Set of the Mind
In the past before coming to Christ we had only the natural life of a man. The life of a natural man consists of the things that he hopes will bring him joy and peace and a good life. In all of his efforts there is the dream that he will find the satisfaction of life. To an extent, depending on his labor and persistence to the goal, he gains a degree of fulfillment. He has learned how to cope with the set-backs and trials and misfortunes of his existence. This could be sumed up with; "I did the best I could with what I had". And men say, bravo!
This shows a dream, a vision, an inward knowing that life is supposed to be grand and fulfilling. This is the spirit of man crying out for freedom, and expression, and purpose. All men have this for God has "placed eternity in the heart". So all men are in a dilemma, they can see what is good, but how to obtain it is not in them. So men go on striving, and working, and laboring. Redoubling their efforts and altering the plans, and trying new ways. All of this is in the past experiences of those who have now come to Christ.
This becomes the "set of the mind". The experiences of life form our out-look on the things that have not yet happened, by what has already happened. Example; going for a job interview. If in the past you have been turned down for a similiar job, you will not have much hope or enthusiasm for this interview, this will show in the upcoming dialog and you will again be rejected. Why? Because of a preconcieved "set of your mind".
So in Christ we have to break the previous "set of the mind" to see the truth of God. Is this so? Yes, those who in the past were prone to sickness will easily accept the suffering of Job, the affilictions of the Hall of Faith, and so forth. Because in their minds they can idenify with this. In other words, they are reading "their mind" into the scripture. And so they say, Amen.
Like-wise a person who was healed by the touch of the virtue of the Lord will relate to the woman with the issue of blood, or one of the many others healed that are recorded in scripture. The point is to see the truth clearly; we have to drop all of our preconceived ideas. Whether or not we can relate to truth, does not change that it is the truth. This is always the challenge. To come to the Lord with an open spirit of the mind. To consider that we need to look at old things (things we think we understand) in new ways.
This is not possible with out the help of the Spirit. To give up our thoughts is to become vulnerable. We become subject to change, and open to blame. The fact is we have all missed it in many areas. There is error taught to us from the time we are born. We now hold these errors as the gospel truth. If a lie is told often enough it is reinforced in our minds, until we think that it's truth. Then we will defend it as though our very existence depended on the error.
In the world we learned failure, defeat, and weakness. These are not found in the "new creature" that is in Christ. God knows no defeat, no lack, no weakness, no limit, no failure, no flustration. There is no deficiency, in thought, in strength, or in deed. No defect, no shortage, no end. This is the "set of the mind" that we are to have. "The mind set on the spirit is life and peace". Let us learn our lesson well.
This shows a dream, a vision, an inward knowing that life is supposed to be grand and fulfilling. This is the spirit of man crying out for freedom, and expression, and purpose. All men have this for God has "placed eternity in the heart". So all men are in a dilemma, they can see what is good, but how to obtain it is not in them. So men go on striving, and working, and laboring. Redoubling their efforts and altering the plans, and trying new ways. All of this is in the past experiences of those who have now come to Christ.
This becomes the "set of the mind". The experiences of life form our out-look on the things that have not yet happened, by what has already happened. Example; going for a job interview. If in the past you have been turned down for a similiar job, you will not have much hope or enthusiasm for this interview, this will show in the upcoming dialog and you will again be rejected. Why? Because of a preconcieved "set of your mind".
So in Christ we have to break the previous "set of the mind" to see the truth of God. Is this so? Yes, those who in the past were prone to sickness will easily accept the suffering of Job, the affilictions of the Hall of Faith, and so forth. Because in their minds they can idenify with this. In other words, they are reading "their mind" into the scripture. And so they say, Amen.
Like-wise a person who was healed by the touch of the virtue of the Lord will relate to the woman with the issue of blood, or one of the many others healed that are recorded in scripture. The point is to see the truth clearly; we have to drop all of our preconceived ideas. Whether or not we can relate to truth, does not change that it is the truth. This is always the challenge. To come to the Lord with an open spirit of the mind. To consider that we need to look at old things (things we think we understand) in new ways.
