Use your Mind
by Richard Hemery
Sometimes it seems to me that the mind – I’m talking about the reasoning part of our soul which responds directly to our senses, to what we see and hear, is an undervalued part of our beings. Sometimes it is viewed with suspicion, or seen only as an enemy of our spirits, an enemy of faith. The subtle lie is introduced that intellect and faith are incompatible, and especially it seems in today’s culture, that science and God are incompatible. We are repeatedly told that our mind is a battleground, and that every sin starts in the mind.
Of course there is the unregenerate, sinful mind of which these things are true. But there is also a renewed mind, and a reason that leads to faith and does not oppose it. God gave you a mind. He gave you a hand, and you use it without thinking. You use your feet without hesitation. So why not your mind?
If sin begins in the mind, how much more powerfully will righteousness begin there if we allow God to renew our minds?
Christ had a mind, an intellect, and I am sure He used it in a godly way that glorified His father. Indeed, we too can have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2.16).
Moreover there were plenty of people in the Bible who put their minds to good use.
The centurion had heard about Jesus (Matthew 8:6-10). As he considered what Jesus was like he reasoned that Jesus didn’t need to visit his house to heal his servant – Jesus only had to give a command. Jesus was amazed at his faith – and it started in his mind. Abraham too thought it all through. Hebrews 11:19 tells us that before he went to sacrifice Isaac at God’s command, he reasoned that God could raise him from the dead. So there is a godly reason that leads to faith, which prompts and strengthens it. Paul had it – consider the godly logic of Romans chapters 1 – 8, where every new thought is built upon the ‘therefore’ of a previous set of statements. Faith and intellect can mutually encourage one another. So don’t leave your mind at the door of the Church – use it to build your faith!
Prayer: Lord please help me to use my God-given intellect in a right way. May my reason produce and encourage faith, as I consider Your ways.
Richard Hemery was born in Surrey, United Kingdom and studied archaeology and ancient history at University. He has been a Christian for 20 years and has been part of the Ellel Ministries team at Pierrepont since 2001 working as the bookshop manager.
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