken

and

rebuked

every

morning.

This

is the

way

that he

feels

about

his

pursuit

of

God,

his

pursuit

of

innocence.

It's

been

in

vain

that

I

have

done

this.

But

verse

15,

if I

had

said,

I

will

speak

thus,

what

he's

just

said.

He

recognizes

that it's

not

true.

It's

an

evil

thing

for

him

to

say

this

and

to

feel

this

way.

But

when

I

thought

how

to

understand

this,

it

seemed

to

me

a

wearisome

task.

How

is it

that they

prosper

and I

don't?

I'm

the

one

that's

pursuing

!

God

and

they're

not?

Why

am I

getting

the short

end

of

the

stick?

Verse 17,

until I

went

into the

sanctuary

of God.

Then I

discerned

their

end.

Their

end.

Then the

truth

of where

they're

headed

came to

light.

Truly,

you set

them in

slippery

places.

You make

them fall

to ruin.

How they

are destroyed

in a

moment,

swept

away

utterly

by

terrors.

Like a

dream when

one awakes,

O Lord,

when you

rouse

yourself,

you despise

them as

phantoms.

That's

what will

happen to

them.

The

truth

begins to

take its

place in

his mind.

He

says,

when my

soul was

embittered,

when I

was pricked

in heart,

I was

brutish

and ignorant.

I was

like a

beast

toward

you.

Nevertheless,

even

though I

let emotions

rule the

day,

nevertheless,

I am

continually

with you.

You

hold

my

right

hand.

You

guide

me

with

your

counsel

and

afterward

you

will

receive

me

to

glory.

Whom

have I

in heaven

but you?

And there

is nothing

on earth

that I

desire

besides you.

My

flesh and

my heart

may fail,

but God

is the

strength of

my heart

and my

portion

forever.

For

behold,

those who

are far

from you

shall

perish.

You

put an

end to

everyone

who

is

unfaithful

to

you.

But

for

me

it

is

good

to

be

near

God.

I

have

made

the

Lord

God

my

refuge

that

I

may

tell

of

all

your

works.

So

see the

arc

through

that,

the

mindful

faith

of

Asaph.

What

does he

do?

He

picks up

the

things

that

God

has

said

to

be

true

and

he

meditates

on

them

and

he

let

them

lead

him

out.

One

more

positive

example.

This

is

extra

biblical.

I

recognize

that

some

of

you

don't

love

this

but

I

do

and

I

have

the

microphone

so

bear

with

me.

This

is

from

the

Pilgrim's

Progress.

Again,

a work

that I

commend,

commend,

commend

to

you.

And

in

this

part

of

the

story,

Christian

is

along

on his

journey

with

a

man

named

Hopeful

and

they

have

left

gone

over

a

little

stile

into

a

field.

They

fall

asleep

and

they're

taken

captive

by a

giant

named

Despair.

He

takes

them,

he

locks

them

in

the

dungeon

of

his

castle

called

Doubting

Castle

where

he

is

there

with

his

wife

distrust.

So

there's

an

anguish

going

on

with

Christian

and

with

Hopeful.

They're

not

believing

the

promises

of

God

and

they

are

despairing.

They're

in a

sorrowful

place.

Their

emotions

are

leading

the

charge

in

this

little

episode.

And

so

time

has

gone

on.

I'm

going

to

spare

you

very

much

reading

of

it.

But

the

giant

has

come

and

beat

them

almost

to

the

point

of

death.

And

he

has

promised

that

he'll

now

take

care

of

them

the

following

day.

I

pick

up

reading

here.

Quote,

Around

midnight,

Christian

hopeful

began to

pray and

continue

till

almost

the

break

of

day.

Shortly

before

the

sun

came

up,

good

Christian,

as one

half

amazed,

broke

out into

this

passionate

speech.

What a

fool

I

am

to

lie

in

a

stinking

dungeon

when

I

might

instead

walk

at

liberty.

I

have

a

key

in

my

bosom

called

promise

that

I

believe

will

open

any

lock

in

doubting

castle.

Promise

God's

word

to

him.

Hopeful

responded,

that is

good news,

good

brother.

Take

it out

and

let's

try

it.

Then

Christian

pulled

it out

of his

bosom

and

began

trying

to

unlock

the

dungeon

door.

The

door's

bolt

as he

turned

the

key

came

loose

and

the

door

flew

open

with

ease.

Christian

and

hopeful

both

came

out

and

they're

pursued

but

they

make

it

safely

out

of

doubting

castle

letting

the

truth

reign

in

the

moment.

So

a couple

of

practical

steps

for

to be

transformed

by

the

renewing

of

our

minds

we

are

going

to

need

number

one

to

read.

I

always

encourage

wide

broad

reading

but

primarily

we need

to be

reading

God's

word.

If the

spirit

of

Christ

is to

take

up

the

word

of

Christ

in

our

lives

it's

going

to

have

to

be

inside

of

us.

Paul

says in

2 Timothy

3

16

and 17

all

scripture

is

breathed

out

by

God

and

profitable

for

teaching

for

reproof

for

correction

and

for

training

in

righteousness

that

the

man

of

God

may

be

complete

equipped

for

every

good

work.

How are we

to navigate

the challenges

of this

world?

How are we

to do

anything?

By the

truth that

God

provides

for us.

The spirit

employing

it

in

our

lives.

I

said at

the

beginning

of

our

time

together

that

in

an

age

of

post

modernity

and

moral

relativism

we

find

ourselves

particularly

susceptible

to the

temptation

of allowing

our

passions

to lead

the

charge

in

directing

our

lives.

This

just

shouldn't

be so.

John

Piper

in his

book

on

regeneration

called

Finally

!

Alive

wrote

this,

My

feelings

are

not

God.

God

is

God.

My

feelings

do

not

define

truth.

God's

word

defines

truth.

My

feelings

are

echoes

and

responses

to