Avoiding Mindless Living - Part 1
1) 11-11-07…..AM…..SBC 2)
“Avoiding Mindless Living”
Part 1
Colossians 1:9-14
Introduction: “The mind is a terrible thing to waste.”
1- The mind is a terrible thing to waste because to waste the mind is to waste the person.[1]
Mt 15:16 So Jesus said, n“Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? 18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. 20 These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”[2]
Cultural Proverb
Sow a thought, reap an act
Sow an act, reap a habit
Sow a habit, reap a character
Rom 8:5 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, the things of the Spirit.[3]
2- The most tragic expression of a wasted mind is a mind that does not have a zeal for God
Illustration: Rene Descartes “I think therefore I am”
- Descartes, after struggling with philosophical though in the 1600’s, came to a conclusion that he was going to doubt everything he could. The only thing he was not going to doubt was the fact that he doubted.
- “The ultimate form of idolatry worship, like Descartes, is to reject the mind of God in Scripture and worship at the altar of one’s own independent thinking.”
Transition: Paul’s prayer for the Colossians was to avoid mindless living by…
1) Obtaining Wisdom & Spiritual Understanding
Ø the connection between this prayer report and Paul’s thanking God for them (v1-8) is embedded in the phrase “from the day which we heard of it”
(ἀφʼ ἧς ἡμέρας ἠκούσαμεν)
Ø this prayer is on the basis of all the evidences of God’s grace in the lives of the Colossians as described in verses 3–8[4]
Ø this tells us of the spiritual condition of the church
A- Paul asked God to make known His will to the Colossians through wisdom and spiritual understanding v9b
1- Paul’s word for ask constitutes: “request, beg. The seeking by the inferior from the superior (Acts 12:20); by a beggar from the giver (Acts 3:2); by the child from the parent (Matt. 7:9); by man from God (Matt. 7:7; James 1:5; 1 John 3:22).”[5]
2- Grammatically Paul it telling us that the way to God’s will is through wisdom and spiritual understanding
· they are the instruments to bring one into knowing the will of God
3- grammatically “fill” is in the passive voice showing Paul’s theology of wisdom and understanding are only something given by God
· have we not all, like Paul, prayed to God to give us wisdom and understanding
B- Wisdom and Spiritual Understanding v9b
1- Wisdom
a- possibly a refuting of Gnosticism or at least an early form of it
1. not a mystical knowledge only known by the elite
2. a knowledge based on the Gospel centered on the Preeminence of Jesus Christ
3. acts done in the body were not important because it was the mind that they were after
b- this wisdom is penetrating insight into God’s wonderful, redemptive revelation in Jesus Christ,[6]
c- this clear knowledge (ἐπίγνωσις) is heart-transforming and life-renewing.[7]
d- this type of knowledge referenced by Paul would have been in stark contrast to the wisdom proclaimed by the false teachers in Collossi
2- Spiritual Understanding
a- “Paul desired that God would allow the saints to discern God’s desires for them.”[8]
Ø Paul shows in this verse that attaining wisdom and understanding cannot come through human endeavors, but is only a result of God
Transition to Application:
- Knowing the will of God, according to Paul, comes through a proper wisdom and spiritual understanding
- proper wisdom and spiritual understanding that is based on the fear of God lead us to shape a Christian Worldview of life
Application: Christian Worldview
1- Developing a Christian worldview
A- much of building a Christian Worldview involves “map building”
1. it is constructing a biblical grid or map for navigating in the world
Illustration: Candy Land – Candy Cane Forest, Princess Frostine, Gum Drop Mountain,
Lord Licorrice, Grandma Nutt
- You don’t know how to get to Candy Land if you don’t follow the Grid
2- we don’t know how to get to our “Candy Land”, ie. the
glory of God, if we don’t follow the map.
B- all of the fundamental doctrines of the Bible are important
1. the most important fundamental doctrine is the Trinity because it presupposes that you have a Deity – Deut 6
2. this fundamental doctrine turns into our reason for living
a. he is the center of everything that we live for
b. all finite things fall into place when we realize they can be used as a tool to glorify God
2- If God is infinitely valuable and worthy of our worship then it is His grid or map that must be placed over our lives
* this was the only way for the Colossians to be able to discern the will of God
A- this submission to God must come from the right heart motivation
Orthodoxy – right doctrine
· you can have the right doctrine and not live rightly
Orthopraxy - right conduct
· you can do the right thing for the wrong reason
· little boy – “I’m sitting down on the outside but I’m standing
up on the inside”
Orthopathy – right affections, desires, loves
3- We cannot have a Biblical or Christian worldview apart from God
A- Our Christian Character is based largely then on our Spiritual thoughts
1. Christian Character is based on our spiritual wisdom and understanding of God
Illustration: John Owen - Puritan (1616-1683)[9]
- Spiritual thoughts are either like guests visiting a hotel or like children who live in a home
· occasional spiritual thoughts are like the guests of a hotel that come and go
· spiritual thoughts that come from true spirit living are like the children who live in the home – always expected and sought after when missing
Ø How frequent are your spiritual thoughts?
Ø How defined is your spiritual grid?
Ø Throughout our time together we are going to have opportunities to challenge our minds
· Men’s and Women’s Bible Studies
· Parenting Classes
· Music Ensembles and Arrangements
· Personal Devotions
· Wednesday Prayer Meeting
- Are you going to use these opportunities to create a Christian Worldview?
Conclusion:
1- We must make create our Christian Worldview the way we making coffee
- the water drains through the coffee grounds until the flavor of the coffee beans has transferred to the water which is then called coffee
- So we must cycle our thoughts through the grounds of God’s Word until we start to think and act like God would
Avoid mindless living by focusing your mind on a proper Christian Worldview!
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[1] MacArthur, Thinking Biblically, p38
n Matt. 16:9; Mark 7:18
[2]The New King James Version. 1982 (Mt 15:16-20). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
[3]The New King James Version. 1982 (Ro 8:5). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
[4]Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. (1953-2001). Vol. 6: New Testament commentary : Exposition of Colossians and Philemon. Accompanying biblical text is author's translation. New Testament Commentary (55). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.
[5]Zodhiates, S. (2000, c1992, c1993). The complete word study dictionary : New Testament (electronic ed.) (G154). Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers.
[6]Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. (1953-2001). Vol. 6: New Testament commentary : Exposition of Colossians and Philemon. Accompanying biblical text is author's translation. New Testament Commentary (57). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.
[7]Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. (1953-2001). Vol. 6: New Testament commentary : Exposition of Colossians and Philemon. Accompanying biblical text is author's translation. New Testament Commentary (57). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.
[8] Colossians 1:9-14, Greek Exegesis Paper: Luke Akins, p5.
[9] Thiking Biblically, MacArthur: p46.