The Truth About The Mind

Okay, I have one verse to read for my text this morning. It's, of course, in Galatians chapter 5, where we've been at for several weeks. Galatians chapter 5. I mentioned a little bit, I mean, I kind of refer, or made a little reference to the fact that I might preach on this, and I was, I felt moved to do that. I just want to read one verse from Galatians chapter five as my text, but I'm not going to, I'm kind of going to leave the context of Galatians five and deal with the thought that Paul brings up there. Galatians chapter five verse 10, where he writes these words to the Galatians who had been bewitched by these false teachers.

He says, I have confidence in you through the Lord that you will be not otherwise minded. That's my thought, that thought about the mind. That ye will be none otherwise minded, but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be. So my title for this morning, and my subject, is this. The truth about the mind. The truth about the mind. Now consider this.

When God Almighty calls and converts by his gospel, he works on the mind. Now he works on the heart as well, but we'll see the, God willing, see the connection between those things here in a moment. When God, gospel converts, he works on the mind, right? That's what the book teaches. When God corrects erring believers, and we see this even here in our text, when God corrects erring believers, he works on the mind. But think about this, in hell, God torments the mind.

You remember from Luke chapter 16 verse 25, where it said that Father Abraham said to the rich man, remember, think about that, remember. Now this, this should grip our attention. The mind, Mac, the mind's important. The mind's important. Now think about this, science, philosophy, psychiatry, and many other fields, for that matter, have given much effort to the study of the mind. And when they do that, they're talking about the brain, okay?

The brain, and of course, that's what we generally think of when we think about the mind, the brain. As a matter of fact, it is a fact of history that one of the men, Albert Einstein, who had a just extraordinary IQ and was a very brilliant man in the things of this world, and Jack, at least, Einstein still gave some at least lip service. I don't know where his heart was, but he gave some lip service to the fact that God Almighty existed and God created this world. You know that when Albert Einstein died, there was a doctor that took his brain and started slicing it up and was going to study it. So as I said, science, philosophy, psychiatry, and many other fields have given much effort to the study of the mind or the brain.

But think about this, any study of the mind which ignores or rejects scripture will fail miserably concerning the truth about the mind. Now let's note three scriptural facts this morning. That's what I want to try to give you, three scriptural facts about the mind. And these three scriptural facts constitute God's truth, or as my title says, the truth about the mind.

Before I go into those, let me say, I'm not throwing off on scientific and medical and psychiatric work concerning the mind because I am persuaded that God has been pleased to allow many people to be helped through this endeavor and these studies. But I also know that I think many mad people have been driven even further into madness because of what man thinks he knows about the mind. Even when it comes to psychiatry, they think only, now not all of them, but as a general rule, they think pretty much only of the brain. Now you hear what I'm saying, only of the brain.

So let's go right to it. Here's these three facts. I have a lot of ground to cover, as we would say. I have three points. First of all, let me give you the three points, and then we'll go back through each one. First of all, the mind is more than the brain. And I will use this word on occasion, not because I knew the word. trying to look big, it's called encephalon. That's what the technical term for the brain is called. The mind is more than the brain, okay?

Secondly, the mind, and I will include on this as we will see the heart with that, the mind and the heart is fallen and subject to even further condemnation from God. That is, our mind fail when Adam fail, and we're all born with that fallen mind. But that fallen mind is subject to even further condemnation of God. But here's the most glorious one of these three.

There is, and I don't wanna say a mind, I've got it written this way, there is the mind that transcends all. All, so let's go back to number one. The mind is more than the encephalon, or that is, the brain. I have several passages, and you don't have to turn to these, and let me find the first one.

It may take me a moment to get to it, if I even am able to find it. Somebody may have to help me. I need to find Esther, and Esther is what? Is it right after Nehemiah? Somebody that knows all these things, help me. Is it right after Nehemiah? Some of you got those tabs, don't you? You got one up on me there. I'm gonna turn to Esther chapter six. Now that'll be the hardest one for me to find there. Esther chapter six. Now think about this. As I said, the mind is more than the brain. Now here's the first thought under that first heading.

The heart This is what the medical science and psychiatric science can't really connect. Oh, they can see some connection between the cardia, the heart, the muscle, and the brain because, of course, Jack, the muscle, the heart pumps. oxygen, blood with oxygen in it, to the brain without which the brain cannot survive. So we see some of that connection, but I'm talking about a different connection to that.

According to the scripture, according to God's word, the heart and mind are both said to have thoughts, okay? are both said to have thoughts. Now, when we think of our muscle, we don't think of it having thoughts, do we? Because where do all our thoughts come from? Where do they all come from? Up here, right, out of the mind.

But this is not the way the scripture puts it. And the scripture is not trying to be medically accurate, although it is, but the scripture is not trying to be medically accurate, it is being God accurate. So first of all, I said the heart and the mind are both said to have thoughts and are connected. And let's just look at a few passages that show that. Esther chapter six, verse six, and I'm not gonna have time to go back and look at all the details of these. I'm just pointing out the truth of it from the scripture.

