Ephesians 4 and Colossians 3 state the purpose of our renewal: “to be like God,” and to be “renewed… in [His] image.” The Creator is working on a new creation! In the first creation He used words to build from the dust. Now He uses knowledge to mold and shape the inner person22 of the heart. “The new self… is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.” We leave falsehood and deception behind.23 We find renewal by knowing God and the truth He has revealed through His inspired spokesmen.
When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit (Eph 3:4-5).24
Eager to learn like a child.
Paul wrote as an apostle,25
Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual (1Cor 2:12-13).
God’s word gives us access to God’s mind. “‘Who has known the mind of the Lord?’… But we have the mind of Christ” (1Cor 2:16).26 Like the Corinthians, many of us tend to rely on “human wisdom,” 27 to think and speak as “mere men” (1Cor 3:3-4). But Paul insists we can learn the Lord’s mind. We can because God reveals His mind through Christ, using words that can be taught and understood. 28
… which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth.… And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,(Col 1:6,9).
For we are not writing to you anything other than what you read and understand…(2Cor 1:13).29
22. 2Cor 4:16 cf. Eph 3:16; Rom 7:22; 1Pet 3:4
23. Col 3:8-9; Eph 4:14-15,22,25,31 cf. Heb 12:1
24. Jn 14:26; 16:13; Ac 2:42; 1Cor 15:1-11; Heb 2:3-4; 2 Pet 3:2
25. 1Cor 1:1
26. cf. 1Cor 14:37
27. 1Cor 1:17-25; 2:5-6,13; 3:19
28. R God’s word understood: Mt 13:11,23,51; Lk 1:4; 24:32,45; Jn 8:32; 12:16; 13:7; Ac 8:30-39; 26:25; Rom 15:21; 2Cor 1:13-14; Gal 3:7; Eph 3:4; 5:17; Col 1:9; 2:2; Phm 1:6; Heb 11:3; 1Jn 5:20. On the other hand, people who resist the truth fail to understand: Mt 13:10-15,19; Ac 28:24-28; 1Tim 6:4. This relates to Paul’s point in 1Cor 2:14. “Spiritual” members understand and accept God’s revealed message, but it makes no sense to members who choose to remain unspiritual and worldly, 2:14; 3:1-3.
29. Though some parts of Paul’s writings are “hard to understand,” 2Pet 3:16.