And be renewed in the spirit of your mind. (Eph 4:23 KJV)

The Apostle is differentiating between spirit and mind. That power, which dominates our mind and is hardly ever object of our scrutiny is called the “spirit”. This powerful power is to be renewed daily so that the person is enabled to take off the old and put on the new self. That is quite extra-ordinary and doesn’t happen by itself. Yet there is still more to come. The person is to be “renewed in the spirit of the mind”. If this were impossible, the apostle wouldn’t demand it. (WW: Martin Luther sees this differently in “The bonded will”. The fact that the divine law sometimes demands something impossible, does not logically make it necessary to deduce that we are able to do the impossible – yet the demand remains and we are still duty bound and obliged to obey and keep this law. That is why it condemns us. In his “Free will” Erasmus of Rotterdam argues in a similar fashion as Löhe does here.) This is a big responsibility for a Christian as he leads his spiritual life. It is not easy to teach others in this regard. Even if I say that I have been reborn initially in holy Baptism and that I now have to be renewed in the spirit of my mind to live anew in power of the new life that has been given to me, yet I still don’t know anything about the how. That is where my renewed mind must become active, regress back into Baptism and come out daily as new person, who lives in righteousness and holiness before God eternally. Our Lord calls us Christians to this daily routine. If we are obedient to his call, then we would renew ourselves in the silent hours of devotion and worship. Our renewed spirit would use this call to carry out this business of getting rid of the old self and putting on the new one. The daily practice should make us masters at it. These scriptural passages show us the difference between the pitiful morality preached by so many and the inner life, to which the Apostle calls us.

Dear heavenly Father: In holy Baptism you have made us your own and children of your kingdom and heirs of all those heavenly gifts that you have prepared for us in your Son Jesus Christ. Help us to live our lives according to your will and holy calling, but not according to our past and sinful ways. Let us be disciples of your dear Son and obedient to your Holy Spirit. Let us serve you now and forever. Amen (Württembergisches Kirchenbuch 1931)

Renew me, O eternal Light, And let my heart and soul be bright, Illumined with the light of grace That issues from your holy face.

Remove the power of sin from me And cleanse all my impurity That I may have the strength and will Temptations of the flesh to still.

Create in me a new heart, Lord, That gladly I obey your Word. Let what you will be my desire, And with new life my soul inspire.

Grant that I only you may love And seek those things which are above Till I behold you face to face, O Light eternal, through your grace. (J.F. Ruopp, 1672-1708 tr August Crull, 1845-1923)

This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Tuesday after the nineteenth Sunday after the high holiday and festival of the Holy Trinity. It is found on Pg. 350 in Lob sei Dir ewig, o Jesu!   (Eternal Praise to you o Jesus!) edited by A. Schuster and published in the Freimund Verlag, Neuendettelsau 1949.