As to what I said, the heart and the mind are both said to have thoughts and the heart and the mind are connected. Esther chapter six, verse six, so Haman came in. And the king said unto him, what shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honor? Now Haman thought that the king was talking about him, but of course he wasn't. He was talking about Haman's enemy, or the man to whom Haman was the enemy, Mordecai. It goes on, now Haman thought in his heart. Do you see that? See the phrase of Scripture? See the wording of Scripture?

Now, I don't care what medical may tell us. I don't care what psychiatry may tell us. I know what God has just said right here, that Haman what? What does it say? Thought in his heart. So to jump ahead, the heart is what we are, it's our emotion, it's what, the heart in scripture, although it sometimes speaks of the muscle, the heart in scripture defines who I really am deep down inside, okay? But who I am deep down inside affects what? what I think, do you see that? So it says, now Haman thought in his heart.

So no matter what I may think about the mind and the heart medically, God says this about the heart and mind he's speaking about, right? All right, let me just turn also, and I want us to bounce around a little, Matthew chapter 15, and this is in No. Certain order for a certain reason, but Matthew chapter 15 in verse 19 these would be familiar This is our Lord speaking. He says for out of the heart You see it for out of the heart proceed evil what? Thoughts do you see that? It's all it's almost as if God's saying the the heart and the mind of the same thing and Huh, right?

The heart and the mind are the same thing. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, of course, and it goes on to just establishing the fact of what scripture says, okay? Daniel chapter five. Listen to what is said there. Daniel chapter five in verse 20. Deuteronomy 5 verse 20, but when his heart was lifted up and his mind hardened in pride.

Do you see the connection there? Now here, Ellen, it kinda separates the two, right? Kinda makes a distinction between the two, but yet they are what? Connected. But when his heart was what? Lifted up. What's that a reference to? Pride. Pride, right? So what's this mean? This king here was proud deep down inside. And what did it, and hardened and, excuse me, but when his heart was lifted up and his mind hardened in pride. All right, one more, Matthew chapter 22. Now we know, of course, now this is a little in line with the context.

We know that in the context of the letter written by Paul to the churches of Galatia, there is this great battle between right and wrong, between the gospel and the false gospel, between law, right, and grace. But even the law says this, you receive nothing apart from what? At least two or three witnesses. Now I've already given you one, two, three, right? And there are much more. I'm just scratching the surface. I'm just, Jack, I just went down and looked at heart and mind in the scripture in my concordance and read several of them and chose these three. Look at Matthew 22 verse 37. This is pertinent.

Jesus said unto him, thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart. Now this is the law, right? This is what the law commands us to do as Adam's sons and daughters. Jesus said unto him, thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind.

Do you see it? That's what even the law says, right? So, Mack, this is not just a truth concerning grace. This is an everlasting, eternal, all-abounding truth. We have what? Heart, mind, and soul mentioned separately, yet linked together in the first and greatest commandment, right? So what does this indicate? It doesn't directly say it, but what does this indicate? That this heart and mind is an immaterial thing that God is speaking about here. Do you see it?

What is the soul? It's a real thing. When I say immaterial, I don't mean it's not real. It is, there is spirit and soul in us, and it's immaterial, but there's also that which is what, called what? Heart and mind that is connected to this immaterial soul. So I've simply established that fact.

The mind is more than the brain, right? According to scripture. Here's a thought. The human organs, that's heart and brain, are metaphors often in scripture for our innermost being and existence of emotion, that's who we are, and intellect, how we perceive things and how we respond to things. And you know what that affects? Our will. and our actions. Here's the second part under this, the mind is more than the brain. The mind, and of course, that's the subject this morning, the mind, but remember, this includes the heart, right? We can't ever scripturally separate those two things.

For instance, my heart, you know, it speaks of the heart being right with God, correct? The heart being right. Peter told, what was it, Simon, your heart's not right in the sight of God, right? Well, if his heart wasn't right, guess what else wasn't right? His mind wasn't right. And I point to this. I don't know why I point to that. Other than we're so connected to thinking of the mind as the brain only. But that your heart's not right, so that means his mind wasn't right. His soul wasn't right, his will wasn't right, and his actions wasn't right, and all of this was manifest in the context of that. He thought he was willing to try to what? Buy the gift of the Holy Spirit, you see?

This is why I say that this is the problem with science and the medical field and philosophy and psychiatry is they think of it only on the material being, the physical heart and the physical brain, but they do not take God's word, God's truth into account.

So again, I say the mind, and this includes the heart, but here it is, the mind and the flesh are connected. Okay? The mind and the flesh are connected. And let me stop for a moment. The flesh is the same thing. There is the immaterial man, the flesh, right? This, what you see, what you could touch. And think about it, I'm not trying to be gross or nothing, but you can smell it, can't you? You can smell, it's flesh, it's real. But when the scripture sometimes speaks of flesh, it's talking about an immaterial thing as well. And that's not a body.

It's a fallen Adamic nature. And sadly, this is what a lot of even so-called Christianity misses today. They read these words, Jack. but they never ever speak of them. And then they talk about heart, they talk about emotion, they talk about mind, they talk about intellect, they talk about will, they talk about choice, but they don't realize it's connected to what? The flesh. And it's not just this flesh, it's that inner man. It's that, I strike that, old man. Old man, so again, under this head, the mind is more than the brain. The mind and the flesh are connected.

