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(Go To Meeting)
Norbert Bohnert—November 7, 2020
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From a human perspective, God looking down on the world today and seeing what's going on, although He did know what was basically going on, but He would be shaking His head very negatively on what mankind has done to such a beautiful creation that He has put on this earth. Have you ever thought:
- How do we think like God?
- Is it even achievable for us to accomplish?
There are a lot of people on this earth today. If you look around at society as it now exists, who would really want to think as God thinks? The thought would never enter the minds about what God thinks!
- How would you even know what God was thinking?
- Where would you begin to look in knowing how God thinks?
- Where would start to figure out what God actually has on His mind?
- Where would your motivation come from to even start to wonder if our thinking was like God's thinking?
Those are all questions that we have to ask ourselves!
- What does God have on His mind?
- What is He thinking?
- How much are our thoughts like God's thoughts?
I'm particularly concentrating today on us, the Church of God! For us they may seem like fundamental questions, but:
- Do we really understand the total concept of thinking like God?
Let's review a few things to get a better understanding of what it means to think like God, and actually be able to do it as we know that the goal for us is to fully develop the mind of Christ. That is the purpose of our calling and that's what we all are striving for.
When you are speaking with people of similar minds with us and make a strange comment that we don't totally grasp, we say to each other: Where did that come from? You could be speaking with someone and all of a sudden, 'out of the blue,' something comes out and in the back of your mind you say to yourself:
- Where did that expression come from?
- Where did that comment come from?
- Where is God coming from?
- What is on His mind?
- What is He thinking?
- What is He up to?
- Do we even get so bold as human carnal-natured people to think that maybe God could use a little help from us personally, each one of us?
- That we could even 'set God straight' on a few things?
- Has that ever entered our mind?
Probably not intentionally, but the attitude really could come out at times that you would be questioning that.
We know that Job tried that. Have we ever tried that in our personal lives in an indirect way, not really knowing that we did it? Paul touches on the subject of reasoning:
1-Corinthians 2:16: "For who has known the mind of the Lord? Who shall instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ."
We have to be careful that we don't get into that type of attitude and that we carry that on in our thinking.
Romans 11:33: "O the depth of the riches of both the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unfathomable are His judgments and unsearchable are His ways! For who did know the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor?" (vs 33-34).
Paul talks about the mind of God and of Christ. Thinking like God is something that we all must seek, desire and be aspired to. There is nothing more that we would like than to think that we are on the same page as God is. Not on our own self-righteous page that sometimes shows up.
- How does one begin to think like God?
- Does thinking like God naturally come to us?
I think the answer is quite obvious! Paul says that thinking like God does not come naturally to us. Of course, with our built in human nature, it is basically nearly impossible to even get close to. Paul recognized that in himself:
Romans 7:23: "But I see another law within my own members, warring against the law of my mind, and leading me captive to the law of sin that is within my own members."
Sometimes we would like to think, 'Just you and I, Lord.' But that is not the kind of relationship that we are to have with our God. We are given the principle that we serve God whom we cannot see by serving our fellow man that we can see, that we interact with. Morse specifically, our fellow brethren!
Matthew 25:40: "And answering, the King shall say to them, 'Truly I say to you, inasmuch as you have done it to one of the least of these My brethren, you have done it to Me.'"
That principle in itself is what we should base everything that we do, and that is part of the developing the mind of Christ.
1-John 4:20: "If anyone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar. For if he does not love his brother whom he has seen, how is he able to love God Whom he has not seen?"
If you cannot love a person that you have around you all the time, how can you correctly love God Whom you really can't see, physically, of course.
Proverbs 27:17: "As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend"—his character!
That's the way we have been instructed, and that's the way it should be. God designed man to be interactive with others. Allowing a two way flow of information between each other—specifically in a spiritual way—is very important in our Christian lives and in our Christian growth.
After all, we are to be our brother's keeper. If we are not, how much different than we or Cain who killed his brother.
Genesis 4:9: "And the LORD said unto Cain, 'Where is your brother Abel?' And he said, 'I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?'"
We have to be careful that we don't fall into that trap! When we stand before Jesus Christ to give an answer for ourselves, one of the questions He will ask us is: Who did you bring with you?
