“…that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”
Ephesians 4:22–24 NKJV
“Be renewed in the spirit of your mind” is one of Scripture’s most striking descriptions of change. It reaches beneath our habits, and even beneath our individual thoughts, to the inner attitude that shapes how we think. Here’s what Paul meant, in its setting, and how that renewal happens in an ordinary believer’s life.
The Setting: A New Way to Live
Ephesians 4 marks a turning point in the letter. In the first three chapters, Paul celebrates what God has done for believers in Christ. From chapter 4, he shows what that looks like in everyday life.
Just before these verses, he describes life without God as being darkened in understanding (Ephesians 4:17–18). Then he reminds the believers in Ephesus that they “have not so learned Christ” (Ephesians 4:20 NKJV). Knowing Christ means a new way of living.
Right after these verses, he gets very practical: tell the truth, deal with anger before the day ends, work honestly, speak words that build others up, and be kind and forgiving, just as God forgave you in Christ (Ephesians 4:25–32). The renewal of the mind is never only private. It shows up in how we treat people.
What “the Spirit of Your Mind” Means
Paul isn’t only talking about thinking new thoughts. “The spirit of your mind” points to something deeper: the inner attitude and direction of the mind, the place our thoughts come from.
The New Living Translation brings out who does this work:
“Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.”
Ephesians 4:23 NLT
Both ways of reading it lead to the same place. Renewal reaches past the surface, to what we value, trust and lean toward, and it’s God’s Spirit who renews us there.
“Be Renewed”: God’s Work in Us
Notice that Paul doesn’t say “renew yourself.” He says be renewed. It’s something God does in us. And it isn’t a single moment. Paul describes an ongoing renewal, the kind that continues for a lifetime.
Our part is real, though. We put off the old and put on the new. As I wrote in my book, Renewing Your Mind: Living Life Intentionally, about the same verses in the NLT:
“Notice the words ‘throw,’ ‘let,’ and ‘renew.’ Again we see words of action. They are all born out of a willful choice.”
We don’t produce the renewal. We yield to the One who does, and we keep choosing to follow Him.
The New Self Is Already Created
Paul describes the new self as “created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24 NKJV). In Christ, the new self isn’t something we build from scratch. God has already made it. Our calling is to live out what He has done.
The book puts it this way:
“Why try to fix up the old you when he is dead? Step into the new you with your new spirit, your new heart, and your new identity in Christ.”
Paul says something similar to the Colossians:
“Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.”
Colossians 3:10 NLT
Renewal grows as we come to know God.
What This Looks Like Day to Day
- Notice the old patterns. When an old thought or reaction rises up, recognize it for what it is.
- Bring it to God’s truth. Exchange it for what His Word says. (See Take Every Thought Captive (opens in a new tab).)
- Depend on the Spirit. Ask Him to renew what you can’t change on your own.
- Put on the new in how you treat people. Truthful words, patience in anger, kindness and forgiveness: Ephesians 4 ends right there.
- Keep coming back. Renewal is ongoing. Every day is a fresh opportunity to yield to Him again.
Keep Going: How to Renew Your Mind
Ephesians 4:23 is one of the key verses on renewing the mind, alongside Romans 12:2. To see how those verses fit together, and how renewal works in everyday life, read our guide.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