This may take a little while, but like I said, I have a lot to go through with you. Look at, you know this, and this is not going to be new, but I'm trying to state it in a way to where you will say, I pray God he will help us all to say this morning, and anybody who gets this later, that yes, much of this may be what we consider a Bible lesson, but you'll say within yourself, I knew that.

I knew that. You understand? I knew that. Maybe you'd never put it in these words, but I knew that. So again, remember the mind, which includes the heart, and the flesh, which is the Adamic nature, not just the skin, okay? The mind and the heart and the flesh are all connected. Ephesians 2, look at it. You know this. and you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and in sins.

Even here we realize that the word dead is used not in the material sense, right? It's in the immaterial sense. We are, as some say, spiritually dead, okay? We're very much alive materially, but when it comes to life before God, or life toward God, or life concerning God, we are dead. dead in trespass and sins, wherein in time past ye walked.

So there we see our what? Our conduct, right? And you can say, as Earl used to, a walk is what? It's like your everyday conduct. It's not just a, you know, a lot of people talk about walking for the Lord, or living for the Lord, and they're talking about a spurt. You know, a little spurt they had here. A little spurt they had. No, it's your everyday conduct. But look at this conduct. Wherein in time past ye walked how? According to the direction, the course of this world. According to the prince of the power of the air. Now we know who that is in scripture.

That's even of Satan himself. Look, the spirit, do you see that? What's that? That's immaterial. That's that part of man that goes with the soul. It's the immaterial part. the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience, among whom also we all, even the elect of God, that's who he's writing to, right? We all were the same way at the first, as we come into this world, among whom also we all had in our conversation, our way of life in time past, in the lust of our, what's the word?

Flesh. It's not just talking about this. This don't lust after anything. It grows, you have skin cells that grow. Elizabeth, I think you did some, they die, and new ones grow. It's just, what's the flesh here? That fallen Adamic nature. Look at it. Among whom also we all had our conversation, our way of life in time past, in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the, and here's this thing about this word desires, it means this. Desires means to choose, to will, to determine, to be inclined to. That's the will. Look, the desires of the flesh and of the what? Mind. Do you see that? Of the mind and whereby, now we see the heart.

Nature, what makes you you, what makes me me, and we're by nature the children of wrath, and I'm putting it my own way, just like everybody else. Here's another one, chapter four, verse 17. Bear with me now, because God help us when we, and I know you know these things, but we need to be reminded of these. I'm talking about the truth, God's truth about the mind. Ephesians four, verse 17. Pardon me. Ephesians 4, 17. This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth, do what?

Conduct, do you see it? That ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk. What's the problem? What's the problem with their walk, okay? And it was the same walk we had before God Almighty saved us by his grace. Look, in the emptiness of their what? mind, having the what? Understanding, what?

Darkened, being alienated from the life of God. What kind of life? Not physical life. This is spiritual life, a life that is like this, Sandy, connected to God, okay? through the, look at it, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart.

Do you see it? And that there is clearly not talking about the ticker, the cardia, is it? It's talking about that which makes us us. The blindness of the heart who being, now we see it goes even into what? Our feelings, right? So what we are by nature will even affect how we feel.

Now I'm gonna say this. When I feel like murmuring and complaining, those things are related. Murmurs is that little mumbling you do under your breath when you don't even say words. You might not even make a noise. It's that grumbling in the where, the mind, and I'm pointing to them, the mind and the heart, huh? It's grumbling. And when I do that, what is that? Now let's just call it what it is. F-L-E-S-H, right? It's flesh. Who being past feeling, if my feelings are wrong, and listen to me, I'm not saying that you can control all your feelings. You will not be able to.

You ever just been sitting doing whatever? I don't know if you're out in the garden working, maybe at work, maybe you're watching TV, maybe you're doing a house chore, and all of a sudden your mind starts to churn and you start to think wrong thoughts. Thoughts that you at first may not think are wrong, but later you find out you start to think wrong thoughts, and usually who are they about? Not yourself.

Somebody else. Okay. Well, I wonder why they did that Here's a question. Why does it matter to me? Hmm Every servant of God will give an account to God himself, not to me, not to you. Just pointing out the fact. Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness. This was where it all leads to, okay? Unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. Do you see that? Sounds like to me the heart and the mind and the feelings and the flesh, there's nothing good in it, is it? We see the outcome of all these things.

Here's another passage, look at Romans chapter eight, just one verse here. Again, I say all these are familiar. But it may not be that these things, at least for a while, have ever been concentrated down into one message. Romans chapter eight, verse 17, or verse seven, I'm sorry. Romans eight, verse seven.

Because the carnal, what? Mind. Do you see that? The carnal mind. It's not talking about this fleshly brain, uh-uh. It's talking about that inner person, that old man. Because the carnal mind is hatred, that's the word, is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. Don't sound like so far, there's a lot of scriptures that have a lot negative to say about what? My mind, right? And again, you pardon me for pointing to that, but that's the only reference I have is to point to that. The mind, okay?

