No Mind Games


Ephesians 4:17 (ESV) Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.

The problem is not in the world. The problem is in your mind. It is also in your heart and soul, but here Paul addresses the mind. The word for "futility" can be translated "nothingness." A "what's the point" existence that lives for today and nothing more.  It's the word Paul uses when he speaks about our faith apart from the resurrection hope:

1 Corinthians 15:13 "if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain."

There's no point to the mind of an unbeliever. There is no ultimate goal. For your mind may conceive of things wonderful and beautiful, but in the end, they are all vanity and nothingness. The world is full of knowledge, but not much wisdom. The real problem with the unbeliever's mind is he tends to think he is wise! Romans 1:22 (ESV) Claiming to be wise, they became fools... 

This is why salvation is so exciting. It gives us a renewed mind! Jesus added the word "mind" to the admonition of loving God in the Old Testament with all our hearts, souls and strengths. Our NEW mind is one of the primary beneficiaries of new life.  The mind is remade to fulfill it's potential in Christ. 

I think of some of the great minds of the Old Testament: Daniel who was given a mind of wisdom beyond his contemporaries, or Joseph who's God-inspired mind was able to save a nation and the chosen family at the same time. I think of some of the great thinkers in scientific history who were devout Christians such as Copernicus, Galileo, Descartes, Newton, Pasteur and George Washington Carver (although contemporary scientists love to bury those FACTS). 

Christian, you have a renewed mind to know Christ who is the WISDOM of God. You do not have an excuse to act stupid because you're going to heaven and God will take care of the details. You have a Divine ordination to learn and grow in wisdom before God and man as the Lord Jesus himself (Luke 2:52).  The mind is a terrible thing to waste, and Jesus came to save it!

But the most important occupation of your mind is KNOWING CHRIST. 
Ephesians 4:20–24 (ESV) But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

I was caught today by this old sailor's proverb: "He who is slave to the compass is master of the seas. The rest must sail close to the shore."

Knowing Christ is surrendering your mind to the TRUTH Compass of all reality thus freeing your mind to truly live in wisdom and knowledge in the likeness of God. 

PRAYER:
Father, I want to love you with my mind. Holy Spirit I ask you for a focused perception on the things that are excellent and noteworthy. I ask that you keep my mind from futile ways and empower me to LEARN CHRIST as never before. In Jesus' Name.



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