Impediments of the Christian mind

Pentecost needs to come to terms with the incredible gift of thinking. We have the feeling part down pat; we all could probably critically think a bit more though. I know I could. God is not against thinking, He just has a few caveats about right thinking. I think… we fail to appreciate the power the ability to think gives us over the things around us. Mirabeau B. Lamar said, “A cultivated mind, while guided and controlled by virtue, is the noblest attribute of man.” I think… only the cultivation of my spiritual man, under the tutelage of the Holy Ghost, is more significant or consequential to my future than my ability to think

Here is the rub, our ability to think is sometimes impeded and these impediments marginalize the potential of a spiritual, thoughtful mind. There are many impediments to the Christian mind and it is important that we acknowledge that they exist. We need to see a few of them so we can identify them for ourselves and reduce their affect on our thoughts. It is very unfortunate to lose out on the power of insightful conclusions, reliable philosophies, and well-constructed plans because of some kind of mental block.

Here are a few of these impediments that come quickly to mind;

·Myopia – the inability to see things from another perspective, generally caused by rigidly held unfounded dogma
·Ego – the unfortunate human liability that causes us to think we are the smartest person in the conversation sometimes
·Unresolved past - anything from yesterday that still has a negative influence over me for want of closure via resolution or resignation
·Emotionalism – the moments of peaked emotions that results in some state of irrationality
·Poor points of reference – the trouble with living in a small pond in a big world

In Romans chapter 12, Paul acknowledged a spiritual mind. I do not think… he meant that one abdicates the responsibility or privilege of thinking to be spiritual. I think… he meant it is possible to achieve greater clarity and creativity of thought through the power of the Holy Ghost. What problems could I solve if I was a more creative thinker? What answer are yet to be discovered by apostolic people who embrace the potential of reason and logic? What wonders await the people of God that learn to eliminate the impediments of the Christian mind? Selah!!!

Then what?

I realize the Lord is coming back. I realize He is coming back soon. I hope sooner than later. Matter of fact, today would be great! But, what if he does not come back today? What if He does not come back this year? What if He does not come back in the next 50 years? Then what?

I think we need to ask ourselves if our plan for the future is to keep doing what we are doing and getting what we are getting? That plan might work for those with more days lived then left to live, but I do not think that plan is going to work for the generation now coming to prominence or the ones after them.

Now, maybe it is unthinkable that the Lord would tarry that long. One may even reference the proliferation of the signs of His return. But, if you asked those in their 80's, they saw the signs in their days. If you ask those in their 60's, they saw the signs in their days. I think we have been seeing these signs a long time now.

I do not wish to be antagonistic, but I am trying to focus our collective thoughts on what do we do now. Is it possible that our emphasis on the soon return of the Lord has left us out of balance? I do not think anyone expected us to be here this long. Subsequently, I do not think we have given integrating Christ into a 70 year life plan – career path plan, estate building plan, or church building plan – enough serious consideration.

If the Lord does tarry, I want to be prepared to pass along something to my "children's children" (Proverbs 13:33). I want Him to find me productively active (Luke 19:13).

Now what?

Most of us are very familiar with what we were before Christ came into our life. And, most of us are not very happy with what we were. The problem for us started when Adam and Eve sacrificed what they were to get what they should not have had. Our problem began with a man and a woman, who were in the likeness of God, sacrificing that status on the altar of self-indulgence and self-determination.

What was left was a substituted condition. Adam and Eve may have been created in God’s image but everyone after them was found in Adam’s “own likeness” (Genesis 5:1-3). That meant that all of us “were dead through the trespasses and sins in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient…” (Ephesians 2:1-3, NRSV).

This substituted condition is the reason people do what they do. The life people live, the mistakes people make, the consequences people suffer stem from this fallen condition. The problem is not behavior per se, the problem is condition. We cannot change people’s condition by changing their behavior. Behavior can only be changed as a person’s condition is changed.

