From Carnal to Spiritual (Part 4): Doctrine Shapes Renewal
Before we press forward, let us pause and reflect on the ground we’ve already covered. In Part 1, we explored the stark contrast between the carnal and spiritual mind—the one governed by fleshly reasoning, the other by divine truth. We saw that the spiritual mind is not natural, but cultivated, and that the believer is called to intentional renewal. In Part 2, we learned that renewal is not passive; it requires forsaking. Old thought patterns must be abandoned, not merely suppressed. The mind must be emptied of error before it can be filled with truth. Then in Part 3, we were reminded that this journey is not about perfection, but progression. God does not demand flawlessness, but faithfulness. The spiritual mind is measured not by how far we’ve come, but by whether we are moving forward—renewed day by day, growing in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Now, in Part 4, we turn our attention to the substance of that renewal. What exactly renews the mind? What shapes the spiritual understanding of the believer? The answer is not found in emotion, experience, or even sincerity—it is found in doctrine. Not just any doctrine, but sound doctrine, rightly divided, rooted in the Word of God and revealed through the apostle Paul for the Church today. “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine…” (Ephesians 4:14). The renewed mind is not a blank canvas—it is a built structure. It has a foundation, a framework, and a finish. And that structure is doctrinal.
Without sound doctrine, the believer remains vulnerable. Sincere, perhaps, but unstable. Tossed. Carried. Reacting to life, rather than abiding in truth. The carnal mind is easily swayed because it lacks anchor. But the spiritual mind is grounded—it discerns, it separates, it sees the whole counsel of God and walks in the truth given for today. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15). Renewal without division is deception. Mixing law and grace muddies identity. Confusing Israel and the Body distorts purpose. Ignoring dispensations breeds contradiction. The spiritual mind must be taught to divide, not to blend.
Doctrine does more than inform—it guards. It protects the mind from error, equips it for endurance, and stabilises it in seasons of uncertainty. “Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught…” (Titus 1:9). The believer untaught is a believer unarmed. And the unarmed believer is easily shaken. But sound doctrine fortifies. It builds spiritual muscle. It trains the mind to resist falsehood and rejoice in truth. It is not cold theology—it is living truth, shaping the heart and renewing the mind.
And here is the encouragement: renewal begins with doctrine, not emotion. The spiritual mind is not formed by how we feel—it is formed by what we believe. Feelings may accompany growth, but they are not the source of it. They follow formation. The mind is renewed by truth, not by experience. And that truth must be rightly divided, not blended with tradition or sentiment. Doctrine provides the framework for understanding who we are in Christ, how we walk, and what we believe. Without that framework, emotions can mislead us, even when they feel sincere. The renewed mind is not a mystery—it is the product of sound doctrine, received with meekness and applied with grace.
So let us continue, not merely to feel spiritual, but to be spiritual. Let us build, line upon line, precept upon precept, until the mind of Christ is formed in us. For “we have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16)—not by default, but by doctrine. And that mind, once formed, will not only renew us, but transform us.
