We hear much said on the soul and heart in the outflowing of love toward God, but we don’t hear that we are to use our MINDS in loving Him. Scripture teaches us that our love must include our MINDS. The soul and heart are necessary in our relationship to God, while most accept that, they cannot accept the concept of using the MIND. This Webpage is centered on our MINDS, in our love of the Lord God and in our relationship with Him.
Here is Scripture which is the basis of our study.
Matthew 22:37 -“ Jesus said unto him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your MIND.”
Mark 12:30 - “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your MIND, and with all your strength: this is the first commandment.”
Mark 12:33 - “And to love Him with all the heart, and with all the UNDERSTANDING, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
Luke 10:27 - “And He answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy MIND; and thy neighbor as thyself.”
2 Timothy 1:7 -“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound MIND”.
We see God including heart, soul and strength, in desiring our love, but He also includes our MINDS and our UNDERSTANDING. Loving God is not a mindless love. Our MINDS are not excluded in our relationship with Him. Christianity is not all emotion, it also involves thinking, knowing and understanding. God has given a sound Mind to use, so Christian, use it.
Do not leave your MIND outside the door when you attend Church or when you write on forums or enter chat rooms. To rudely cry ‘cult’ or ‘mind reading’ when the word MIND is used in Christian dialogue, shows ignorance of God’s Word. The MIND in relationship to God is biblical. It is of God. God created man in His image and He has given man MINDS to use.
Let Us Use Our God Given MINDS To:
Love God - Matthew 22:37
Know Whom to Believe - 2 Timothy 1:12
Understand the Will of God - Ephesians 5:17
Think Correctly - Philippians 4:8
Decide What To Set Our Affections On - Colossians 3:2
(Verses are quoted below.)
Here are some Scriptures on the MIND. They teach us how God wants us to use our MINDS, not only to love Him, but how to use them in our daily walk with Him and our daily walk with others.
Loving God With Our MINDS Leads To An Abundant And Christ Centered Life.
Matthew 22:37 - “Jesus said unto him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your MIND.”
Mark 12:30 - “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your MIND, and with all your strength: this is the first commandment.”
Mark 12:33 - “And to love Him with all the heart, and with all the UNDERSTANDING, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
This is a command from God, not an option, in our relationship with Him. He loves us and He desires our heart and soul felt love in return. But notice, He also includes our Minds in this love relationship. He wants us to UNDERSTAND with our MINDS Whom we are loving and why. Notice also, that He includes desiring our love that has a strength, ability and power to it, not a passive love, but an active love. God tells us love Him with all our MIND. How much do we hold back? How much is dedicated to the things of this world?
Mark 5:15 - “And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right MIND: and they were afraid.” (Mark 5:1-20)
Jesus cast out an unclean spirit from this uncontrollable man and restored him to his right MIND. Christ healed the whole man, including his MIND. (The unclean spirit in the man acknowledged Jesus was the Son of the Most High God. Now, over 2,000 years later, how sad, much of mankind does not.)
Mark 14:72 - “And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to MIND the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, you shall deny Me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept.”
The MIND is used to recall our sin against Almighty God. This recall bring us to contrition and weeping sorrow before the Lord, as it did Peter, then when we confess that sin, (1 John 1:9) it is forgiven. It is a means to bring us to the place where we can have cleansing from sin in the blood of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 1:5)
Luke 12:29 - “And seek not what you shall eat, or what you shall drink, neither be of doubtful MIND.”
God wants us to use our MINDS to trust Him, not to dwell on doubting Him.
Acts 17:11 - “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of MIND, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”
A very important thing here, using the MIND to search the Scriptures and to knowingly and openly receive it into one’s life and daily walk.
Romans 8:5 - “For they that are after the flesh do MIND the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.”
Romans 8:7 - “Because the carnal MIND is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” (Also: Romans 1:28, 7:23, 7:25)
Philippians 3:19 - “Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who MIND earthly things.”
