“I warned them if they went off to that school it would ruin them. They got education and backslid.” This was the label that some of our church family gave us when we would visit while attending Seminary. Donna and I started our spiritual journey in an ole-time legalistic holiness church—no jewelry, short hair for me, long hair for Donna, and of course no pants for her. We stopped taking medicine and put away our wedding bands so we could be holy. What we learned in school was the truth of the Gospel. We were trained in the correct methods of interpreting scripture—taking scripture in context, not establishing doctrine from verses that were not ageless universal norms, and understanding that scripture is supreme over tradition, etc. I discovered a lot of the legalistic traditions we practiced were not what scripture taught. So we abandoned the bondages and began living in the freedoms we were discovering in Christ.
The members of our home church loved God but lived by the only teaching they knew. Churches like this still remain today. Doctrinally sound teaching whether at a Bible College, Seminary, local classes, or self-study will change believers simply because they learn the proper way of understanding the Bible. However, there are those who will view the changes as a falling away from the traditional teachings of their church or denomination, thus perceived as backsliding. People can even develop an anti-intellectual attitude thinking all Bible education is bad. Such people work off the notion that you believe what you are told, and never give thought to anything different. However, God does not expect our brain to go into neutral when we receive salvation. Jesus said the greatest commandment was ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND’ (Mat 22:37). Note the last word—mind. Yes, the mind is the thing we think with, we reason with, we learn with, and how we gain knowledge of Christ. A lot of difficulties in life would be solved if Christians would just use the brain God gave them.
Mind and understanding are two important words in the New Testament, together used over 300 times in their various forms. In connection with these words is knowledge, which is found approximately 400 times. Luke uses the first two describing what Jesus did for the disciples just prior His Ascension. Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures (Luke 24:45). Paul tells us that we are to be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Rom 12:2). Peter writes His divine power grants everything we need for life and godliness through the true knowledge of Him (2 Pet 1:3). He adds, we escape the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord (2:20). This knowledge is not merely the rote accumulate of information, but rather it is the intimate knowledge of Jesus we gain from Scripture and the Holy Spirit then integrate in our daily life. The word translated knowledge indicates a relation between the person knowing and the object known (Vine). For Christians, knowledge and understanding is not dependent on human logic and reason alone; the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, is working in our minds both guiding and teaching.
As we gain true knowledge, we may realize not everything we have learned is what the Bible teaches. At this point, we need to let go of unbiblical traditions and incorrect doctrines and beginning living out the truth of scripture. Sadly, many believers continue living in bondage because they refuse to change their beliefs regardless of what scripture teaches. Thus, they are refusing to love the LORD with all their mind.
You might ask why it is so hard for people to accept the truth. Change is always difficult plus added to this is peer pressure by fellow believers and church family not to change. We fear of rejection. Yet, we have to ask ourselves, “Who am I seeking to please?”—Jesus or my peers. Living by unbiblical traditions and incorrect doctrines bring bondage and fear. The true knowledge of Him brings the freedom to live according to Biblical principles. The mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace (Rom 8:6). Note however, freedom in Christ through knowing and understanding the Bible does not eliminate standards of conduct and ethics. Instead, it teaches us how to conduct our lives by the morals Jesus established. When you accept the true knowledge of Him, it eliminates the fruitless efforts to please other people in order to feel secure.
Today, I wear my wedding band and my Seminary ring. I do not live a ‘free-for-all’ and ‘do anything’ lifestyle because of my freedom in Christ, but my freedom allows me to use my mind and to live a life that glorifies Him.
Sustaining Word for the Week: LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD . . . WITH ALL YOUR MIND. You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free (John 8:32).