Romans 14:10: "Now then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you despise your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ, because it is written, '"For as I live," says the Lord, "every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God."' So then, each one of us shall give account of himself to God" (vs 10-12).
Steering someone else into the Kingdom of God may very well be our ticket in, as well. Yes, we must do our part, but steering someone else into the Kingdom of God may very well be the ticket to get us in, as well.
Paul desired directly to teach the Corinthians to think as God thinks. He sought to raise their thinking above the mere basics. We are to do likewise! To the higher spiritual concepts of the mind of God.
Suddenly, we read, that he [Paul] was unable to do so because of the unwillingness to rise above their bare base nature. We have to be careful that we aren't in that same position.
1-Corinthians 3:1: "And, I, brethren, was not able to speak to you as to those who are spiritual, but as to those who are carnal—even as to babes in Christ."
Paul was unable to speak to them in a spiritual way.
Verse 2: "I gave you milk to drink, and not meat; for you were not yet able to receive spiritual meat; and neither are you able now, for you are still carnal. For since envy and contention and divisions are among you, are you not carnal? And are you not walking according to human ways?" (vs 2-3).
We can apply that to us today, as well. Ask ourselves personally:
- Where do we live ? Not our physical address!
- Where is our spiritual state of mind?
- Are we living in this world? Yes, we physically are!
- Where is our mind?
That is what we need to continually ask ourselves!
- Are the things
- in our mind
- in our thoughts
- in our actions
- in our heart
on the mind of Christ?
- Are we striving to develop that mind of Christ?
We strive to move on into the world of Christianity! It is a whole new world than what we have lived in, in the past.
- Do we get up every day and take on a whole new day with our mindset being on God and His way of life?
- Is that our goal?
- Is that we do every morning?
- Is our mind on His Plan?
- Is Our mind on being a part of His Kingdom?
- Is that on the top, uppermost thought in our mind?
- Realistically, is that what occurs in our daily lives?
There are so many influences, so many people, so many things that happen in our lives that we can be easily swayed from this way of thinking.
- Do we walk, eat, sleep and think of the Kingdom of God in everything we do and say?
- Is that where we are heading spiritually?
- Is that how we are living spiritually?
Those are questions we have to as ourselves! It's not for us to judge someone else, it is for us to evaluate on our own. It's a tough question and I'm sure that our answer may be many times very negative in that respect.
What did Jesus tell us to forsake, to leave behind? The homes, brothers, sisters, father, wives, children and possessions for His name's sake. What was the promised reward? That of receiving a hundred-fold in this lifetime, and shall inherit everlasting life.
Matthew 19:29: "And everyone who has left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold and shall inherit eternal life…. [that is the reward] …But many of the first hall be last and the last first" (vs 29-30).
- How do we move out of our earthly mindset and begin thinking like God?
- How do we do that?
- How do we adopt the way, culture and customs of the way of life of the Kingdom of God.
- How do we accomplish that.
Colossians 3:1: "Therefore, if you have been raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God." Think on these things!
Philippians 4:8: "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report: if there be any virtue and if there be any praise, think on these things." That's what we should concentrate on!
Colossians 3:2: "Set your affection on the things that are above, and not on the things that are on the earth."
All instruction for us! Paul says to bury the past, move out of our old neighborhoods, habits, and worries; the things that once occupied our mind and begin to live as true Christians.
Verse 3: "For you have died and your life has been hid together with Christ in God. When Christ, Who is our life, is manifested, then you also shall be manifested with Him in glory" (vs 3-4).
Paul chided the Church brethren for not being as mature as they could have been. It was a serious reproach by Paul pointing out that they were yet unskilled in the Word of Righteousness. That's what we all always have to constantly struggle with. That we are aren't mature spiritually and are unskilled in the Word of Righteousness.
Paul presents a foundational short seven point to begin thinking like God. We'll go over that. They're are basically the doctrines of Jesus Christ. Paul goes on to innumerate seven steps in the Plan of God, and we can call each of these the Doctrines of Jesus Christ! These doctrines settled by Christ are a true reflection of what God is thinking.
- Repentance from Dead Works
We know that sin brings the penalty of death and without repentance there is God's judgment.
- Faith Toward God
Not faith in the world that we used to live in, because our citizenship is now with God, Who is in a heavenly place.
