The Life Of The Mind

"For as he thinks in his heart, so is he" 

(Prov. 23: 7)

What do you think about? Of course, when working, one must think upon the work. But, when you are not working, when you have "leisure" time, time to think, what do you think about? What thoughts occupy your mind, either by choice or spontaneously (what just "pops into" your mind)? Do your thoughts bring you peace or stress? Do you think solely about earthly things, about things that pertain to your physical well being? Do you spend time thinking about God? About the meaning and purpose of life and creation? Would you rather exercise your mind or please the physical appetites? Would you rather muse or be amused? I wrote several articles in a series not long ago on the importance of meditation, of taking time to be holy in our thoughts, about the life of the mind. 

Of lost sinners, those who are wicked, the Psalmist said: "The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts." (Psa. 10: 4) This is the sad state of man in his lost condition. Since most of today's population put God out of their minds, they show themselves far removed from God. If the wicked are they who do not think about God, then conversely the righteous are they who do think about God; And, not only occasionally, but daily and regularly. Any professing Christian who does not think of God habitually has reason to doubt his conversion. "As a person thinks, so is he." Just as "you are what you eat" (physically speaking), so too are you "what you think about." A thief thinks a lot about stealing. An adulterer or lecherous person thinks a a lot about sexual sins. Etc. 

Believers, true believers, are they who "have the mind of Christ" (I Cor. 2: 16). Christ's intellectual life was not dull, but rich. His mind was fully exercised in thinking about God. So too should our minds be if we have the mind of Christ. Christ had no foolish thoughts, did not spend time thinking about worthless things, things of no lasting value. Paul said: "I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin." (Rom. 7: 25) 

As believers, this is what ought to characterize our mind and our thinking. Are we serving God and his law with our minds? "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus," said the apostle. (Phil. 2: 5) Every true believer covets having God in his thoughts. Just as God "inhabits the praises of his people" (Psa. 22: 3), so too does he inhabit the thinking of his people. If you are meditating upon God and his word, then you are enjoying the presence of God. Oh, blessed meditation! A true believer covets the mind (thinking) of Christ, but he also covets the spirit and heart of Christ. The believer wants to think and feel, to act and react, as Christ. His thought is - "what would Jesus do?" And, "what would Jesus think?" 

Prior to coming to know God through Christ the mind of the unconverted is described by the apostle in these words: "among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others." (Eph. 2: 3)

What are the "desires of the mind"? Of the "fleshly mind" (Col. 2: 18)? What do depraved sinners enjoy thinking about? Godly or ungodly things? God or self? Pleasing the flesh or pleasing God? Paul also said that all lost sinners are "enemies (to God) in your mind by wicked works." (Col. 1: 21) Of the sinner's thinking, the apostle also wrote:

"This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart." (Eph. 4:17-18) 

"The futility (or vanity) of the mind" of depraved sinners, what can we say about it? Their thoughts are worthless and of no profit. Many who are now in Hell no doubt recall with anguish how they spent their time on earth thinking about everything except God. 

The Exhortation

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

To experience transformation, to become a new man, a change in thinking must first occur. Only the power of God can change a man's thinking. This is because the man's heart, his nature, controls his thinking, and his heart and nature are predisposed to sin and against God and righteousness. Christ said it is "out of the heart" the "evil thoughts" proceed. (Matt. 15: 19) The heart and mind are inseparably linked. Conversion changes both the heart and the mind simultaneously. 

"Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion...be renewed in the spirit of your mind." (Rom. 12: 16, 23)

Renewal is another word involving transformation. Renewal and transformation into the image of Christ occurs in the mind as well as in the heart. A new convert to Christ experiences a drastic change in his thinking, but it is not finished the moment his transformation begins. It is rather gradual and increasing. An old believer ought to look and act like Christ more than when he was a young immature believer. 

God's people, in order to be blessed in the life of their minds, need to remain humble in their thinking, and not "set their minds on high things." Said the Psalmist David: "LORD, my heart is not haughty, Nor my eyes lofty. Neither do I concern myself with great matters, Nor with things too profound for me." (Psa. 131: 1)

Let us concern ourselves with thinking about God's word. Let us be humble in our thinking. 

The Benefit

"You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You." (Isa. 26: 3)

Who does not want "perfect peace"? If a man have all the riches in the world, but has no peace of mind, of what good are his riches? A poor man with the mind of Christ, with a spiritual mind, has a far better life than the rich who thinks not upon his Creator. "Better is a little with the fear of the LORD, Than great treasure with trouble." (Prov. 15: 16)

"To be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." 

Is your mind all about God? Is it spiritually minded? Is your mind "stayed on" Lord God?