section 1
How do we practically begin to think Biblically? One would think you just do; you just choose to. But we are talking about a characteristic, foundational, mental framework that involves not only one’s initial, characteristic reaction and later, thought through responses, but more importantly at the core requires a spiritual ability that the dead spirit within us is simply not capable of i corinthians 2:14 romans 8:7 without God directly interceding to give us the spiritual ability to think His way i john 2:27 romans 8:5 . Good News!!! This was accomplished by Jesus in reconciling us to God so that He can justly romans 8:1-4 , graciously titus 2:11-12 and cooperatively ii peter 1:3-5 isaiah 1:19 transform us from the inside out jeremiah 31:33 .
reference scriptures
The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.
But the anointing that you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as His anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in Him.
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age...
His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge...
For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put My law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
my notes:
section 2
For our purpose in this portion we will focus on how we cooperatively acquire this new way of thinking. Again, we can’t just think Biblically any more than a cow can choose to think like an eagle. Thinking like God, thinking Biblically requires the knowledge, wisdom and understanding to even begin to think a matter through from Truth, through Truth and to Truth romans 11:36 . One does not just choose to think Biblically anymore than one just chooses to think like a nuclear physicist. We have to gain knowledge, wisdom and understanding to begin, carry on, and ultimately think like the Lord i corinthians 2:10-16 .
reference scriptures
For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever. Amen.
...these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit Who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. "For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct Him?" But we have the mind of Christ.
my notes:
section 3
So how do we actively participate in the wonder of transformation that the Lord is accomplishing in us philippians 1:6 from an ignorant, foolish, selfish mind to a knowledgeable, wise, and understanding mind? It begins with the fear of the Lord proverbs 1:7, 9:10 and ends in love i john 4:18 galatians 5:6 which both are acquired by Truth psalm 19:7-9 i peter 1:22 , more specifically the necessary Truth of God’s Word john 17:17 ii peter 1:3 . We must be active in God’s Word, participating in Truth, by means of three path-setting habits if we want to learn to think how God thinks: Study of Scripture, Practice of Scripture, and the Fellowship of Scripture ezra 7:10 . Each of these interact and add to each other as an essential complete system. If you take any individual part out the others will not function properly and not grow properly until all three habits take root in our lives.
reference scriptures
And I am certain that God, Who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether.
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him Who called us to His own glory and excellence...
Now Ezra had determined in his heart to study the law of the LORD, obey it, and teach its statutes and ordinances in Israel.
my notes:
section 4
study/meditate on the scriptures
knowledge
Knowledge is knowing the Truth. Truth is not facts about trivia or opinion, but Truth is about the reality of God and all that flows from Him. How can we know the Truth unless we actually acquire the Truth john 8:31-32 romans 10:14 ? We study the Scriptures to rightly think on them jeremiah 23:36 so we can begin to perceive the unseen reality of God, His ways, His will, His heart, His purpose, etc. psalm 119:15 The Scriptures were written to teach us romans 15:4 and to stir us to wholesome…uh hem…whole-sum…thinking ii peter 3:1 philippians 4:8 psalm 119:130 . So, it is for us to carefully work at learning the Truth of the Scriptures ii timothy 2:15 and to meditate on them so that we actively participate with God gaining the insight of Truth ii timothy 2:7 .
reference scriptures
To the Jews who had believed Him, Jesus said, "If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. Then you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free."
How then will they call on Him in Whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of Whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?
But you must not mention ‘a message from the LORD’ again, because each one’s word becomes their own message. So you distort the words of the living God, the LORD Almighty, our God.
For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.
Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking.
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.
The unfolding of Your Words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the Word of Truth.
my notes:
section 5
practice/live the scriptures
wisdom
Wisdom is knowing the Truth with the ability to justly put it to action. Truth that is not active is actually another form of deception james 1:22-25 , the very opposite of Truth, but probably the most deceptive kind as it has the form of Truth, but no substance psalm 36:1-4 psalm 50:16-17 . It is good to have noble intent, but it is the doing of those noble principles by which one actually stands isaiah 32:8 . So, meditating on the Scriptures isn’t truly meditation until it effects a literal response of faith-driven obedience from us joshua 1:8 romans 1:5 . It is the practice of what we are meditating on that makes us literally grow in our ability to discern what is best in the eyes of the Lord hebrews 5:11-14 philippians 1:9-11 and results in the grace of His Word blessing our lives james 1:25 philippians 4:9 psalm 119:14 .
reference scriptures
Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the Word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
my notes:
I have a message from God in my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before their eyes. In their own eyes they flatter themselves too much to detect or hate their sin. The words of their mouths are wicked and deceitful; they fail to act wisely or do good. Even on their beds they plot evil; they commit themselves to a sinful course and do not reject what is wrong.
But to the wicked God says: "What right have you to recite My statutes or take My covenant on your lips? For you hate discipline, and you cast My words behind you.
Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
Through Him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for His name’s sake.
my notes:
About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the Word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.
But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
my notes:
section 6
fellowship in the scriptures
understanding
Understanding is the ability to take Truth and justly put it to action to meet the eternal need of another so that God may be glorified, others benefitted proverbs 18:2 , and building-up-love may have the best opportunity to be universally mutual romans 1:11-12 . Understanding really is the culmination of meditation and practice as it is the circular-producing fruit of relationship ii corinthians 1:12-14 philippians 3:10-11 . You really cannot truly know or experience the surpassing greatness of a relationship with the Lord philippians 3:8 unless you are fellowshipping with others through Biblical faith philemon 6 galatians 5:14 . We grow up TOGETHER as we take the Truth and apply it towards each other for another’s benefit ephesians 4:15 . Hence, understanding of God and each other grows from knowledge and wisdom, but also knowledge is added to when we are wise and understand more; wisdom as well grows as knowledge and understanding are applied and so again understanding grows all the more when all three path-setting habits work in harmony together.
So, applying the Scriptures, not neglecting them, in these three facets produces the change in our thinking that makes thinking like God delightful romans 12:2 psalm 119:16 .
my notes:
For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.
Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity and godly sincerity. We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom but on God’s grace. For we do not write you anything you cannot read or understand. And I hope that, as you have understood us in part, you will come to understand fully that you can boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of the Lord Jesus.
I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of His resurrection and participation in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.
my notes:
I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ.
For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.
my notes:
Scripture quotations taken from one or more of the following versions as noted:
ESV = The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.
NIV = The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973 1978 1984 2011 by Biblica, Inc. TM Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NLT = The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
NASB = NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE(R), Copyright (C) 1960,1962,1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
HCSB = Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Used by Permission HCSB ©1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 Holman Bible Publishers. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®, and HCSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.
NKJV = New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.