There is a carnal concentrated MIND and a Spirit concentrated MIND. The carnal MIND is in a state of hatred toward God. One must ask, which do I have?
Romans 12:2 - “And be not 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.”
Ephesians 5:17 - “Wherefore be not unwise, but UNDERSTANDING what the will of the Lord is.”
Ephesians 4:23 - “And be renewed in the spirit of your MIND;”
Colossians 3:1 0 - “And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him:”
Titus 3:5 - “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;”
Colossians 3:2 -“Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”
Philippians 4:8 - “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, THINK on these things.”
Non-conformity to this world comes through the regeneration of salvation through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit renewal of the MIND, so that one may carry out the will of God. ‘Be not conformed’, is a command that takes effort and action, it doesn’t come about by passivity. Philippians 4:8 gives a run down on what to think on if one wants to keep in the will of God. One must ask, ‘what am I thinking and dwelling on, how does it line up with God’s Word, am I conformed to the world or to God’s will’?
1 Corinthians 2:16 - “For who hath known the MIND of the Lord, that he may instruct Him? But we have the MIND of Christ.”
Philippians 2:5 -“Let this MIND be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:”
Philippians 2:6 - “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:”
Philippians 2:7 - “But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:”
Philippians 2:8 - “And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”
Acts 20:19 - “Serving the LORD with all humility of MIND, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews:”
Romans 12:16 - “Be of the same MIND one toward another. MIND not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.”
Ephesians 4:17 -“ This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their MIND,”
Philippians 2:3 -“ Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of MIND let each esteem other better than themselves.”
Colossians 3:12 - “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of MIND, meekness, longsuffering;”
Galatians 6:3 - “For if a man THINK himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.”
Galatians 2:20 - “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.”
To have the MIND of Christ is to follow Him in humility. Our Lord was humble as He walked this earth and suffered mocking and the torture of His murderers. How much more should the Christian exemplify humility. There is no room for pride or conceit in the Christian walk. Galatians 2:20 should be the model walk of a Christian. 1 Peter 2:21 - “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps:”, doesn’t leave any room for smugness, intellectual pride, needless arguing or verbal abuse of others.
2 Timothy 1:12 - “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I KNOW Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.”
Paul knew the Person he believed in. He was persuaded of Christ’s ability to hold it all together for him. He made use of his God given sound MIND. (2 Timothy 1:7)
1 Peter 1:13 - “Wherefore gird up the loins of your MIND, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;”
1 Peter 3:8 -“Finally, be all of one MIND, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:”
1 Peter 5:2 - “Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready MIND;”
Here are instructions and a reminder to use the MIND to exercise compassion, love, pity, and courtesy toward the flock of God. Feed the flock, not for money, but willingly. Use the MIND to realize that when Christ returns there will be gracious rewards for obeying His will.
There are many things you can actually KNOW for a certainty from God’s Word. Take a look at some of them on the following Webpage. The word KNOW means to have something clearly and securely in the MIND, memory or UNDERSTANDING. To come to KNOW something, requires using the MIND.
Matthew 22:42 - “Saying, What do you Think of Christ?”
John 14:6 - “Jesus saith unto him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man comes unto the Father, but by Me.”
We end this Webpage with this question. What do you Think of Jesus Christ? Who is He to you?
Matthew 24:44 -“Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye Think not the Son of man comes.”
This is to remind you that Jesus Christ will return to earth to rule and reign as King of Kings. Are you ready?
JESUS CHRIST SHALL RETURN, AS KING!
MY JESUS, I LOVE THEE
Words: William R. Featherston, 1864; Featherston was only 16 years old at the time.
Music: “Gordon,” Adoniram J. Gordon, 1876.
My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine;
For Thee all the follies of sin I resign.
My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art Thou;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.
I love Thee because Thou has first loved me,
And purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree.
I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.
I’ll love Thee in life, I will love Thee in death,
And praise Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath;
And say when the death dew lies cold on my brow,
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.
In mansions of glory and endless delight,
I’ll ever adore Thee in heaven so bright;
I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.