Now, here's another one, Colossians chapter two. Listen to what it says. And one reason, again, I'm showing, and again, I'm only scratching the surface, but I'm trying to show this is not just one or two isolated texts that I'm trying to use to try to prove my point. Colossians chapter two. Let me, yes, chapter two, verse 18.

Colossians 2.18, let no man beguile you. Now remember, one of the subjects of our subject letter, Galatians, was what?

Being beguiled, being bewitched, being tricked, right? Look, let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshiping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his what? Now it puts it together, doesn't it? Fleshly what? Mind. You see it? Fleshly mind.

Here's another one, chapter one, verse 21. And you, Colossians 121, and you that were sometime alienated and enemies in your, where? Where? and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled. Philippians chapter three, listen to what is said there. Philippians three, verses 18 and 19. This is the parentheses part of this end of the chapter, if you will. Paul continuing, but yet defining about these enemies of Christ. Verse 18 of Philippians 3, for many walk, of whom I have told you often, and notice how often this subject of mind, heart, flesh, all of that is connected to what?

To what? Our walk, right? See, when religion tries to separate these, even religion, not just the medical profession, not just the psychiatric profession, but when religion tries to separate all these out to where one can exist and operate separate from the other, they are liars on God. Okay? Because God connects these things together. Okay? Back to where we was at. Where was I? Chapter, verse 18. For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose God is their what?

Belly. Now is he talking about the stomach? Just the stomach? No, uh-uh. It's that which you feed upon. Why do you say I'm hungry? Your stomach will literally growl, won't it? It'll let you know when you're hungry. This is a metaphor describing what? What we feed. And what we feed upon.

Who's God? Look at it. I tell you even weeping that there are enemies of the cross of Christ whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind, pay attention to, okay, who set their affections on, who mind earthly things. I think I've given enough scripture to show the point I'm talking about, right? The mind is more than the brain. So we have a material heart and mind, that's the cardia, and the encephalon, okay? That is the heart and the mind. We have a material heart and mind, but scripture is quite clear. It declares we also have an immaterial heart and mind related to both soul and spirit, which has to do with our walk, which has to do with our flesh, which is corrupt according to deceitful lust, it affects our will and our actions.

It's all connected in the scripture. And in many different verses, just a few, but yet many for this one message, it often connects some of these things. All of them work together, right together. Here's the second thing, though. The mind, and of course the heart, and other things as well. The mind is fallen and subject to further condemnation from God. Think about this.

According to what we've already seen, Ephesians 2.2, the unbelieving mind is under demonic influence.

Isn't that what we read? Let me read it, because I know I'm gonna misquote that. wherein in time past you walked according to the course of this world, here's how we walked, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit, that is the motivating force, even a demonic influence in this verse, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience. As we were in Adam when we came into existence in this world, our mind was under demonic and fleshly influence, even at our best state. That's the dangerous part, even at our best state. Second thought here, remember, the mind is fallen and subject to further condemnation of God.

The mind, and as we've seen, even the body for that matter, because And I know I've said this a lot, but as you get older, it becomes more relevant to you. When I was young and used to preach here, Jack, I didn't think much about it. You know that? Now we're all getting older, and you know what?

Our fallen Adam affects everything, even the material man, doesn't it? your mind quits working like it used to. As corrupt as it is, it's still a marvelous thing if you're looking at the brain, right? But even that can malfunction. And you know it wouldn't do that apart from what?

Sin. You know these bodies are glorious apart from one thing. You know what it is? Sin. This world is a glorious thing apart from one thing. You know what that is? Sin. So again, this mind is fallen and subject to further condemnation. One, it's under demonic influence. Secondly, the mind and the body, for that matter, can come under not only demonic influence, but it can, according to many illustrations in the scripture, but I'm giving you just one. I don't have time to read through it all. But Mark 5, verses 13 through 15, you remember the demonic of Gadara? He was a madman. He was running around naked through the tombs. And can you imagine what that man looked like and what he smelled like?

But you know one of the phrases it uses? That the people around, the townsfolk around, once Jesus Christ had came and delivered from this, if they found him seated, he wasn't no longer running around screaming naked, was he? They found him seated, clothed, And what's the kicker? And in his right mind. Isn't that something? In his right mind.

And I am apart from the grace of God and every individual on the face of this earth apart from the providence of God is just one of these. That little lifting of restraint of being like the Gadarene demoniac. And even as believers, God can and sometimes does let our minds go. We all, we got one of our group now this morning, just up there, just basically the body just existing.

Pam, can you back this up? Today, the mind was pretty much gone, wasn't it? Gone. Aren't you glad for grace? Aren't you glad that when you forget him, if you ever do, aren't you glad he won't forget you if he ever knew you at all? Because that may be one of us one of these days. You understand that, right?

You do, you do. So again, the mind, the body can be under not only demonic influence, but demonic possession. And this is a side note, I think that's one of the reasons our country, and this world for that matter, is in the state that it's in. As God has lifted that restraint just a little, and the demons are coming in, and men are now showing what they really are, demonic in heart and mind. Okay? Somebody says, well, I don't agree with that. Well, you're wrong. Here's the third part about this.

