If only I could think like God does, I wouldn’t have to be overcome by thousands of dark thoughts every day. Is it possible to have a system of godly thinking in place that would inoculate me against getting a daily infection of lies? The answer of course is “Yes”, and in this post we will attempt to lay the groundwork for how it works.
There are three classes of people, or three ways that people relate to the Spirit of God. The natural person is what everyone naturally is: lacking in the ability to understand the things of the Spirit, which can only be spiritually discerned. To this person, spiritual things are foolish. Then there is the spiritual person. The veil is removed, the spirit reborn, and the mind of Christ is accessed. Thirdly, we have the carnal or worldly person. This is the spiritual person who has failed to grow and mature. They have legal access to the mind of Christ but are overcome by worldly ways. They are likened to being “infants in Christ” who cannot handle solid food. (1 Corinthians 3:1 )
Imagine if the real populace consisted of people who didn’t grow up but remained as infants. Our species would be endangered. Who would become the parents for the next generation? Who would go into combat and lead the fight against evil? Who would become the teachers to train and disciple the new believers?
In the first twenty-one years of my life, I had little if any, perimeter of protection around my thought life. Evil strongholds were erected like skyscrapers in my mental city. I was lacking a true compass; some kind of measurement to guide me out of darkness and into light. Then came my conversion to personal faith in Christ. The hidden and secret wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 2:7) was implanted in my soul and to this very day, it continues to release God’s life transforming Word into my life. I became a different person; my mind was renewed.
The mind of Christ is: the ability, through the Holy Spirit, to understand the thoughts of God. It consists of spiritual truths taught by the Holy Spirit. The person of the Holy Spirit is every believer’s personal tutor. Our responsibility is to show up for the lessons!
Jesus said that he made known to His disciples, everything that He heard from His Father (John 15:15). Jesus knew God’s thoughts, the mind of His Father, because He took time to listen to the Spirit. He needed to have the “mind of God” as to the specifics of His mission and the details of His ministry assignments. If Jesus needed to set aside time for prayer, study, and reflection, how much more do we?
Jesus said to his followers, “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you. (John 16: 12 – 15)
Another way to define the “mind of Christ” – what the Spirit is taking from Jesus and making known to us.
To Be Continued…