God-given Thoughts

It seems to be a terrible pride to compare myself favorably to others who do not have the same spiritual understanding and Christian way of thinking that I have, but today I am reminded that God does the comparison. However, His version is a bit different than mine would be. Instead of letting me think more highly of myself than I ought, He reminds me that anything I have as a Christian is because He opened my mind and taught it to me. Otherwise, I would be blind to His truths just as anyone else who does not know Jesus.

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; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus . . . (Ephesians 4:17-21)

My devotional reading says that salvation is first and foremost a change of mind. I tend to agree. This passage speaks of learning Christ, and of ignorance and blindness regarding Him. Somewhere between the dark and the light is the power of God who opens eyes and minds and hearts. Otherwise, sin would keep everyone in the dark for all have sinned.

Yet Jesus changes all that. He gives new life and translates people from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. Along with that comes a new way of thinking and a new understanding of righteousness and of what sin is and does. I began to think differently about sin and wanted to turn away from it. This is called repentance. The Greek word for “repentance” means “to change one’s mind.”

Of course that change in my thinking resulted in a change of behavior. In the above verses, Paul says unsaved, unregenerate people live “in the futility of their mind.” Proverbs 23:7 says, “As he thinks in his heart, so is he.” So when I think differently, I act differently.

One of my favorite verses, Romans 12:2, says: “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” (Romans 12:2).

My mind is renewed by reading the Bible, meditation of the truths God gives me, and staying away from any corrupting influences that tend to undo His “education” of my life. This isn’t about living in a bubble though. It means that whenever any ideas present themselves, I compare them with what Jesus says and with what God has taught me, not blindly or ignorantly accepting them simply because that is easier, or worse yet, because those old thoughts will allow me to sin.

Thinking spiritual truth (and acting accordingly) brings peace of mind and a blessing, but it is also humbling to remember that apart from Christ, I would not be able to do it.