The mind is fallen and subject to further condemnation. God, now we're fallen to start with. We're under demonic influence and can be under demonic possession, right? That's what the book teaches, but it's more than that. God can reject. render worthless toward true good the heart and the mind when men distort his grandeur. Romans chapter one verses 18 through 28. Isn't that right? And it says God has turned some people over to a reprobate. That is a rejected or rendered worthless toward true good. Turn them over to what? A reprobate mind.

That's not what we call insanity today. That's the norm. Now folks, that's becoming, now men have always been like this, but now we are, and I must include myself, because apart from that restraining grace, it'd be me and you too, now we come out of the closet, don't we? It's no longer viewed as insanity, is it? It's no longer being out of the cusp, out of the way. Now it's normal, even called good. Even called good. And did not God say, beware when men call what? Evil, good, and good, evil. They'll gag at a gnat and swallow a camel. Here's another little thing, Walter.

They are, people are so, And don't think you know what side of the aisle I'm on when it comes to it, because I'm not here preaching politics or opinion about politics, but they are fighting and fighting to legalize marijuana. Make it okay just to go out and smoke marijuana. And yet I pulled out my phone this morning with just Googling and looking at some of the news feeds, and they were talking about these airports still having smoking rooms, and they say it's one of the nastiest places on the face of the earth.

Do you know what some of these people are doing when they're out here smoking these drugs? Huh? What they're doing when they gather together in their big parties? Huh? They ain't smoking cigarettes. Huh? Do you see how twisted this world is? Hmm? Twisted.

God can reject, render worthless toward true good when men distort his grandeur. And listen to me. He don't give them a reprobate mind because of homosexuality. He turns them over to homosexuality because they've rejected him as the one true and living God. That's the truth of Romans one. Think about this.

There's one verse, and you can turn to it if you wish, Proverbs. Proverbs chapter 21, there's one verse I wanna read here because it is pertinent to what I've said thus far. Proverbs chapter 21. We'll make a statement, read that, and then we'll go to the third thing.

Remember, the mind is more than the brain. The mind is fallen and subject to further condemnation from God. It's already under condemnation, but it's subject to even further condemnation by God. And I'm summing these two up. Our hearts and minds by the fall. infest even our best efforts. Now, of course, I could have went to Isaiah, right, even our righteousness as filthy rags, but listen to what Solomon said in Psalms, Proverbs, pardon me, Proverbs 21, verse 27.

The sacrifice, do you see that? The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination. Do you see that? Abomination, how much more when he bringeth it with a wicked what? You see that? Mind. Well, it don't matter what I'm thinking as long as I'm giving or doing the right thing, right? Is that what that says?

Uh-uh, mm-mm, no. When he bring it, we're not talking about offering to idols, we're talking about sacrifices to God in a day when they offered. We're under ordained orders to offer animal sacrifices to God, right? Solomon, at the dedication of the temple, I probably should have wrote this down, offered thousands of animals on that one day, thousands of them. and the sacrifice of the wicked is abomination. How much more when he bringeth it with what?

A wicked mind. In other words, I'll sum up those first two things. Sounds like the truth about the mind is the mind is a very important thing, isn't it? But it could also be what? A very dangerous thing. You've heard of the phrase. Win the hearts and minds, right? Win the hearts and minds. It's certainly a valid phrase. In other words, another person says, well, mind your manners. I agree, I agree. We ought to, but we often don't, do we? Mind your manners.

But here's the third one. There is the mind that transcends all. Okay, turn to Romans 11, and again, you know this. I'm just trying to make this one message about the truth of the mind and kinda bring a lot of it right together. There's much more to it than just these references. There is a mind that transcends all.

That mind is the mind, the mind of God himself. And remember, God in his essential being is called what? Capital S-P-I-R-I-T, spirit. So Jack, his mind is a spirit mind, not a brain mind. Understood? Remember, even before, now we know that there is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. There is the eternal Father, thus there must be the eternal Son.

And even the Messiah, even the Son of God, before he came and was enfleshed, before he came into this world, it speaks of God in Genesis, and God was grieved in his, what? H-E-A-R-T. His heart, not because God has an encephalon, a pumper, a ticker, right? But God has his essential being and he can be grieved in his essential being and guess who grieves him?

Me and you. Me and you. Now right now you're saying, but I'm in Christ, you better be. You better be, because outside of him, that's all you have, and that's all I have. I'm the same group of that people, of the same will, of the same mind, of the same heart, of the same flesh, of the same walk, that God says it's a stitch in my nostrils, I'll drown them all, but eight, right? Right. And there's a mind that transcends all.

Here it is, the mind of God himself, verse 28 of Romans 11. And think about it, as concerning the gospel, talking about these unbelieving Jews, as concerning gospel, the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes. But as touching the election, they are beloved for the Father's sakes. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance or without change.

Look, now here's the thing that is perplexing. Look at it, for as ye in time past, it's all about Gentiles now, for as ye in time past have not obtained or not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their what? Unbelief. Not there being a good example to us and a good witness to us, but through their what? Unbelief, you see that? Doesn't that almost sound contrary to how we would normally think it works? Right? Well, be a good witness. I'm not saying not to be a good witness. Give testimony to the personal work of Christ. I'm not saying not to.

