What's in your mind? The key to faith and Christian living

What's in your mind? The key to faith and Christian living.

The core of your faith and of Christian living is based upon what's in your mind. Are you operating in a mind that is renewed by the Word of God and based on the principles of spiritual wisdom and truth or are you still functioning with a darkened mind that is based upon worldly knowledge and vanity? That's quite a contrasting picture, not so. Well, let me confirm this with two contrasting scriptures in the epistle of Ephesians that says the same thing.

Eph 4:17-20  This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in THE VANITY OF THEIR MIND,  (18)  Having the understanding DARKENED, being alienated from the life of God through the IGNORANCE that is in them, because of the BLINDNESS of their heart:  (19)  Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.  (20)  But ye have not so learned Christ;

Paul writes, but you have not so learned Christ. What is it to learn Christ? Well, if the above statement is being without Christ in edification, then what is it to learn Christ? Paul already provided the answer to this question in chapter 1:

Eph 1:17-19  That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the KNOWLEDGE of him:  (18)  The eyes of your UNDERSTANDING being ENLIGHTENED; that ye MAY KNOW what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,  (19)  And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

Fellowship and friendship are good. Praise and worship are important. Prayer and intercession are of great value. But there is something that far exceeds the scope of these activities. It is reading and studying the Word of God. To gain in knowledge of the rightly divided Word is the core of your life and strength. It increases faith, it feeds you with truth, it fills you with God's Spirit, it empowers you to walk worthy of the Lord, it's the armour to war against the enemy. Increasing in knowledge of spiritual truth is the most important, yet the most undervalued activity in most Christian's lives. Let's see what value the Bible places upon this.

The epistle of Romans is the foundation of our faith. Several times in chapters 6 to 8, Paul asks the reader if they know certain things:

• Rom 6:3  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
• Rom 6:6  Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
• Rom 6:9  Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
• Romans 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
• Rom 6:16  Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
• Rom 7:1  Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?
• Rom 8:22  For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
• Rom 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 

Until you know these things, you are not educated or walking in the principles that stablish your faith and empower you to yield in obedience unto righteousness, delivering you from sin and fruitlessness, Rom 6:16-17. 

Isn't it interesting that the bible begins with two people eating from the tree of knowledge. They did not believe the truth of God's words and ended up believing what looked good, what sounded good, what agreed with the flesh, and ultimately what proved to be a lie. From that moment they were blinded to spiritual truth and became functionally dead to God. Ever since this event your mind has defaulted to sin and death: separated from the knowledge and love of God which operate in the realm of the spirit and not through the carnal senses. In order to get out of this hole, you need to have your mind renewed towards spiritual truths; the way that God thinks, hence why Paul educates us in knowledge of the spirit. If we look at the rest of Paul's epistles, we find a LOT of instruction on the mind and on correct thinking. Let me list some examples on what Paul said about the mind,

• Be renewed in the spirit of your mind.
• Man is an enemy to God in his mind by wicked works.
• They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh;
• The carnal mind is enmity against God:
• For who hath known the mind of the Lord?
• Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,
• Be of the same mind one toward another. 
• Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
• Joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
• Walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
• And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
• But in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
• Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
• Were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works,
• Kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
• That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled,
• But of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

There is one more scripture that I could have added to the above list, but I'll quote it with a bit of an explanation, as it is so often misunderstood. The verse I am referring to is:

1Cor.2:16  For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

Many Christians quote this verse as a positional attribute. They say that because I'm saved and have been joined to Christ, I have the mind of Christ and can understand all spiritual truth. This is simply not true! You don't instantaneously get the mind of Christ when you get saved. The mind of Christ is slowly acquired as one immerses oneself into the Word of God, studying it and gaining understanding of it, and then through wisdom, applying its truths. Paul wrote half of the New Testament, yet he himself said something very interesting and strange,

Php 3:12  Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.  (13)  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,  (14)  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.  (15)  Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.  (16)  Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.  (17)  Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.

In verse 15 he encourages the Philippians, as many as be perfect, to be thus minded, meaning to be perfect in the knowledge and understanding of the doctrine Paul taught them. But in verse 12 he says that he has not yet attained, neither are yet perfect in the application of that doctrine he taught. So, to have the mind of Christ is to first grow up in one's knowledge of our grace doctrine, but to also be increasing in the application of it, so as to aim to attain or apprehend the mind of Christ: walking in His wisdom, exercising His judgements, and proving what is the perfect will of God.

Until you realize that Christianity has nothing to do with clothing or external appearances, it has nothing to do with traditions and performances, nor the stuff religion tells you, you will continue to be deceived and unprofitable to God. There is no amount of sacraments, baptisms, and rituals to fix the problem of mankind. The problem is a lack of knowledge in sound doctrine. Sadly, many Christians heads are empty of the truth. This problem will persist until they get God's words into their minds and start to believe what God has written down on the pages of the Bible.

The most valuable resource on this earth is the King James Bible: God's words of life and truth to humanity. You will be wise to spend time in this book, educating yourself with the words that Jesus said are 'spirit and life", John 6:63. The word of God is alive and active and will begin a work of faith in you that will grow your spirit and bring you to the truth of God's will, ways, plans and purpose. If we allow the Word to renew our mind, we will find righteousness, joy, and peace as we step into His kingdom. Without the Word of God dwelling in us richly, we will remain reprobate and walking in vanity all the days of our life. That is quite a thought!

For more motivation and encouragement to get into the Word of God and renew your pattern of thinking and increase in knowledge about God and spiritual truths, study this list of scriptures that confirms this topic:

Proverbs 3:5-6, 1Corinthians 3:19, Jeremiah 9:23-24, Isaiah 55:8-9, Proverbs 1:7, Colossians 2:8, James 3:17, Romans 11:33, 1Corinthians 1:25, Proverbs 2:6, Ecclesiastes 12:12-13, Psalm 111:10, Romans 12:2, Ephesians 4:23-24, Proverbs 9:10, 2Timothy 3:16-17, Psalm 119:105, John 17:3, Proverbs 4:7, 1Corinthians 8:2, Isaiah 40:8, Matthew 24:35.