Rom. 8:5 – For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
Col.3:1-3 – If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
I think many people only partially understand these two passages from Paul’s letters. The word I want you to pay close attention to is the word mind in these two passages. Mind is translated from the word phroneo which brings us a better understanding of what Paul is saying. Phroneo means the mind, will, and the affections of our lives. It is talking about the things we think about, the things we want, and the things we love. So its not like we are a computer just putting the right info into our heads, it is the heart looking to Jesus that is captured by His love and now loves and ponders different things than before. Here is how Matthew Henry describes this passage.
“By looking to our minds, by examining what we have our minds set on, the things of the flesh or the things of the Spirit. The favor of God, the welfare of the soul, and the concerns of eternity are the things of the Spirit. People are according to what their minds are set on. The mind is the forge of thoughts. Which way do the thoughts move with greatest pleasure? The mind is the seat of wisdom. Are we more informed about the world or about our souls? They mind the things of the flesh. The same Greek verb, phroneo, is translated savour in Mt 16:23: they savor the things of the flesh. It is important to note what we savor, which truths, news, comforts, we truly relish. Now, to warn us against this worldly-mindedness, Paul shows its great misery and compares it with the indescribable comfort of spiritual-mindedness.”
I love the second part of Henry’s comments, he said that the worldly people savor the things of the flesh and we savor the things of the Spirit. When we think of savor we often think of taking a bite of food that we love and not just swallowing it but delighting and enjoying the moment. Savoring the things of God; the Bible, church gatherings, worship, and especially Jesus Himself changes everything about us. So go ahead, taste and see that the Lord is good. Ponder His goodness and His power and you will find yourself caught up in His love.
2 thoughts on “GET YOUR MIND RIGHT”
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There is more than just reading the Word daily if it only has a “bouncing off of us effect”
You know like trying to hold water in your hands, before you know it, your’e already dry with unseen contaminates coming right back to find crevices to imbed to. Purposeful pondering, most say to themselves, I haven’t the time. Ultimately we are telling Him that!