But that's not how God worked it here, is it? Do you see it? For as ye in time past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief, even so have these also now not believed that through your mercy, now it changes, doesn't it? That through your mercy they also may obtain mercy, for God hath concluded them all, where? In unbelief. Do you see that?

Did God do that? Yes, that's where God put them. Right? That's where God put them. Why? That he might have mercy. You see it? That through your mercy they obtain mercy, for God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. What's that tell us? Even in a more general way than this is a particular thing spoken of here. God purposed the fall. that he might manifest his mercy and compassion and grace. Grace, because there'd have been no need for it apart from it. Right? Right, look.

Oh, the depth. of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are His determinations, His judgments, it's not talking about His condemnations, this means His verdict rendering, how God purposed to do things. You know how contrary it is to the way we would have done it? Oh, the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out. For who hath known the what? The mind of the Lord. Do you see that?

Now right there is a mind that transcends all because it doesn't even operate under the parameters that we would normally think of operating with our what? our mind. And with that immaterial mind, we don't just think opposite of it, we live opposite of it, act opposite of it, think opposite of it, desire opposite of it, will opposite of it, walk opposite of it. Because our mind by nature is shot full of hail.

Is that clear enough? Is that clear enough? Reminds me of the time I was preaching at one place that I mentioned a used feminine product by name and I've never been asked to come back there again. That's how bad we are. Shot full of hell. Where? In our minds, in our hearts, in our flesh, in our bodies, in our souls, in our spirit, in our will, in our thoughts, in our deeds. Somebody says preacher stop, I can't.

I must always tell the truth about the mind. Okay, must always, but there is a mind that transcends, isn't it? Think of it, human sciences start with man. And usually it's based only upon the cardia and the encephalon, right? That's usually what, it's rarely ever based upon the word of God, so the human sciences start with man, thus they confuse themselves if they ever even consider God's heart and mind, right?

Because they think, well, if God is spirit, What is this heart and mind? It's not one of these in here in the chest, is it? It's not one of these here in the skull, in that brain, is it? And this is why God says, my thoughts are not your thoughts, my ways are not your ways. You know what he says to our brother Isaiah?

And that's why Psalms 50 says, you thought I was altogether such as one as yourself. So what do we do? We start with us and try to figure out who God is, if we're even considering God at all. You hear what I'm saying? But what does the truth of the gospel cause us to do? Start with God first. He determines what all things are. even if it's things, and he uses a metaphorical, like heart, mind, and body, and flesh.

Think of this though, according to Hebrews chapter two, and I'm not gonna read it. Don't have time for it. Time's getting away from me. Here's the second thing about, there is a mind that transcends all. Think about, there is God's mind in his redemptive wisdom. I do want to read you, I've got to read one verse because I'll misquote it. Turn back to Hebrews 2 if you wish to follow along. Think of this. Hebrews chapter 2, listen, just a couple verses. speaking of Christ, for it became him.

It was appropriate, okay? It was right. It was the thing God Almighty had what? Ordained in his mind. For it became Christ, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons into glory, to make the captain, speaking again of Christ, he's the captain, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through what? Not perfections, though that's certainly true, but in the text it's through what?

Sufferings. Do you see that? Sufferings. Look at it, for both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one. So much so that it says in verse 16 and 17, for truly he took not on him the nature of angels, but he took on him the seed of Abraham, wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren. Do we not understand now that God Himself has an encephalon? Huh? Do you realize that?

He has a brain. God has not only His mind, Elizabeth, but in the person of the Son, He became us. He has a brain. He has a heart. He has liver. He has kidneys, he has intestines, he has gallbladder. Do you ever think about that? He has toenails and fingernails and teeth and eyes, literal ones.

He had all of that in himself in his immaterial being, eternal and everlasting, but he became us. Us. And not just us as he now is in his glorified state, he became like us in our fallen state. You think about that? He came in the what? Likeness of sinful flesh. Not glorified flesh, which he has now. But what? Sinful flesh. Now you talking about the mind, a mind that transcends. God says this is the way I must redeem anybody to become them. Right? To become them. And do what? Suffer in their stead.

He did all that for you. He did all that for you. He did all that for me. the God who transcended all things before nothing else existed, but him, says I'm going to stoop down and become them. I say that and it almost makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

Do you see that kind of mind? Do you see that mind? That he actually took on him humanity. The thing about this, Turn to 1 Corinthians 2. I'm winding this up, but I'm not quite done yet, so I'm not getting too big a hurry yet. 1 Corinthians 2, let me turn to it, and I'm gonna start winding this up. Now remember what I said.

The mind is more than the brain. The mind is fallen and subject to even further condemnation by God, but there is the mind that transcends all. And that's our only hope. This is how a holy God could be just and justify a bunch of trash like me and you. Do you understand that? Even after he saves us, we're still nothing but saved trash. Right? The only thing good in us is that which he has created in us, the new man. Right? Faith, love, joy. peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, meekness, temper, all those things, right?