Philippians 3:20: "But for us, the commonwealth of God exists in the heavens, from where also we are waiting for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ."
- The Doctrine of Baptisms
It is plural because we must make a choice between destructive fire or the glory of God's Spirit in God's Kingdom.
Matthew 3:10: "But already the axe is striking at the roots of the trees; therefore, every tree that is not producing good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance; but the One Who is coming after me is mightier than I. of whom I am not fit to carry His sandals; He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit, and with fire. Whose winnowing shovel is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His floor, and will gather His wheat into the granary, but the chaff He will burn up with unquenchable fire" (vs 10-12).
This third doctrine, the doctrine of baptisms, reveals whether our thoughts remain in the material world or if we have been baptized into the mind of God and His Kingdom.
We cannot have the mind of God without having the Spirit of God. It's impossible to, for they are one and the same.
1-Corinthians 2:11: "For who among men understands the things of man except by the spirit of man, which is in him? In the same way also, the things of God no one understands except by the Spirit of God."
That's the crux, the Spirit of God! We cannot have the mind of God without having that Spirit of God in us.
- The Laying on of Hands
Setting apart by ordination of God! If we are progressing according to the mind of God, we are now the sons of God having received the token of the Holy Spirit whereby we can cry 'Abba Father.'
We do not think of these traits in this way. It's not natural for us to think of that way. These are some of the characteristics of God's nature. This is what God is thinking. That is what we are striving to think like.
In the flesh each one of us resembles our fleshly day, who gave us our earthly existence and temporal life. In the exact same way, when God the Father gave the spiritual life at baptism with the laying on of hands, we became capable of acquiring those characteristics traits of the spiritual mind of God. Of course, that is what is necessary for eternal life.
1-John 5:11: "And this is the witness: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son."
- Resurrection of the Dead
All who are in the grave shall come forth!
John 5:28: "Do not wonder at this, for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves shall hear His voice."
We know that will come, the resurrection of the dead!
- Eternal Judgment
John 5:29: "And shall come forth those who have practiced good unto a resurrection of life, and those who have practiced evil unto a resurrection of judgment."
- Going onto Perfection
Thinking like God and becoming like Christ—the ultimate!
Hebrews 6:1: "Therefore, advancing beyond the beginning principles of the doctrines of Christ, we should go onto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith in God."
Paul is trying to drive home the point and necessity of thinking as God thinks. He is encouraging Christians to grow up in their faith and not settle for mediocrity. He says to all the Churches of all ages: Seeing you are dull of hearing, I have to start over from scratch!
Hebrews 5:12: "For truly, by this time you ought to be teachers, but instead you need to have someone teach you again what are the beginning principles of the oracles of God, and have become those in need of milk, and not of solid food. For everyone who is partaking of milk is unskilled in the Word of Righteousness because he is an infant. But solid food is for those who are fully grown, who through repeated practice have had their senses trained to discern between good and evil" (vs 12-14).
Without spiritual discernment we would come to the aide of a fellow member who is sinning, because he is a good friend. In that way we possibly cost him his salvation, because we have enabled him in sin, rather than rebuke him to Godliness. Of course, there's a proper way to do that.
Hosea 4:6: "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you from being as a priest to Me. Since you have forgotten the Law of your God. I also will forget your children."
We do not come by that Godly discernment naturally, we know that. When we get to the thinking that we think a lot like God does, we need to remember what God says in:
Isaiah 55:8: "'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor your ways My ways,' says the LORD. 'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.'"
God's thoughts exceed ours by so much we can't even attempt to go there or get there.
1-John 3:2: "Beloved, now we are the children of God, and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be; but we know that when He is manifested, we hall be like Him, because we shall see Him exactly as He is."
We shall see Him in His creative abilities, but for now His creative abilities far, far exceed our ability to even comprehend that concept.
So, Truths of God reveal what He is thinking. His thoughts are certainly higher than our thoughts at any time. God created life and breathed it into mankind.
Genesis 2:7: "Then the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being."
We do not wish to create life; that's is God's right, privilege and prerogative. Life necessitates a Lifegiver. Life comes from life and God is the only Source of Life. Life is a proof of God!