Simply believing in God is not the mechanism that moves us back into the preferred status though. Being born again through the power of God is. The issue is born of God v. born of the flesh. We are saved from this fallen nature “not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit…” (Titus 3:4-7, NRSV).

But, now that we find ourselves with a blank slate and a fresh start, what now? Now that yesterday is taken care of, what do we intend to do with tomorrow? What should we do with our new lease on life? What should we be 1 year, 5 years, or 10 years from now? What should we have accomplished? Whose life should we have contributed to in immeasurable ways? What will we have started and seen through to completion?

Can I suggest it is not enough to know God, we must do exploits through God (Daniel 11:32). Can I suggest that maintaining the status quo is not a good definition of success? Now that our past is under the blood and we are new creatures in Christ, help us Lord do something substantial and consequential with tomorrow.

Manners matter...

Since everyone needs meaningful relationships, we might as well do our best to be good at them. Good relationships are based on two simple principles; maturity and ethics. Maturity is simply the condition of being fully grown, especially mentally and emotionally. It is synonymous with wise, experienced, responsible, reliable, and sensible. Spencer Herbert said “mature is the man of a well proportioned and harmonious nature.” Edmund Wilson was a little less profound when he said, “Grow up, that is a terribly hard thing to do. It is much easier to skip it and go from one childhood to another.”

Ethics refers to a system of manners or etiquette that governs how one should act in life’s various settings. Sometimes we forget various settings require various manner sets. Minding our manners is a conscious effort. It is very easy to lose our bearing and commit a faux pas. Let me publicly apologize for mine now. I am sure there have been many. Additionally, manners cannot be arbitrary. Manners should be well-defined and universal to every extent possible

Let me suggest six basic principles from which one might construct a reliable ethical system. First and foremost, my manners must take into account how I am going to treat people. Galatians 6:10 says; “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.” Paul told Titus to remind the church to “speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show every courtesy to everyone” (Titus 3:1-2, NRSV). The second principle is guard the contents of my heart towards people. Esau got in trouble because “he said in his heart… I will kill my brother” (Genesis 27:41). “Though hatred is covered with guile... it will be exposed in the assembly” (Proverbs 26:26).

The third principle is I must understand what the key concepts of relationship really mean. For instance; what is respect, what is honesty, what is friendship? Definitions of these vary by culture, location, and community. It is important to have thought these concepts out and to understand them completely so one can live them accurately. The forth principle is to determine how I am going to handle difficult people or situations. The key is to “never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone” (Romans 12:17-18, NRSV).

The fifth principle should govern our public demeanor. This is the impression you leave on the server at Applebee’s or what the cashier thinks of you as you walk away. Man that is a scary thought! Paul told the Philippians that they should “do all things without murmurings and disputing: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world" (Philippians 2:14-15). To the Colossians, Paul wrote that they should “lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:10).

Finally, our manners should govern our speech. Lord help me! It is important that our “conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone” (Colossians 4:6, NLT). We should never use “foul or abusive language," [but] “let everything [we] say be good and helpful, so that [our] words will be an encouragement to those who hear [us]” (Ephesians 4:29, NRSV). We should always bear in mind that our speech is probably the most accurate reflection of our thoughts. How wise the admonition; “For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile” (1 Peter 3:10).

When asked what he intended to do about his enemies, Abraham Lincoln said he intended to destroy them. He said he would do so by making them his friends. I hope one day, to one degree of intimacy or another, the world is my friend. If I am to reach that goal, it will be due to the fact that I maturely managed each relationship with a carefully constructed ethical system. Help me Lord!!!

Meaningful relationship rules...

Everyone wants autonomy, individualism, and self actualization while at the same time needs interpersonal connectedness, close friendship, intimate dialogue, and social acceptance. We want to be ourselves and do what we want, but at the same time we need people to accept us and interact with us. This puts us into a very precarious position because; 1) no one has to accept us and 2) I cannot impose myself into anyone’s life for very long with negative fall-out. At some point in time, I must develop the ability to get along with people and become a welcomed member of a community.

