THE WORK OF THE MIND

The mind is that part of a person which thinks and reasons. Although the Hebrew language had no word for mind, several Hebrew words are sometimes translated as the "mind." The word for heart frequently means "mind" Dt. 30:1; Jer. 19:5. The word for soul is sometimes used similarly (1 Chr. 28:9), as is the word for Spirit (Ezek.11:5). There is no Hebrew word for the word brain in English versions of the Bible.

The brain must be considered as flesh or meat. It is the centre for muscular coordination and is not the source of decision making. The brain does not think; it is only told what to do by our soul. Thus the soul, mind, or the heart (not the flesh) is the centre of mankind's trouble, disobedience, hate, love, peace, joy, and emotional pain. After a decision has been made, the thought is sent to the brain for action. This is why people confuse the brain and the mind. For example: the brain of an deceased unbeliever looks the same as that of a deceased believer. However, their souls differ greatly before God who made their spirits. One represents hell and the other represents heaven.
Four separate Greek words account for nearly all instances of the "mind" in the New Testament. They all mean much the same thing: understanding, thought,mind, and reason. While today we think of a person's mind in a morally neutral way, in the New Testament the mind was clearly thought of as either good or evil.

Adversely, the mind is prone to be "hardened" by Satan if we do not humble ourselves and allow the Holy Sprit to direct us in every decision we make. 2 Cor. 3:14. The mind can be "blinded" 2 Cor. 4:4, "corrupted" 2 Tim. 3:8, and "debased" Rom. 1:28. In this situation the faculty of our thinking turns to pride, evil thinking and doing which makes us become enemies of God Rom. 8:7-9, Gal. 6:7-9 (We reap what we sow in the flesh and in the Sprit.) Note that our brain as such, cannot be blinded or be inactive for one single moment. If this happens, it has ceased to function, so we die.

Beneficially, a human being has a mind which can be renewed. Rom. 12:2 and purified 2 Pet. 3:1. This new mind is given a choice to choose what is Godly by humiliating itself to God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. In this way the mind learns to trust, love, and surrender all to Christ for peaceful and non-troublesome decisions. We are exhorted to not lean on our own understanding but to trust in the Lord wholeheartedly. Prov. 3:5-10; Rom. 12:16-19
This can only happen if we ask God to lead us in everything we do. It is the reason why we pray for guidance. If we ask for guidance the Spirit will not allow our mind to dwell on human experiences or past anointing and knowledge. If we do no ask for guidance we will bring pain to ourselves because we will not act according to the will of God, instead we will be depending solely on our own mind and not the mind of Christ. Consequently, we fall into trouble with God. For example: Israel continued to worship an old anointing and forgot that God is for the living. Nahushtan the old fiery serpent. 2 Ki. 18:4.

Isaiah 26:3-4 says God will keep him in perfect peace whose mind abodes and trusts in Him. The human mind is a prodigal mind that needs God's guidance, "A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps." Prov.16:1-3,9 Here we can see that God allows us to do what we want. If we choose to involve Him, He may approve our plans or suggest that we change them. If we accept His leadership we will be at peace and will never regret it.

Christians are called to love God with all their minds. Mt. 22:37; Mk. 12:30; Lk. 10:27 This act implants God's laws in the mind. Heb. 8:10 The fruits from the mind of a believer are measured by what is evidenced in the actions and reactions in relating to other human beings. Since Christians have "the mind of Christ", 1 Cor. 2:16 they are instructed to be one together in mind. They will thus yield fruits of humility, sobriety, and sober-mindedness - characteristics worthy of Jesus Christ. Rom. 12:16; 1 Pet. 3:8; Ti. 2:3-13; Phil. 3:13-21 We also must not be double-minded because a double-minded man will spend years and years praying without being answered. Jas. 1:2-8; 4:1-10 A human mind can never advise itself to be humbled because the heart is wicked above all things. Jer. 17:5-11 This work is left to the Holy Spirit.

We are commanded to seek the Lord with all our heart and mind. That is because our thoughts can be easily defiled with evil unless God directs them from within our souls. This is why the Holy Spirit was sent to live inside us and not outside. Prov. 3:5-8; Jn. 14:16-18; Rev. 3:20

It is when we think we know what to do that we get ourselves into trouble. Thinking we know, is not the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is actually excluding the guidance of God which will inevitably conceive bad decisions. We must be like David and involve God in every decision we make, even if our plan looks to be the best. When we involve the Holy Spirit we can be assured that we will be successful in our endeavors. 2 Sam. 2:1-3; 5:19,23 We must seek the Lord's direction. God does speak!

If we are tuned to the Holy Spirit, all the decisions we make will actually be made by Him and not self. After all that it is the work of the Spirit to lead us.Perfect guidance can only be attained as we allow the Holy Spirit to be in full control. Phil. 4:5-7; Rom. 12:1-3; Eph. 4:22-27; 1 Pet. 1:13-17

This is why we believe the Scriptures written by the prophets and the disciples are God's Word. These servants of God were controlled,directed, inspired, and moved by God to write only what the Holy Spirit directed them to write. There are no empty words in the Bible, every line was given by inspiration of God and each word and dot has its purpose. 2 Tim. 3:16-17 Every Scripture is a prophecyin itself. 2 Pet. 1:20 The Word of the Lord is living. It warns, directs, encourages, and rebukes because God does not want anyone to perish.

So when Paul gives his observations to the Church in 1 Cor. 7:6, 12, 25, they are words from our Lord with the purpose of leading the church in the path of righteousness. Paul, although in the body, was speaking on behalf of God as His approved spokesman. God was able to communicate His truth through this trustworthy vessel to those who had ears to hear and heed. His life, a demonstration of the humility of Christ, proved he had the authority to call the whole church into following Christ just as he was doing himself. 1 Cor. 4:15-16; 1 Cor. 11:1-2; Phil. 3:17, 4:9; 1 Th. 1:6-7 Paul did not boast in himself nor argue his own ideas or opinions; he only spoke and wrote what the Spirit gave to him for the edification of the Church. We must follow his example of purity and not that of his former life before he was saved.

The problem today is that we want to do the work of God without keeping ourselves trustworthy before God and man. When your testimony is not good, when your lips are not sealed, and when your heart is not clean, every act of holiness you demonstrate to try to convince others of your purity becomes a mockery toward Jesus. This is because what you do is not what you truly are. Pastors, preachers, evangelists, singers, musicians, cleaners, prophets, elders, bishops, counselors , ushers, and all other church members should produce fruits worthy of repentance. Every servant of God should be careful not to become a stumbling block to those whom God is calling in the Church nor should they bring offences to others who are working their salvation with fear and trembling as Paul did. Mt. 18; Lk. 17:1-3 will help you to see what will happen at the Lord's appearing to those who choose to be careless them.

Rev. Abella Kasheke, Th.D.
(March 2000)