What Was I Thinkin’?
The human mind is like the bridge on a ship or the air traffic control tower at an airport. It knows certain things, and it sees certain things. Decisions are made in the mind, and actions are taken as a result. Actions reveal the mind, and consequences come from both thoughts and deeds.
The mind of God is the source of all decisions from God, who always does all His holy will (Eph 1:11). Because God is the Creator, the maker of all things, who sustains all things and works all things, we know of Him by the world (universe) around us.
One may ask, “Why evil, then? God is not evil, right?” Yes, God is not evil, but in His infinite wisdom, God has made provision for evil, so that we might see and know Him, as something other than evil. In other words: evil nature, thoughts, words, and actions serve as a foil for God.
The world is an evil place, the domain of darkness (Col 1:13) and dominion of Satan (Acts 26:18). The advent of Jesus Christ makes that perfectly clear (Jn 1:5). The sinless God-man, come into the world, provoked the wrath of the world because of the hatred for God, in the wicked hearts of men (Jer 17:9; Rom 1:30). The distinction is stark. Jesus was the Light of the world (Jn 8:12), but men loved darkness because their deeds were evil (Jn 3:19).
Why are the deeds of men, judged by God to be evil? The reason is that their dark heart affections and futile minds direct their steps (Eph 4:17). Why is the heart and mind of a natural man so evil? It is because his nature is evil (Eph 2:3). Why is the nature of man so evil? It is the result of sin.
Man is a slave to sin (Rom 6:6, 16–20). The progeny of Adam are all born into this enslavement to sin (Rom 5:12–21). Sin is lawlessness (1 Jn 3:4). It is the force behind all rebellion against God, beginning with the devil and his angels.
Satan tempted Adam and Eve to join his rebellion against God, their Maker (Gen 3). The devil is God’s devil, however. He was given free will by God, as were Adam and Eve. Here is the hell of autonomous free will, as we learn what men and angels did with free will when they had it. They became devils, by God’s design.
In this, God is the author of evil (primary cause) without being the responsible agent for it (secondary cause). The free will of angels and men exposes the nature of spirits and flesh, independent from God. Here again is the marvelous foil for the Christian’s salvation. Left to himself, man is a disaster, “But God…”
Union with Christ (1 Jn 4:13), who is in union with God the Father and God the Spirit (Jn 17), is our salvation, as Christians. The perfect union of our Triune God has an important inclusion. Jesus taught with understandable imagery. You must be born again (Jn 3:1–8). You must be one of His sheep (Jn 10). You must be grafted into Him (Jn 15), like a tree branch into the true, life-giving Vine (Jesus).
The singular port of entry into union with God is Jesus Christ (Jn 14:6). The dead branch (natural man) is picked up off the ground, by God the Father (Jn 6:44; 15:1). He is put into Christ (Col 1:13), where the Spirit begins the flow of the life of God, into the creature, given new life by the will and grace of God (Jn 1:12–13; Eph 2:8–9). God chose us (Eph 1:4–5), we did not choose Him (Jn 15:16). God loved us, first, and love for Him was made alive, in the Spirit, so that it recurred to Him (1 Jn 4:19).
The sin nature reigns in the flesh of those outside of union with Christ (Rom 5:14, 21). This is from conception (Ps 51:5). We are conceived in sin, then, shapen in iniquity. Sin dictates what we think about, by setting our focus on the sinful flesh (Rom 8:5–7). We are self-obsessed, in the devil’s temptation of us, to consider ourselves to be gods, just as he did with Adam and Eve (Gen 3:5).
James explains the sequence, “But each one is tempted, when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then, when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. Do not be deceived my beloved, brethren (Jas 1:14–16).”
What are you thinking about today? This will tell you much about who you belong to: the devil or Jesus Christ (Jn 8:44; 10:26–30; 1 Cor 3:23; 1 Jn 3:10). Each of these masters sets before you the object that will influence your thoughts and affections. You will follow these to their determined end. The mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace (Rom 8:5–6).
Your heart and mind, like that traffic control tower, will guide your actions, resulting in a plane crash or safe passage to your final destination. The mind of Christ is the mind of God (1 Cor 2:16), and it is the Spirit of Christ who searches the deep things of God (1 Cor 2:10). He graciously reveals these things, in His inspiration of the Scriptures (2 Tim 3:16; 1 Pet 2:20–21).
It is the Holy Bible, taught to us by the Spirit of truth (Jn 14:26; 16:13), which gives us the object of our affections, which will dominate our decisions, leading to actions that are pleasing to the One who is at work in us, willing and doing His good pleasure (Phil 2:13). Keep your eyes on Jesus (Heb 12:2), and your mind will be on the things of heaven (Col 3:2).
God’s good pleasure is for His chosen people to enjoy union with Him, as He directs our steps into service, leading to others knowing and seeing God in Christ (2 Tim 2:10), the Savior of His elect, redeemed, regenerate people, destined for sanctification unto glory (Rom 9:23; 1 Pet 1:2). What was I thinkin’? That which you have just read is what I am thinking. What do you think?
David Norczyk
Spokane Valley, Washington
October 11, 2022