Proofs of God:
- Law
James 4:12: "But there is only one Lawgiver, Who has power to save and to destroy. Who are you that you presume to judge another?"
- Kind after Kind—a God-given law
Genesis 1:25: "And God made the beasts of the earth after their kind, and the livestock after their kind, and every creeping thing upon the earth after their kind. And God saw that it was good."
We are privileged and have the ability to put on the characteristics of God, and think about the same perspective that God has toward things. We must seek His thought and His will during our entire conversion process, our entire journey!
- Design
Psalm 139:13: "For You have possessed my reins; You have knit me together in my mother's womb. I will praise You, for I am awesomely and wonderfully made; Your works are marvelous and my soul knows it very well" (vs 13-14).
- Prophecy
Isaiah 46:10: "Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things which were not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure'; calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. Yea, I have spoken, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it" (vs 10-11).
- Miracles
Acts 2:22: "Men, Israelites, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarean, a Man sent forth to you by God, as demonstrated by works of power and wonders and signs, which God performed by Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know; Him, having been delivered up by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you have seized by lawless hands and have crucified and killed" (vs 22-23).
- Answered Prayer
2-Chronicles 7:14: "If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
1-John 5:14: And this is the confidence that we have toward Him: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we may ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him" (vs 14-15).
1-John 3:22: "And whatever we may ask we receive from Him because we keep His commandments and practice those things that are pleasing in His sight."
Answered prayer is a very, very important proof of God!
We know what the life of Jesus Christ represented. God's characteristics. The Holy Spirit is the life of God the Father and Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is the power, the wisdom, Holiness, love mercy and a multitude of Divine characteristics of God. That is part of our goal, to develop those Divine characteristics of God.
The Holy Spirit is not a person or a separate member of the Godhead, as we know. The Bible clearly reveals that God is not a trinity of beings.
John 4:23: "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth; for the Father is indeed seeking those who worship Him in this manner. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in Spirit and in Truth" (vs 23-24).
Yet, there is no more important goal for a Christian than to begin to think like God. There's nothing more important that we should set as a goal for to begin to think like God.
Think so that we might know God and become like Him! Make no mistake about it, we—in our present state—do not think much like God at this point. We strive to, we try, but where are we realistically in thinking like God?
The night before Christ died, Jesus spoke of knowing the mind of God, and it being necessary for eternal life. Jesus prayed:
John 17:3: ""For this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, Whom You did send."
Every active God is an act of Godly love; it's all centered around Godly love!
How can we begin to comprehend God's thoughts and actions? First we must come out of this present evil world that is around us! We must separate ourselves. We are warned not to get 'the big head' which would prove to be our undoing. We have to be careful that we don't get into that mode!
Romans 12:2: "Do not conform yourselves to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind in order that you may prove what is well-pleasing and good, and the perfect will of God. For I say through the grace that was given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think… [we have to be careful of that] …but to think with sound-mindedness, as God has divided to each one a measure of faith" (vs 2-3).
Zechariah 4:6: "Then he answered and spoke to me, saying, 'This is the Word of the LORD to Zerubbabel, saying, "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit," says the LORD of hosts.'"
We are told to remember the humility of Jesus Christ, that we are to have the mind of Christ.
Philippians 1:27: "Only conduct yourselves worthily of the Gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you, or am absent, I may hear the reports about you; that you are standing fast in one spirit, striving together with one soul for the faith of the Gospel."
Philippians 2:2: "Fulfill my joy that you be of the same mind, having the same love, being joined together in soul, minding the one thing. Let nothing be done through contention or vainglory, but in humility, each esteeming the others above himself. Let each one look not only after his own things, but let each one also consider the things of others" (vs 2-4).
Verse 5: "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus; Who, although He existed in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but emptied Himself, and was made in the likeness of men, and took the form of a servant; and being found in the manner of man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" (vs 5-8).
There is nothing more important than thinking like God!
1-Corinthians 2:16: "For who has known the mind of the Lord? Who shall instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ."
This is not saying that we desire to be as powerful as God, or possess the wisdom and creativity might of God. That's is carnal thinking! We have to be careful of that!
1-Corinthians 1:29: "So that no flesh might glory in His presence." Let us remember that!
