Christian Living

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II Corinthians 10:4-5 tells us to "bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ." This means to think in conformity to the thoughts and examples of the Lord. Now, none of us, of course, will ever think entirely like Him because God's ways are past finding out and His thoughts are on a higher level than ours.

However, Romans 12:1 challenges each believer to be transformed by the renewing of the mind. It is possible to literally reprogram one's thinking, both from a spiritual and scientific perspective. The wonders and workings of the human brain are astronomical!

The problem is, when a person becomes a Christian and takes on a new spiritual nature, the mental or thinking part is not automatically changed along with it. Conscious attention must be given to seeing change that is in conformity to the new spiritual nature. One of the main goals of every believer needs to be the continual transformation of our thinking, to bring it captive to the obedience of Christ. What is the opposite of captive? Well, of course, it is freedom, but it can also mean running rampant, following the course of the godless culture. Our thinking must constantly be brought into check.

There is a story about a man who had two dogs. One dog was named Flesh; the other was named Spirit. These two dogs were always getting into fights. One day someone asked the gentleman which dog usually wins. His response was, "The one I feed the most."

We start by feeding our minds and hearts on God's word and interpreting it correctly, both in the textual and cultural context. Much damage has been done by not interpreting or applying the Word of God properly. We must know what scripture teaches to think like Christ.

Along with this, though, we must not allow our eyes, ears, and minds to be fed by the godless culture and media. This is where things begin to break down. It really does little good to read and know what Scripture teaches if a person is, at the same time, looking at the wrong kinds of movies, TV programs, video games, or magazines, or listening to the wrong kind of music, conversations, jokes, or gossip.

If we want to see our thinking truly transformed, we need to have a disciplined thought life and shelter it from everything that is counterproductive to God's teaching. That is not always easy or fun to do. It's not popular and goes against peer pressure. People may label you as being self-righteous or legalistic, and that you are taking the fun out of life. There is a price to be paid, but the question is...

Which dog are YOU feeding the most?

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