"..Jesus has been given priestly work which is superior to theirs,..the covenant which he arranged between God and his people is a better one, because it is based on promises of better things. If there had been nothing wrong with the first covenant, there would have been no need for a second one..By speaking of a new covenant, God has made the first one old; and anything that becomes old and worn out will soon disappear." (Hebrews 8:6-13 GNB)

paradigm, paradigm shift - From the Greek word paradhma (paradigma),... a paradigm is simply the predominant worldview in the realm of human thought..A paradigm shift occurs when cultures transform their way of thinking from one thought system to another. For instance, prior to Copernicus and Galileo (ca. 1600), most people believed that astral bodies revolved around the earth (geocentrism); but after the Copernican Revolution (ca. 1600), it became obvious that the earth revolved around the sun (heliocentrism) -- thus, a major paradigm shift occurred from geocentrism to heliocentrism..Simply put, then, a paradigm shift is a pivotal change in humanity's way of thinking regarding a particular worldview.

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In part 1 (Click here to read it), we discovered that God deals with His people based on contracts(covenant) and that there was are part of the new covenant and not the old which has now been declared redundant.

A paradigm is a collection of thought, very much like filters through which you process information. A paradigm tends to hold some basic assumptions which form the basis on which you accept or reject certain information. It stands to reason therefore, that a wrong paradigm can result in wholesale error with far reaching consequences.

1. "So then, whether it came from me or from them, this is what we all preach, and this is what you believe. Now, since our message is that Christ has been raised from death, how can some of you say that the dead will not be raised to life? If that is true, it means that Christ was not raised; and if Christ has not been raised from death, then we have nothing to preach and you have nothing to believe. More than that, we are shown to be lying about God, because we said that he raised Christ from death---but if it is true that the dead are not raised to life, then he did not raise Christ. For if the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is a delusion and you are still lost in your sins. It would also mean that the believers in Christ who have died are lost. If our hope in Christ is good for this life only and no more, then we deserve more pity than anyone else in all the world. But the truth is that Christ has been raised from death, as the guarantee that those who sleep in death will also be raised." (1 Corinthians 15:11-20 GNB)

2. "But don't fool yourselves. Don't let yourselves be poisoned by this anti-resurrection loose talk. "Bad company ruins good manners."" (1 Corinthians 15:33 MSG)

As christians, how we think is central to creating the world within which we exist. Our thoughts frame our world. The mind is the gateway to our interaction on this earth. It is where we process beliefs, make decisions that we commit to action, the consequences of which become our reality.

1. "for as he thinks in his heart, so is he.." (Proverbs 23:7 MKJV)

2. "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, in order to prove by you what is that good and pleasing and perfect will of God." (Romans 12:2 MKJV)

Words are the food of thought and form the basis of our belief. The devil knows this and therefore seeks to plant lies in our minds to lead us into erronious thoughts that will result in experiences that fall way short of God's best for us. He did this to Adam and Eve and tried it with Christ and He is doing the same with us. As a defeated foe, He has no power over us, so He deceives us into self destruction. We give power to these lies when we believe in them.

1. "Now the snake was the most cunning animal that the LORD God had made. The snake asked the woman, "Did God really tell you not to eat fruit from any tree in the garden?" "We may eat the fruit of any tree in the garden," the woman answered, "except the tree in the middle of it. God told us not to eat the fruit of that tree or even touch it; if we do, we will die." The snake replied, "That's not true; you will not die. God said that because he knows that when you eat it, you will be like God and know what is good and what is bad." The woman saw how beautiful the tree was and how good its fruit would be to eat, and she thought how wonderful it would be to become wise. So she took some of the fruit and ate it..God asked. "Did you eat the fruit that I told you not to eat?"..The LORD God asked the woman, "Why did you do this?" She replied, "The snake tricked me into eating it." (Genesis 3:1-13 GNB)

2. "..Jesus was hungry.." Then the Devil took Jesus to Jerusalem, the Holy City, set him on the highest point of the Temple, and said to him, "If you are God's Son, throw yourself down, for the scripture says, 'God will give orders to his angels about you; they will hold you up with their hands, so that not even your feet will be hurt on the stones.' " Jesus answered, "But the scripture also says, 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'.." (Matthew 4:2-11 GNB)

3. "You crazy Galatians! Did someone put a hex on you? Have you taken leave of your senses? Something crazy has happened, for it's obvious that you no longer have the crucified Jesus in clear focus in your lives. His sacrifice on the Cross was certainly set before you clearly enough." (Galatians 3:1 MSG)

4. "For though walking about in flesh, we do not war according to flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, pulling down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought into the obedience of Christ; and having readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled." (2 Corinthians 10:3-6 MKJV)

5. "that their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and to all riches of the full assurance of the understanding, to the full knowledge of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. And I say this that not anyone should beguile you with enticing words..Beware lest anyone rob you through philosophy and vain deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily." (Colossians 2:2-9 MKJV)

When we experience the new birth our old sin nature is done away and we are created with a new nature(Christ nature). This transformation applies to our spirits not our minds. We must subsequently renew our mind so that we can begin to manifest the new life we have inside.

1. "if indeed you have heard Him and were taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus. For you ought to put off the old man (according to your way of living before) who is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind. And you should put on the new man, who according to God was created in righteousness and true holiness." (Ephesians 4:21-24 MKJV)

2. "Do not lie to one another, for you have put off the old self with its habits and have put on the new self. This is the new being which God, its Creator, is constantly renewing in his own image, in order to bring you to a full knowledge of himself." (Colossians 3:9-10 GNB)

Mind games

Watering down of the truth

Spiritualising the literal

Beholding the new

In the spirit of the old

Walking into the law by stealth

The law in the guise of grace

As it was in the beginning

So it is again

Subtle lies, from cunning lips

Seeking to deceive

Christ alone, holds the truth

The key to living free

Not you, but Him

Living His life in you

Selah

(To be continued..)

Click here to read part 3

To view others instalments in the series, click here