This is not saying that we desire to be equal in majesty or sovereignty with God Almighty. What we strive for as Christians is to acquire the characteristics of God's thinking in order to be pleasing in His sight. That's what we are all striving to do in our walk with God.
That is how we begin thinking like God and becoming in His image. We know that we must become in His image, and make no mistake about it, we are not even close to being in His image, yet.
Genesis 1:26: "And God said, 'Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of heaven and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that crawls upon the earth.'…. [notice that is all in future tense] …And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him. He created them male and female" (vs 26-27).
What we desire as Christians is to put on the attributes of God so that we are thinking what He is thinking about all matters. These distinguishing qualities, these Godly traits, these characteristics describe the mind of Christ.
Colossians 3:12: "Put on then, as the elect of God, Holy and beloved, deep inner affections, kindness, humility, meekness and long-suffering… [that is the way God thinks] …forbearing one another… [difficult to do at times] …and forgiving one another… [difficult to do at times] …if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so also you should forgive" (vs 12-13).
We do not forgive the sins of the world; we do not do that, that is God's job.
Luke 17:3: "Watch yourselves; and if your brother commits a sin against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him."
What an easy principle, but so many times it's difficult for people to understand and to practice.
God judges those who are sinning. God forgives those who repent. We have to be of the same mindset of forgiving those who have hurt us and are now sorry that they did so.
It's not natural for us to sometimes accept that, but it's so critical in our Christian life in developing the mind of God and Christ.
Colossians 3:14: "And above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which you were called into one body, and be thankful. 16: Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And in everything—whatever you do in word or in deed—do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him" (vs 14-17).
There is another set of Godly characteristics, that when we have made them a part of ourselves, we have put on the mind of Christ.
Galatians 5:22: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control; against such things there is no law" (vs 22-23).
We rehash this many times; it's so critical, an important part in the process of developing the mind of God.
These are Godly attributes that we must put forth to be eligible for eternal life. Those are Godly attributes that must be the foundation of our thought process on a daily basis. Until that is the way we think, we cannot consider ourselves even beginning to think like God.
We have an awesome calling from God the Father. With God's Holy Spirit given to us at baptism He has promised an open door for us to begin the unimaginable task of thinking like Him!
As we develop and continue to grow on our journey of conversion, the Spirit within us working within us can be stirred up and allow us to begin to understand more in developing the mind of Christ; thinking like God!
Yes, we have limitations humanly, and our carnal nature must be continually fought by the actions and choices we make in applying the Word of God and God's way of life in everyday tasks that we undertake.
The door is open, the ball is in our court! Let us continue to be encouraged by the many blessings, and of course, the mercy that God has shown to each one of us. It is so critical!
If, by God's infinite mind the vast universe came into existence, what does foretell for those of us who are thinking like God?
Daniel 12:3: "And they who are wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they who turn many to righteousness shall shine as the stars forever and ever."
That is speaking of the incredible human potential and eternal life of those who are thinking like God!
Scriptural References:
- 1 Corinthians 2:16
- Romans 11:33-34
- Romans 7:23
- Matthew 25:40
- 1 John 4:20
- Proverbs 27:17
- Genesis 4:9
- Romans 14:10-12
- 1 Corinthians 3:1-3
- Matthew 19:29-30
- Colossians 3:1
- Philippians 4:8
- Colossians 3:2-4
- Philippians 3:20
- Matthew 3:10-12
- 1 Corinthians 2:11
- 1 John 5:11
- John 5:28-29
- Hebrews 6:1
- Hebrews 5:12-14
- Hosea 4:6
- Isaiah 55:8-9
- 1 John 3:2
- Genesis 2:7
- James 4:12
- Genesis 1:25
- Psalm 139:13-14
- Isaiah 46:10-11
- Acts 2:22-23
- 2 Chronicles 7:14
- 1 John 5:14-15
- 1 John 3:22
- John 4:23-24
- John 17:3
- Romans 12:2-3
- Zechariah 4:6
- Philippians 1:27
- Philippians 2:2-8
- 1 Corinthians 2:16
- 1 Corinthians 1:29
- Genesis 1:26-27
- Colossians 3:12-13
- Luke 17:3
- Colossians 3:14-17
- Galatians 5:22-23
- Daniel 12:3
NB:bo
Transcribed: 10/11/23
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