The key to social interaction is reasonable boundaries and reliable guidelines. The dichotomous demand between individuality and social acceptance sets the stage for unending friction, frustration, and futility if reasonable and responsible terms are not set up to ensure that individuals can positively interact. If one wants to have long-term, meaningful relationships with people, one must develop a set of reasonable boundaries and reliable guidelines that governs his/her interactions. Otherwise, no one has any chance of developing real relationships.

As Christians, we have an advantage because we do not need to look to society, personal experiences, or other contemporary sources of ethical guidelines. We can look to the Bible which is always talking to us about either our relationship with God or our relationship with others. The question then becomes, do I know what the Bible says about my relationship with others and am I doing my best to live those Biblical standards with integrity. Help me God!!!

No faking...

Can I suggest that at the heart of the Christian ethos is genuineness and sincerity in the heart of mankind? The writer to the Hebrews asked the church to “pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly” (Hebrews 13:18). The Apostle Paul’s point in life was to “have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men” (Acts 24:16). This intention was reflected in Paul’s writing to Timothy when he said that “the purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith” (1 Timothy 1:5 NLT). At the end of the day, the point is to have lived Christ as genuinely and sincerely as possible.

This is especially important within our private lives. I am afraid it is very possible to hide a very poor Christianity behind a good public persona. Our private lives involve our thoughts, motives, and attitudes. This private life is the by-product of what one does with oneself and for oneself when no one is paying attention. Being a real Christian comes down to my inside stuff really being Christ-like. No one has to get it right all the time. God factored in failed attempts and plenty of them. But, I am missing the point if there is not genuineness to this whole experience.

I have failed the Lord and those around me many times. I hate failure. I am very sorry my failure has come at other people’s expense. With that in mind, I have determined to renew my daily commitment to genuineness and sincerity. I really want to be a real Christian. I want “the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart to be acceptable” (Psalms 19:14). I want “to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, and to be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:19). I pray that my inside stuff will be “renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him,” enabling me to “put on, as the elect of God, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;" (Colossians 3:10-12).

Mindset

Everyone has a unique mindset - an outlook, way of thinking, or approach to life. This mindset is the lenses through which a person interprets the world around him or her. It is also the chief reference point a person uses to navigate life. The Apostle Paul said we have the “mind of Christ,” but probably most of us would have to admit that our mindset falls somewhere south of that unspoiled condition (1 Corinthians 2:16). I know I certainly must.

Now, if your mother was a woman, you were born in the image of Adam and subsequently with a flawed constitution (Genesis 5:3, Job 25:4 & Romans 5:12). To compound that problem, you and I were raised in a world permeated, contorted, and diseased by sin. These two factors conspired against us and adversely affected the quality and functionality of our mindset.

Unfortunately, coming into the church and receiving the Holy Ghost does not automatically fix my mindset. Sometimes, it can even make things worse. It is very possible to exchange a mindset bound by sin for a mindset bound by legalism. It is very possible to have a mindset so loyal to the past that one cannot embrace progress. It is possible to have the Holy Ghost and still have a mindset domineered by pessimism, immaturity, pride or another disabling condition. Having the Holy Ghost and being spiritually minded are not synonymous terms.

The problems arising from a poor mindset should be self evident. No one needs to wonder why people do what they do. The answer comes back to mindset. This is the basic issue behind the Apostle Paul’s writing in Romans chapter 12. Knowing God should eventually do something with how we think and how we see the world. Understanding God should equate, at some point in our life, to understanding the world better and making wiser choices.

I think it is in my best interest that I learn first and foremost how to pray that "the mind that was in Christ" can eventually push through my current mindset (Philippians 2:5). I think I will continue this process until I can see the world through the Cross and filter life through the Grace of God.