Think about that, though. In other words, there he is in God's mind, his redemptive wisdom. He joined himself to us when we did not care and did not want it and never asked for it, right? But because of what he did for us, enjoining himself to us, totally apart from us, Christ's union with us secured our union with him. Bless God. He didn't, he could have.

Well, that's not right. Because what God is doing is what he must do. because it's right, okay? And I even shudder a little bit, Elizabeth is putting the word must with God because he does what he is. So, you know, forgive my inability of language. Think about Christ's union with us secured our union with him.

1 Corinthians 9, two, look at it, verse nine, but as it is written, I hath not seen nor ear heard, neither hath entered into the what? Heart of man. That's not talking about just your ticker, right? No, it's the real you, the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them, wait a minute, that love him, right?

Now yes, we love him because he first loved us, but bless God if he does love us. First, we shall come to love him, right? Who loved God, look, but God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit. For the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of man, save the what? Spirit of man, which is in him. Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. See the connection between mind You see it in spirit there?

Now let's go on. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. God don't save us because we come to know Christ. We come to know Christ because God has saved us. and we don't believe what is preached so God will save us. We believe what is preached because God says it's true and he makes it to where we can't help ourselves but say, I believe him. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God, which things also we speak, not in words of man's wisdom, which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man, that's us as we were in Adam, but the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God.

So what's that let me know? God's gotta do something for me first before I'll ever understand or know anything. It's there, not stated exactly that way, but it's still stated exactly that way, if you will, in other words. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they have foolishness unto them, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Notice the constant references, even though he doesn't use the word, to what? The mind, to knowing, right? To the mind, but look. because they are spiritually understood, spiritually comprehended, spiritually laid hold of, that is discerned in verse 14. Verse 15, but he that is spiritual, he discerns all things. He renders verdicts about all things. He actually thinks about this stuff.

The world doesn't, do they? They won't even come here to hear us preach about it and rejoice in it, will they? Many of them know we're here. They see us on TV, don't they? And they know you're here, because me, Joel, Paul, we're here. Do they care to hear and come hear this? All they gotta do is probably hear about 10 minutes of either one of us three preaching, and they'll say, I'm not gonna go listen to that, huh?

Why, because they don't, but he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. Now I've said all of that to get to this verse, because this verse deals with our subject. The truth, let me quote it right, the truth about the mind. That's what we're talking about, right? Look, for who hath known the mind of the Lord.

Now, generally, what do we do? We show blessings, generally, there are exceptions, but we generally show blessings to people that bless us back. Now, come on, I'm not trying to pick on anybody here. If somebody gets you a Christmas gift, what are the first things you think you need to do? Get them one too. Huh, all right, or they give you a birthday gift. Well, I need not to forget theirs.

Now, don't we? Because we're built that way. God doesn't do that. Aren't you glad God didn't save us that way? That we had to give him something first and he'd give us something back? We were antagonistic toward his gift. The gift, the son of God. That one who condescended and became what? Flesh. In everything that we are except for one thing, sin. Sin. But look, for who hath known the mind of the Lord that we may instruct him? The answer is rhetorical, nobody. Nobody, right? That's what we read in Romans 11. Nobody. You can't figure out God.

As I've already quoted our brother Isaiah, my ways are above your, my thoughts are above your thoughts. But then look at this amazing thing. But, this is counter distinction. But, we have, what's that say? Are you reading it? But we have the mind of Christ. If you're not reading it, do you hear what I just read? But we have the mind of Christ. Have you ever thought to yourself, I wonder what in the world that means. Have you? I have. And you know the sad thing is, it's all throughout this book. And we usually pass right by it. Is anybody interested in hearing a few of them before we close?

Now, come on. Raise your hand if you are. Come on. Don't stop. Raise your hand if you are. It's OK. You're nothing but rebelling and trying to be your own person when you don't do that. That's right. Do you want to know what this is? This ain't me revealing something to you. It's been in God's word since God's word's been around. So do you want to know? The mind of Christ, we have that. It says we does. It says we do. Yes, right? You want to know, I will give you the references. God willing, they're being recorded. You can run the references later. You can see their context. But here's what it is. I want to give you seven of them.

What is the mind of Christ? It is a willing mind, 1 Corinthians 8, 12. It's that simple. Because before God saved me, I was not willing, right? Oh, willing to do my own thing, but not to submit to God. It is a willing mind, 2 Corinthians 8, 12. It is a ready mind, 2 Corinthians 8, 19. That's pretty simple, ain't it? But you know how many years I've passed by that and didn't even recognize it, huh? Because there's still that love of free will that's down in there. My mind, my will. No, it's God that works in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure. If he don't, we will not ever. It's a willing mind.

2 Corinthians 8, 12. The ready mind, 2 Corinthians 8, 19. It receives God's word with readiness of mind, Acts 17, verse 11, and humility of mind, Acts 20, verse 19. It is a fervent mind toward other believers, 2 Corinthians 7, 7. It is a forward, or that is, ready mind to help other believers, 2 Corinthians 9, 12. It is a lowly or modest mind, Philippians 2, verse 3. It is a sound or disciplined, self-controlled mind, 2 Timothy 1 verse 7. It is a mind which can be renewed, that is renovated, freshened up, freshened up by the truth of God's mercy to sinners, Romans 12 verses 1 through 3.

