What Does the Bible Say About The Mind

This is a huge topic that can easily be a book

in fact there is many books out here

With so much mental illness and our cultures interest in the Mind

- the world addresses the issues of the mind through psychology, therapy, and medications:

which mostly means the issues of the mind is solved by either blaming the past, medications, talking, dieting.

Now I am in no way bashing any of it. as long as it is Biblical it defiineltly has its place

some times the mind is sick and medication is needs from a psychologist

therapy is just a healthy biblical practice

but the therapy should be biblical.

sometimes Christians bash therapy

but therapy isnt bad instead it is the therapist is bad.

I always recommend starting with Biblical Counsel and seek therapy in that way.

Sometimes it can be a pastor or even sometimes its another solid believer.

But Biblical counsel is going to have you practice to do what the Bible says

Thats what I want to share with you today

Essentially this is a theological Biblical counselling session

done in a short period of time

if you need more counsel please reach out!

the first thing I want you to know is

with most things people complicate what God makes simple

especially with issues of the mind mankind complicates

whether that is marriage, dating, families, success, biology, sanctification, theology, you name it

almost always humanity complicates what God has made simple

So here is my attempt to make it simple

pray

There is 3 main points today

1. There is 2 Minds

The Natural Mind & the Renewed Mind

The Natural Mind:

Romans 1:28–32 NKJV

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

i dont think i need to talk much about the natural mind:

we should be pretty familiar with it now

it is corrupted

it likes to do everything God hates.

its pretty into self, sin, and Satan treats it like a playground

lust, greed, entertainment and comparison, are some of his favorite toys in that playground

2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

and that includes the mind:

Ephesians 4:23 NKJV

23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,

Romans 12:2 NKJV

2 And do not be 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.

this is the second mind:

now note from this verse and from this teaching that

2. The Renewed Mind

1 Corinthians 2:16 “16 For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him (yādaʿ)?” But we have the mind of Christ.”

Our New mind is the Mind of Jesus

well to be a christian means to follow Jesus

so lets look at what Jesus mind was like:

3. The Mind of Jesus

With our mind:

ideas are formed hope is made we create we have thoughts we make decisions

What if your mind is like Jesus?

what ideas will you have? what hope will you have? what will you create? what thoughts will you have? what decisions will you make?

well i went through the Bible to seek this out

so you better high 5 me for this info cause your not finding this

cause i wanted to cheat and find it and couldnt

there is 10 things that i found that Jesus thinks of:

1. The will of God

(Jesus mentions will of God approx. 50 times)

(Matthew 6:10; Mark 3:35; John 5:30)

John 5:30 NKJV

30 I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.

2. Leading

(John 13:15; Matthew 11:29; 1 Peter 2:21;1 John 2:6)

John 13:15 NKJV

15 For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.

3. The intentions of peoples hearts

(John 1:14; Hebrews 4:12; Matthew 9:4)

Matt 9:4 “But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts?”

4. The interest of others

(Philippians 2:4-5)

Philippians 2:4–5 NKJV

4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,

Jesus teaches about giving over 20 times ( i stopped counting cause i was just done with counting)

so Jesus teaches a lot about giving

and clearly thinks a lot about giving

5. The things of God

Mark 8:33 NKJV

33 But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

6. Kingdom of God

(Jesus talks about the kingdom of God approx. 38 times (obviously it was on His mind).)

(Acts 1:3; John 3:3; Luke 21:31; Mark 1:15; Matthew 6:33)

Acts 1:3 NLT

3 During the forty days after he suffered and died, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God.

7. Saving People

(Hebrews 4:15; Matthew 21:12–16; Matthew 20:28; Luke 19:10; John 18:37; John 12:46)

Luke 19:10 NKJV

10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

8. Wisdom

Col 2:2-3; Matt 13:54

Matthew 13:54 NKJV

54 When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, “Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works?

Colossians 2:2–3 “both of the Father and of Christ, 3 … are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”

9. Compassion

The compassion of Jesus is mentioned 15 times

clearly showing us the type of thoughts He was having towards others.

(Mark 8:2; Matthew 20:34; Luke 7:13

Luke 7:13 NKJV

13 When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.”

I love this because it shows that when we are in pain Jesus has compassion and He cares

So much about what our thoughts should be like here.

Now i am an idiot but I would be a total idiot to miss one of the main thoughts Jesus often had.

10. Love

Jesus taught the most about this

I couldnt count the whole New testament so just in the gospels

Jesus mentions love, teaches about love, and loves 86 times

most of them can all be summarized in these 3 verses:

Matthew 19:19 NKJV

19 ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”

Matthew 5:44 NKJV

44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,

Matthew 22:37 NKJV

37 Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’

so lets go back to the renewed mind

2. The Renewed Mind

1. it thinks like Jesus (thinks about love, compassion, wisdom, saving people, kingdom of God, things of God, interests of others, intentions, leading, and the will of God

2. lets book at that last verse:

it loves God with all its mind

R.C Sproul Said

“To love God with our minds is to hold Him in high esteem, to think about Him with reverence and with adoration. The more we love God with our minds, the more we’ll be driven to do that other thing that is alien to us in our fallen condition, namely, to worship Him. To pursue God with our minds simply for intellectual enjoyment and without the ultimate purpose of loving and worshiping Him is to miss what it means to love Him with our minds. True knowledge of God always bears fruit in greater love for God and a greater desire to praise Him. The more we know Him, the more glorious He will appear to us. And the more glorious He appears to us, the more inclined we will be to praise Him, to honor Him, to worship Him, and to obey Him.” - R.C Sproul

Philippians 2:5 NKJV

5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,

2 Corinthians 10:5 NKJV

5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

After Jesus’s ministry in Hebrews 4:15 it says Jesus was without sin.

teaching us when we look at the ten commandments:

10 things Jesus did not think of

1. Jesus’s thoughts never worshipped another God

2. Jesus’s thoughts never created another God

3. Jesus’s thoughts never took His name in vain

4. Jesus’s thoughts never shamed the Sabbath day

5. Jesus’s thoughts never dishonored His father of mother

6. Jesus’s thoughts never wanted to kill

7. Jesus’s thoughts never lusted over another person

8. Jesus’s thoughts never desired to take from someone else

9. Jesus’s thoughts never thought about lying about someone else

10. Jesus’s thoughts never desired someone else possessions.

idk about you but this just shows me how jacked up my mind is.

my mind needs help.

Have you read in the Bible about Put off / Put on?

Ephesians 4:21–24 NKJV

21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

I hope today has shown you to think different:

to have your mind renewed

to think like Jesus

to take thoughts captive

to love God with all your mind