Thinking
The Sermon on the Mount, as recorded in Matthew’s Gospel, is probably my favorite section of Scripture. It captures my attention and challenges my thinking each time I read it. Jesus’ words teach me what life in His kingdom looks like. They teach me how to think about life as He thinks about life. That teaching almost always challenges me to change my mind if I want to think as He does.
Repentance—at least one definition of it—is a “change of mind.” While it is more than that, whatever else repentance asks of us begins with us changing our minds about some thought or behavior.
Jesus asks His listeners to change their minds six times in Matthew 5. He says, “You have heard it said, but I say to you . . .” He tells us that we must change how we think about issues like anger and lust and divorce and our enemies. To live in His kingdom is to change our minds about most of life.
Our journey with Jesus calls us to think about how we think. Do we agree with Jesus in our thinking? Or, have we allowed our culture to mold our thought life in ways that don’t agree with Jesus? Living the Christian life is, in part, a work of the mind. It may require that we change our minds, bringing them into conformity with the thinking of Jesus.
I wonder what that looks like in reality. The Apostle Paul gives us one clue in Philippians 2 when he says, “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the from of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.” (Philippians 2:5-7 ESV)
Paul calls us to share the mind of Jesus in ways that make us servants, humble and available. Living, as we do, in a world of entitlement, thinking as a servant may require a “change of mind. That’s repentance.
Now consider another piece of Paul’s teaching in Philippians. “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Philippians 4:8 ESV)
Paul gives us another clue about thinking like Jesus. It has to do with focus. Maybe we think too much of ourselves. Maybe we think too much of our world. Doing the good work of reflection may show us that we think about the wrong things, things that don’t help us become like Jesus. We discover the need for a “change of mind.” That’s repentance.
May God’s Spirit be our director today, showing us where we need a “change of mind.” John Strain is Senior Pastor of First Baptist Toms River and contributes regularly to Freedom Fighter
Compass Pointers: “In our presentation of the Gospel we often focus on what Jesus can do for us. Now don’t get me wrong. Jesus does a lot for us. He forgives us, reconciles us with God, gives us meaning and eternal life. But the most important thing about Jesus is He gives us Himself. We have so emphasized the rewards of following Christ that we have forgotten that following Him, being with Him, knowing Him, and calling Him ‘Friend’ and ‘Elder Brother’ are far more wonderful and important than anything else.” Steve Brown
Anchored to the Rock: Kneel before you leap. George H. Allen
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