And I've just scratched the surface, okay? Scratched the surface. But here I'm going to admonish us with this. Any thoughts, okay? What's the thought? Where do the thoughts come from? Physically, they come from where? Where do your thoughts come from? Your mind, your brain. Where do your thoughts come from? Your inner mind, your spiritual thoughts, your religious thoughts. Where do they come from? The inner thoughts. Any thoughts that is a mind. Contrary to these things, what then should I call it? Flesh, right? Flesh. So a summary to all these facts.

The mind is more than the brain in a believer. It's more that in an unbeliever. But I am speaking mainly for the benefit and the help, the hope of a believer. The mind is more than the brain in a believer. It is according to Isaiah 26, listen to this. You don't have to turn to it, but listen to the words. Isaiah chapter 26, I'll read you the verses. The mind is more than brain in a believer, it is confidence in God himself. Isaiah 26 puts it this way.

In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah. This is the illustration through Israel, the believers in Israel. The same's true for us. In the land of Judah we have a strong city. Salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks. Open ye the gates that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth, keepeth it. You know what that means? Keepeth it. Put it in here. That's what it is. Aren't you glad it doesn't say keepeth the law? But keepeth what? Keepeth the truth may enter in.

Thou will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee. Even when all hell breaks loose, and your fleshly, physical mind gives up, and murmurs, and complains, and doubts. That mind of Christ does what? Trusts God.

Do you see it? Here's the second. The mind is fallen. Second Corinthians, as I said, you don't have to turn to it. I want you to listen to God's word. Second Corinthians chapter four is where it's at. Let me find the passage, and I'll make the statement. Pardon me. 2 Corinthians 4. The mind is fallen, and only Christ can deliver it. Do you hear what I said? The mind is fallen, and only Christ can deliver it.

Therefore, seeing we have this ministry, this service of God, as we have received mercy, we faint not. We don't give up. We don't give out. but have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not working in craftiness, not handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. And I will say this, as God is my witness, I have given you that truth this morning.

I've told us the truth about ourself, even though it hurts. It's embarrassing, is it not? Huh? It's embarrassing. But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are what? Lost. Now guess who was lost at one time? Every one of us in here, wasn't we? But then look, in whom the God of this world hath blinded the what? the minds of them which believe not.

Well, they don't have to have it in their mind, just in their heart. You cannot separate those two. This ain't all about emotion. It's about how you think, too. How you really think every day of your life. In whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ who is the image of God should shine to them.

So evidently there's this big roadblock against our what? Minds when we're lost, right? And we can't get rid of it. We can't circumvent it. We can't go around on a bypass from it. We're stuck under because the God of this world had us blinded, where? In our minds, but look. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.

For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts. Just like when God said let there be light in the beginning physically, when he says let there be light to an individual in their soul, in their spirit, in their heart, in their mind, guess what happens? Light will shine and darkness cannot stop it. For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness has shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, where? in the face of Jesus Christ, that man who's like us.

That's what it's all about. Here's the third one. There is that transcendent mind. Turn to Jeremiah 29. Jeremiah 29. I'm closing with this. We'll close and have a song. There is the transcendent mind. Tried to give us a scriptural reference, kind of sum it up. All three of these points, here's the third one. There is that transcendent mind. Listen to Jeremiah 29. And guess what? It ain't our mind, right? It ain't our mind, okay? Look at it.

Verse 10, for thus saith the Lord, Now, I know this is reference to Israel. Remember, what God did for Israel, even physically, is a illustration, a metaphor, a figure of what God does for all of his electing Christ spiritual. Look, for thus saith the Lord, that after 70 years be accomplished at Babylon, I will visit you and perform my good word toward you in causing you to return to this place.

Isn't that good? Don't you think that was good news to those Jews who believe God? Uh-huh. Bless God when the 70 years are up, what's happening? We're going back. God said so. Right? Now look, for I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord.

Thoughts of peace and not of evil to give you an expected Aren't you glad it ain't? It don't depend upon. It does not rely upon what we think about God because how faulty are our thoughts about God. What does it rely on? That transcendent mind, doesn't it? Huh?

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me and find me when ye shall search for me with all your heart. Isn't that good news?

I thought it was. You see that place God gathers us unto? As illustrated, what do you think those Israelites who believed God now were thinking about the whole time they were in Babylon? Getting back to the land. Were they not? Even Jeremiah, and this is another message in itself. bought a piece of land off of a cousin, and they put all of the legal deeds in a clay pot and buried it in the ground in Jerusalem.

Why? Because he knew one day, he knew 70 years later that land would be his family's again. Now go back and study that account, son, again. He might even be dead, but bless God, Jack, somebody in the family gonna have it. Why? Because God had promised it. Let me tell you something. God's promised us that. Yeah. You know what the land is that we're gonna be gathered into? It's a person. It's a person. Because even when we go to heaven, right, what's going to be the glory of that place? The lamb that was slain. Isn't that glorious?

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