Monday, March 21, 2011
OK, now that I’ve got that out
of my system, I’m not talking about basketball but loving God and Christian
living. Specifically, the purpose of
this blog is the Bible’s call to thinking
Biblically, or the goal of helping us have a “Christian mind.” A Christian mind is not about being religious
or going to church services. It’s all
about having God’s mind (“let this mind
be in you that was in Christ Jesus”), and to think God’s thoughts about
things. In the final analysis the
important thing is always “What does God
think or say? What is the will of God in
this situation or concerning this matter?”
This is what should shape our thinking, our world view, our attitudes
and our decisions.
We are called to “walk in the
Spirit” and the enabler has to do with our minds, keeping our heads in the
game. (Rom.8:6-8) “So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But
letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. For the sinful nature is always hostile to
God. It never did obey God's laws, and it never will. That's why those who are still under the
control of their sinful nature can never please God.” Similarly, the dynamic process of Christian
growth and maturity involves what the Bible describes as “putting off the old man” (the life of sin) and “putting on the new man” (new life in
Christ). There is a tiny verse inserted
right in the middle that tells us how this takes place and what the outcome is
to be. It says, “And be renewed in the spirit of your minds.” (Eph.4:23) The
Amplified version puts it this way, “And
be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind [having a fresh mental and
spiritual attitude].” It’s not about
getting degrees or mere intellectualism, it’s about using the means God
has given us to know Him, love Him, and serve Him and people. Thinking Biblically is one of those
means. To love God “with all...your mind.”
This facet is profoundly
important in the last days. In
(1Pet.4:7-11) the Apostle Peter tells us that we are living a very dramatic
moment in history when he announces, “The
end of all things is at hand.” The
Message paraphrase puts it this way, “everything
in the world is about to be wrapped up.”
While we don’t know the exact time, and God’s measurement of time is
different than ours, but he tells us that we are living in the terminal generation. That fact and knowledge does not lead to
sensationalism or disengaged living. No,
the Bible’s teaching on eschatology
(last things/end times) leads to a mentally, emotionally, relationally, and
spiritually well-grounded life. Bible
prophecy doesn’t lead to fanciful speculation but to being fully-engaged and
embracing our calling in Christ and His church.
This includes the practice of prayer, the priority of love, the exercise
of hospitality, and using the gifts we have for the glory of God and the
building up of the church. Peter says this is how to invest our lives and live
well in the last days. He gives us a
last days plan! Years ago, I preached a
series of four sermons from this text called, “Triumphant Living in the Terminal Generation.”
It’s significant that the
starting point for triumphant living is in our MINDS. “But
the end of all things is at hand; therefore
be sober and watch unto prayer.” He’s talking about the necessity of keeping
our heads in the game! Listen to
different translations of this verse: “therefore
be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers” (ESV);
“therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray” (NIV);
“therefore be earnest, thoughtful men of prayer” (LB); “be of sound judgment
and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer” (NASU); “keep sound minded and
self-restrained and alert therefore for [the practice of] prayer.” (AMP) To
love God and be disciplined and effective in our prayers starts in our
minds! It’s the same as the last days
exhortation that Paul gave to Timothy (2Tim.4:5) “As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of
an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”
We’re called, especially in the leadership arena, to KEEP OUR HEADS,
WHEN EVERYONE ELSE IS LOSING THEIRS!
The Pastor and author, John
Piper, has just published a book called, “Think”
- the Life of the Mind and the Love of God.
He clarifies his aim by saying, “This
book is a plea to embrace serious thinking as a means of loving God and
people. It is a plea to reject
either-or-thinking when it comes to head and heart, thinking and feeling,
reason and faith, theology and doxology, mental labor and the ministry of love. It is a plea to see thinking as a necessary,
God-ordained means of knowing God.
Thinking is one of the important ways that we put the fuel of knowledge
on the fires of worship and service to the world.” The purpose is as simple as it is profound:
the more we see of his surpassing greatness and knowledge and wisdom and power
and justice and wrath and mercy and patience and goodness and grace and love,
the more we will treasure him. Biblical
thinking is a God-given means to that end.
Let me give you the recommendations of other respected men of God that
confirms the importance of this spiritual discipline:
-“This book promises to shepherd a
generation about the Christian commitment of the life of the mind”
J.P. Moreland
-“John Piper offers much wise
advice on the importance of Christian thinking as a way of loving God with our
minds and as part of delighting in God above all things.”
George Marsden
-“Do you ever wish you could
feel more deeply about things you know are true? Has it been a while since you were
moved to tears at the thought of Christ’s death for your sins? It’s not mysterious: those who feel deeply about
the Gospel are those who think deeply about the Gospel......If you want to feel
profoundly, think carefully.”
C.J. Mahaney
-“An essential dimension of
Christian discipleship is the life of the mind, and this may well be the most neglected
Christian responsibility of our times God has made us intelligible creatures,
and he has given us the stewardship of intellectual faculties that should drive
us to think in ways that bring him greatest glory.”
R. Albert Mohler Jr.
-“Thinking—the alert,
meticulous, probing, logical, critical use of the mind— will be a highway
either to godliness or to its opposite, depending on how it is done.”
J.I. Packer
-“Those who are skittish when
it comes to rigorous study, deep thinking, and theological precision have wanted
us to believe that our problem is the mind, when in fact it’s the flesh. The problem isn’t knowledge, it’s pride.”
Sam Storms
-“Some Christians don’t think
nearly enough; others are prone to think in the wrong way. I warmly commend John Piper’s appeal to all
believers to be diligent in engaging our minds and to do so with ‘God-honoring humility
and Christ-loving passion.”
Vaughan Roberts
As we reset the blog’s purpose
remember the statement: “Sow a though,
reap an action. So an action, reap a
habit. Sow a habit, reap a
lifestyle. Sow a lifestyle, reap a
destiny. Sow a destiny, reap an
eternity.” It all begins with you
and I keeping our heads in the game!
That’s my posture moving forward.
To quote one of the ancient church fathers, Augustine, “I count myself one of the number of those
who write as they learn and learn as they write.” Join me in this al-important endeavor.
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