MINDSET by Pastor Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson
Introduction: I love reset buttons. Computers are wonderful until they get a virus or a wrong update. A reset/restore button puts it back. Video games are fun until you start losing. A reset starts it all over again. Phones are so valuable until they start acting up. A factory reset gets it going again. Lot of household items have a reset button – Modem, Garbage disposal, furnace, some vacuums, washer and dryer. What if your mind had a reset button? It gets jumbled the moment it comes into this world. Then, circumstances, bad decisions, and wrong people tend to jumble it some more. What follows are more bad decisions, confusion, frustration, limited output, and even shutdown. What if you could hit a button and reset it to its factory setting? Start all over and make better decisions and be successful. In this series called MIND RESET we will learn how to do that. It is based on Philippians 2:5-11. Before we can try to reset our minds, we need to understand how our mind is set. That’s the title of our first message today – MINDSET.
Philippians 2 5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, andcoming in the likeness of men. 8And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient tothe point ofdeath, even the death of the cross. 9Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11andthatevery tongue should confess that Jesus ChristisLord, to the glory of God the Father.
Question: What is your mindset. Is it set towards the things of God or is it set towards sin? Has there been a mind change in you? Are you saved?
Context: In this first message in our series, I want us to try to understand what the mind is. It’s hard to fix something or change something when you don’t know what it is or how it works.Listen again to Philippians 2:5“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus…” What is the mind? Keep in mind that I am bringing this to a simple level.
1. Typically, some people have claimed that a human being is 2 parts – Mind and Body.One part is immaterial and the other material. There are many Christians who have thought that way through history. They get it from verses like Matthew 26 40Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? 41Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeediswilling, but the fleshisweak.” Then Paul’s statement in Romans 7:18For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells…” James 2:26“For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”
There are many people who are not Christians who have also held to a similar view, except they believe that there is no such distinction as immaterial and material. What we think is the mind is nothing more than the outworking of the brain. You have thoughts because your brain is working. Your mind told you to do something because there was some stimulus that made you think that and then your brain told your body to do it and you did it. By the way, such people also claim that there is no such thing as a spirit being. There is no God. Life is just all material. It’s a series of actions and reactions. Nothing is really right or wrong, freedom, responsibility. You can imagine how dangerous such a view can be. Here, the abortion issue also comes in.
2. There are other people, mostly Christians, who believe that a human being is 3 parts:mind, body, and spirit or soul, body, and spirit. According to them, the place where God works is the spirit. The Holy Spirit changes our spirit and then in turn it changes our mind and our body. They quote passages like 1 Thessalonians 5:23“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” or Hebrews 4:12“For the word of Godisliving and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow…” That’s actually rhetorical. What do you with what Jesus said in Luke 10:27“You shall love the LORDyour God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind.”That passage was not meant to tell us how to understand the human body but simply an expression that says, “love God with your whole being.”
3. Then there are people, non-Christians and Christians, who claim that a human being is just 1 part.Non-Christians will say that there is nothing special about us that lives on when we die. We die and it’s over. Again, here is where the abortion issue comes in. But, some Christians will tell you that the Old Testament does not see people as body and spirit or body, soul, and spirit. It was all one whole. This is actually true. But, then the question arises, “What happens when a person dies?” Are they just asleep, as the Jehovah’s Witnesses believe? But Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:8“We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.”
If you really think about it, we have a very poor understanding of what the mind is. Does this matter? Yes, if Philippians 2:5says “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus…”and you don’t know what the mind is, then you can’t apply that verse. I am still learning on this subject. The jury is still out but for the next few moments I want to show you from the Word of God what the mind really means. I believe in what’s known as functional holism and holistic dualism. Let’s just focus on what Paul wrote:
1. Paul makes a distinction between mind and body. In 2 Corinthians 12:7he says, “And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the fleshwas given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me…” InI Corinthians 4:11 he says,“For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.” But then in 1 Corinthians 2:11“For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the manwhich is in him?” Romans 6:17But God be thanked thatthoughyou were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heartthat form of doctrine to which you were delivered. We are more than just animals. We are more than just or neurophysiological or physiochemical beings. Also, we are more than just spirit beings trapped in this horrible shell.
2. Paul emphasizes the unity of the person. Romans 12 1I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodiesa living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which isyour reasonable service. 2And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…”
3. Paul sees the whole person in bondage to sin. Colossians 1:21 “And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mindby wicked works, yet now He has reconciled.”Galatians 5 19Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,21envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told youin time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
4. Paul sees the whole person in need of redemption, immediate and ultimate.
Mind – Romans 12:2And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,that you may prove whatisthat good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Mind –2 Corinthians 10:5casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivityto the obedience of Christ,
Body – 1 Corinthians 9:27But I discipline my bodyand bring itinto subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.
Body – I Corinthians 15:22For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.
2 Corinthians 7:1Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit,perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Froneo – Philippians 2:5“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus…” Better Translation:“Let yourself so think among you.”
Who controls your mind? Who controls your actions?
Are you in the Word? Are you walking in the Spirit? Are you filled with Christ?
Are you saved?