COLOSSIANS 3:1-4 – If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”
One of the most profitable Bible studies we may do is to investigate the mind and our thinking in the Christian life. We might be surprised to learn just how much emphasis the Word of God places on a disciplined mind, a sound and pure thought life, and the constant call to be renewing our minds. Even our Lord Jesus told us the mind is a critical and necessary component in loving God – “And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself”(Luke10:27).But the issue of the mind and our thinking goes even deeper.
As we think, so we live, meaning who we direct our minds toward will be whose interests we pursue and there are only two options-ours or Christ’s. If we are engulfed in worldly thinking, then our lifestyles will show by our pursuit of self-centered interests. Conversely, if today’s scripture is controlling our minds and thoughts, then our lifestyles will reflect eternal priorities and spiritual investments of ourselves and resources toward the interests of Christ. And should we want to live the latter, and every true Christian does, two things must be understood and applied.
First the battle in the Christian life for a disciplined and pure thought life is intense. To renew our minds spiritually and be pleasing to the Lord in our thought life requires all out warfare. The Apostle Paul is upfront with this reality. He writes to the Corinthian believers this call to arms to engage the battle on the battlefield of our minds-We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete (2 Corinthians 10:5-6). Pay attention. Not some thoughts, every thought captive. That is intense and constant. And all that is required to be defeated in this battle for pure and holy thinking is nothing. Just stop renewing. Stop fighting and the world will rush in filling our minds with everything but Christ, His Word, and holiness. Spiritual defeat will be assured.
The second thing to be understood and applied is stand constantly aware of what we are putting before our eyes, hearts, and minds. Whatever we allow our eyes to gaze upon, hearts to ponder, and minds to think on will shape our thinking and determine the direction of our lives. Remember, there are only two sources of mind renewal: God’s Word or a sinful world. Start putting unwholesome entertainment before our eyes and minds; start listening to unwholesome music; start reading unwholesome books and literature, and our minds will be shaped by all those worldly forces leading to lives of worldliness. Guard our eyes, hearts, and minds for, as Solomon wrote in Proverbs, “they are the issues of life” (Proverbs4:23).
It is true. As we think so we live. Let’s make sure we are striving for thinking patterns that model the instruction given to the Philippian believers-Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things(Philippians 4:8) and do so by renewing our minds in the Word of God consistently.
PRAYER: “Father, may I strive to have my mind shaped by Your Word not the world.”
QUOTE: “What is shaping our minds–God’s Word or the world–will direct our lives.”