This is not possible with out the help of the Spirit. To give up our thoughts is to become vulnerable. We become subject to change, and open to blame. The fact is we have all missed it in many areas. There is error taught to us from the time we are born. We now hold these errors as the gospel truth. If a lie is told often enough it is reinforced in our minds, until we think that it's truth. Then we will defend it as though our very existence depended on the error.
In the world we learned failure, defeat, and weakness. These are not found in the "new creature" that is in Christ. God knows no defeat, no lack, no weakness, no limit, no failure, no flustration. There is no deficiency, in thought, in strength, or in deed. No defect, no shortage, no end. This is the "set of the mind" that we are to have. "The mind set on the spirit is life and peace". Let us learn our lesson well.
posted by pete porter | 12:16 PM
9 Comments:
I think you said it best here, Bryan....."God knows no defeat, no lack, no weakness, no limit, no failure, no flustration. There is no deficiency, in thought, in strength, or in deed. No defect, no shortage, no end." This is true in our spiritual life, but our physical reality is different. There are deficiencies in thought and in strenght. What about the children born with these defects. There is an end. We all die. All of our physical bodies give out on us, one way or another. It doesn't mean we are less with God if we die of cancer at age 17 or if we die of old age. We just all physically die.
Hi PJ,
Thanks for the comment. I know you to be a good conversationalist. You enjoy a discussion, so I'll share some of my thoughts on your comment.
First; as for the children, this post doesn't address anyone out-side of Christ, either by age, or unbelief. Neither do I address how we came into our present state. Only that we have a "set of mind" that this is how things have to be.
Second; there is no word in scripture to having a decrepit body. On the contary we have examples of long life, and strength of days. As in Moses and Caleb. We even have this word in the Psalms. "With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation", this is to the person who knows the Lord.
Third; Yes, we all die. But consider that no man takes our life, we have the "power of life and death in our tongue". Didn't Jesus say; "no man takes my life, but I lay it down that the Father may be glorified in the Son". So then with us, like Father, like sons. So when we complete the course we also can enter into this rest of laying down our lives.
Fourth; "It doesn't mean we are less with God if we die of cancer at age 17 or if we die of old age". Come on now, this is a ridiculous statement. Ask any father or mother if it makes a difference. Or consider if it was your own child. There is a world of difference!! If it matters so much to us who have limited love, how much more does it matter to God. It would take a highly-educated idiot to offer himself to a life threating disease, much less his children.
As for "less with God", we can't improve on our position in Christ. It is not by our works or righteousness but those of Jesus. And we are the recipient of God's grace by Him.
Just a little something for you to think over and see if maybe there's a "set of the mind".
Be Blessed,
Pete
"As for 'less with God', we can't improve on our position in Christ. It is not by our works or righteousness but those of Jesus. And we are the recipient of God's grace by Him."
Thank you for proving my entire point.
PJ,
I see; your point is we are now saved so it makes no difference what kind of life we now life. Whether good, bad, or captive. So then the promise of blessings, and goodness are immaterial. "what-ever-will-be-will-be"? Is this the way you view life?
Be Blessed,
Pete
No, Bryan, obviously you don't see. You obviously haven't seen any of my discussions anywhere else. I do not believe that since we are saved we have nothing to worry about. I just don't believe that if we are sick we are not being *good christians*.
"'It doesn't mean we are less with God if we die of cancer at age 17 or if we die of old age'. Come on now, this is a ridiculous statement. Ask any father or mother if it makes a difference. Or consider if it was your own child. There is a world of difference!!"
What is your point here??? What is the difference??? What if a 3 year old dies??? Are they going to Heaven or Hell??? I would feel horrible if I had a young child die, but I wouldn't believe they were less of a Christian because they died of a disease. That is just moronic.
"It would take a highly-educated idiot to offer himself to a life threating disease, much less his children."
Yet God gave His son a death warrant for us, huh??
PJ,
"Yet God gave His Son a death warrant for us, huh?" Let's consider this, only God has the power to raise the dead. If God didn't give the Son then we would all have died in our sin, and be separated from the life in God.
It was "for us" as you said, this is the mystery of the love and care of God.
It was also His will to do so. This is quite different from the loss of the sons of men.
Be Blessed,
Bryan
Thank you!
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