In Paul's epistle to the church at Ephesus, he talks about two kinds of minds. The first is the "Gentile mind," what Paul describes as the "futile mind" (Eph 4:17). Paul says this kind of mind is darkened in understanding and excluded from the life of God (Eph 4:18). This kind of mind produces callous sin predicated on sensuality "for the practice of every kind of impurity" (Eph 4:19). You understand, I hope, that Paul is not commending this.
So what is the other option?
The other mind is the "new self" (Eph 4:24), the renewed mind (Eph 4:23). This one is marked by a laying aside of the corrupted self (Eph 4:22). It is marked by righteousness and holiness of the truth (Eph 4:24).
Paul goes on to explain what the behavior looks like for a person of this mind (Eph 4:25-32). I won't lay it all out for you. It is too large. It begins with truth and unity (Eph 4:25). It entails healed relationships with God and with each other as can only be imagined and accomplished by those who have set self aside. It's a new life, a "new self."
Here's the thing. Paul only offers two options here. There is the futile mind of the unsaved, and there is the renewed mind of the those in Christ. Both affect how we live, obviously in opposite directions. So you should figure out which is yours. But here's a big hint. Is your thinking like the rest of the world? Do you concur with the our world's system? It's that system that has the futile mind. If your thinking is not challenged, is not brought into question, is not actually in opposition to the "norm," the everyday, the general worldview, then there is good reason to think yours is the former mind, not the renewed mind. If you are evaluating values and truth and Scripture on purely natural means -- you know, "It can't mean that because that would go against our current philosophies" -- then you might just be in trouble. By definition the renewed mind is different. Is yours?
1 comment:
we are encouraged to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Double mindedness is a reality that is unique to the christian. we are said to have both the old mind of the flesh and the new mind of Christ. our challenge is to feed one and destroy the other. such a challenge can only be relevant if both minds exist, otherwise there would be no battle for control. most Christians are aware of Paul's mental conflict, the things i do, i do not want to do. and the things i want to do, i do not do. ect... it is said that a double minded man is unstable in all his ways. so how do we feed the mind of Christ? how do we go about transforming our minds? how do we kill the mind of the flesh daily?
perhaps the key is that there really is not two minds.. but rather one mind and one flesh.
Paul said; when i do the things i do not want to do, it is NOT Me, but rather the SIN that is in ME.... He makes this statement twice. so what is he saying???
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