The Discipline Of A Sound Mind

by Johnston, Brian, D. | Category: General | Oct 1996

G.K. Chesterton is attributed with saying: 'The point of having an open mind, like having an open mouth, is to close it on something solid'. Many Christians today are open-mouthed and open-minded about an acclaimed landing of the Holy Spirit at a certain airport church fellowship. One of the most disturbing features lies in the counsel given to observers: 'Don't analyze, don't ask questions. simply receive'. This is poles apart from the biblically endorsed attitude of those from Berea who examined their Bibles to check out if what Paul was saying was true.

Like the earlier charismatic and Pentecostal movements, this 'third wave' with its emphasis on signs and wonders is decidedly anti-intellectual.

It is claimed that by retaining rational control over our minds and actions we are inhibiting the work of the Holy Spirit: rational control must therefore be forfeited for tongues-speaking to occur and for ecstatic sensations in worship to be experienced. In some healing techniques, sufferer and healer alike must surrender their rational faculties to obtain a blessing, supposedly from God. Repetitive music and body-swaying are encouraged as means to sweep away one's defences and to become uncritically 'open' to even the weirdest phenomena, which, although of dubious origin, are being made by some the test of 'spirituality' today.

Many have rendered themselves highly gullible through laying aside the objective standard of God's Word and the facility of discernment which is brought into play by maintaining a disciplined mind. God has made His desire clear by giving us 'not ... a spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of sound mind' NKJV (discipline RV 2 Tim. 1:7). Let us take a closer look at this gift of a disciplined mind.

After the redemption of the soul, the New Testament's focus shifts to the renewing of the believer's mind. The term 'renewing/renewal' occurs in five places in the context of regeneration (Titus 3:5), transformation (Rom. 12:1,2), sanctification (Col. 3:10; Eph. 4:23) and preservation (2 Cor. 4:16). Much of what is spoken about today under the label of 'spiritual renewal' is far removed from these biblical contexts. The term has been 'hi-jacked'. Scripturally, that which is to be renewed is our mind (Greek: nous), the seat of reflective consciousness, comprising the faculties of perception and understanding, feeling, judging and determining. Since the Greek root word that we are going to look at is the very word that is used in Luke 8:35 in the story of Legion, we might tellingly put it that the believer who is 'in his right mind' is the one who operates from the mind of the Spirit, rather than the mind of the flesh (i.e. the carnal or worldly mind). As already hinted at, a chief characteristic of this spiritually renewed mind is soundness or soberness.

Soundness through suffering (1 Pet. 4:7 AV: sober 4:12-19):

Peter, writing to believers suffering severe persecution for the sake of the Name, brings the suffering Servant into focus in a delightfully Christcentred way. Some today think that suffering is something to be avoided; with lack of faith often blamed on the part of the sufferer. How wide of the mark such a notion is - nothing could be further from the biblical truth. Peter's message here by the Spirit is that we are to allow ourselves to be changed by suffering; with the effect of our ceasing from sin and living more in the will of God. Suffering, as Peter remarkably presents it, is seen as a positive opportunity for acquiring the mind of Christ, resulting in a God honouring lifestyle, perhaps radically different from before. In stark relief against hedonism run wild, a Christian's right mind is seen to be a serious determination to do God's will, to go His way and to please Him - a determination that may often be sharpened by the experience of suffering.

Soundness through subjection (Titus 2:6 AV: sober minded):

Paul says in Titus 3:3 that prior to our conversion, we were also found serving our own lusts and pleasures. How accurately this portrays the unrenewed (see 3:5) 'mind of the flesh' which is so hostile to 'the mind of the Spirit'. Some in the churches of God in Crete, reflecting their own notorious island culture, were still letting some of these traits of the old life show through: traits like insubjection, unruly quarrelsome behaviour, speaking evil of folks, even deception and corruption caused by greed. And these were believers, but not in their right mind! The sound or sober mind is recognizable throughout this letter as subject, moderate, controlled, loyal, true, kind and honest: overall a submissive attitude.

Soundness through spiritual renewal (2 Cor. 5:13 AV: sober):

Paul acknowledges that some might mistake his zeal for madness, but it is equally clear that he regarded himself to be soberminded, not wishing to boast. Apart from this self-effacing attitude, what other characteristics of his sobermindedness shine through this section of his second letter to

Corinth? Well, in the slightly earlier setting of 'renewal' (4:16), he has just been balancing the endurance of present afflictions over against the perspective of eternal glory. Only a renewed mind can do that. Paul also encourages everyone to be ambitious to please the Lord in light of His return and the transformation of our bodies. In all, the picture presented is one of spiritually renewed perspectives, priorities and ambitions.

Soundness through straight-thinking (Romans 12:3 AV: think soberly):

Side by side, at the beginning of Romans twelve, we find a renewed mind and a humble mind. A mind conformed to the world, a worldly or carnal mind, is not the believer's right mind. Spiritual renewal has to do with transforming such a mind. It is a work of the Spirit of God in us that produces 'the mind of the Spirit' in us. Again, the idea of soberness is prominent, revealed in thinking of ourselves no more highly than is appropriate.

This is an intensely practical subject since wrong behaviour stems from wrong thinking: our mind dictates to our members. It is a devotional one too, because it is the mind of Christ that we are considering: a mind that delights to meditate in the law of God (Rom. 7:22). This sound mind is closed upon the solidarity of the sound teaching (e.g. 2 Tim 4:3). God's way is through the mind to the heart. Your mind does matter!

Johnston, Brian, D. | Oct 1996
General