What's On Your Mind?
2 Corinthians 11:3 says
…and Colossians 3:2 says
Just like a computer, a mobile telephone has a certain amount of space within it for storing information, such as ringtones, pictures, games, etc. Some mobiles have different amounts of space (known as ‘memory’) for each different category, but many, like my friend Andy’s, have what is known as dynamic memory. This means that the mobile just has one big space. So, for instance, you may have to delete some pictures in order to have space for a game.
Our minds too are dynamic. No-one can remember everything they have ever learnt, and some things disappear altogether, because we have never used them, or called upon them, since learning them.
If taking things onboard pushes out other things, then we need to be very careful about what we “set our minds on”. In 2 Corinthians 11:3, Paul is suggesting that our minds can be led astray from the things of God by setting them on other things – things which are not pure, lovely, noble, etc. (see Philippians 4:8). In Colossians 3:2, Paul says to do one, not the other; definitely not both. In a manner of speaking, the text infers that you can’t do both – if your mind is on earthly things, then you will be “led astray from your…devotion to Christ.”. If your mind is on the things of God, then you will have no interest in those earthly things which are contrary to His Word and His ways.
After all, God’s first Commandment is to “love The Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind.”, as Jesus Himself reminded us (Luke 10:27).
“But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning,
your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to
Christ.”
…and Colossians 3:2 says
“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”
Just like a computer, a mobile telephone has a certain amount of space within it for storing information, such as ringtones, pictures, games, etc. Some mobiles have different amounts of space (known as ‘memory’) for each different category, but many, like my friend Andy’s, have what is known as dynamic memory. This means that the mobile just has one big space. So, for instance, you may have to delete some pictures in order to have space for a game.
Our minds too are dynamic. No-one can remember everything they have ever learnt, and some things disappear altogether, because we have never used them, or called upon them, since learning them.
If taking things onboard pushes out other things, then we need to be very careful about what we “set our minds on”. In 2 Corinthians 11:3, Paul is suggesting that our minds can be led astray from the things of God by setting them on other things – things which are not pure, lovely, noble, etc. (see Philippians 4:8). In Colossians 3:2, Paul says to do one, not the other; definitely not both. In a manner of speaking, the text infers that you can’t do both – if your mind is on earthly things, then you will be “led astray from your…devotion to Christ.”. If your mind is on the things of God, then you will have no interest in those earthly things which are contrary to His Word and His ways.
After all, God’s first Commandment is to “love The Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind.”, as Jesus Himself reminded us (Luke 10:27).
posted by Brickbat | 1:57 PM
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