What Goes Through the Mind (διανοίᾳ)
Under the Mosaic Law, Israel was instructed to love their God with all their heart (center of a person), soul (emotions), strength, and what goes through their minds – Luke 10:27. Israel failed this, but God will make a new covenant with them in which He will put His law in their thoughts, not just in the mind, but in what goes through the mind, Hebrews 8:10; 10:16).
For Christians, before salvation we walked according to the age of this world system following the desires of the flesh and of all that went through our minds and were by nature children of wrath (Ephesians 2:3). This produced a hostility within the thoughts towards God (Colossians 1:21). Now we are not to walk as the unsaved in the futility of the mind with our thoughts darkened (Ephesians 4:18) for God has manifested the light of the knowledge of Christ in our hearts (2 Corinthians 4:6). Because the Son of God has come, the thoughts going through our mind can know Him and therefore know the truth (1 John 5:20).
So then let us gird up our thoughts, keep a clear mind, and completely hope upon the grace to come at the appearance of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:13). Hope is always based upon a promise. The promises we have from God impact our everyday life. We are His children (1 John 3:2). We are of the light (Ephesians 5:8). We are free from slavery to the sin nature (Romans 6:14). We are overcomers in Christ so when Satan tries to manipulate us, we are to stand in Christ against him (1 Peter 5:9). We are in the world, but we are not out from the world and therefore are to use it but not abuse it (1 Corinthians 7:31).
Understanding our thought life is very important. There are many different areas that try to influence our thoughts, especially with the world system. Remember, it is designed to keep the unsaved pacified by the desires of the flesh and eyes and the pride of biological life. Along with it, our sin nature and Satan also seek to impact our thoughts so that we work out their desires, which if we do them will result in sin. Therefore, it is important to have our minds framed on the things above, so we are seeing things as they truly are. This frame of mind then puts boundaries around what we allow to go through our mind; therefore, when a thought comes into our mind that does not fit into who we are in Christ, we identify its source and apply the proper defense against it, rejecting it so it will not influence our actions. This takes practice, so the more we do it the better we become at identifying desires from the Spirit in contrast to those from the flesh, Satan, or the world system. As part of our salvation, we are now able to think the thoughts of God; therefore, let us take those thoughts and work them out so that we are always acting right and doing what pleases God by using what He has given to us in Christ, while rejecting all others.
Conclusions of the Mind (νόημα)
How a person’s mind works is seen in their actions, which are a result of the conclusions the mind makes. By taking the word for mind and adding a specific ending, the Greek language is expressing the result of the working of the mind, so not just the thoughts, but the conclusions resulting from our thoughts.
As Christians, we are not to be ignorant of the workings of Satan’s mind (2 Corinthians 2:11). In Scripture, the methods that he uses are revealed to us (Ephesians 6:11); therefore, we are to stand firm against him. He also blinds the results of the working of the mind for those who do not believe (2 Corinthians 4:4). When presented with the truth of Scripture, the suppositions of those blinded are incorrect. A good example with this is the Gospel for Salvation, which is clearly stated in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. Yet how many “gospel” tracks modify the message of the gospel to “repenting of your sins”, “making Jesus the Lord of your life” and so on, which are different gospels that are not good news at all (Galatians 1:6).
Due to Israel’s rejection of God’s covenant of promise and seeking their own righteousness, even today, when they read the Old Testament a veil covers the mind (2 Corinthians 3:14) so they do not understand and draw proper conclusions based upon what it states.
We have a renewed mind in Christ, a mind that can understand the things of the Spirit and produces correct suppositions based upon fact so it is able to discern what is the will of God (Romans 12:2). When we do not use this frame of mind, we can be led astray from the simplicity that is in Christ by those who seek to manipulate our conclusions by bringing another Jesus, another spirit, and a different gospel (2 Corinthians 11:3-4).
Because we are the children of God and are saved, His peace protects the suppositions of our mind so that we can live out the life we have in Christ (Philippians 4:7). We reside in this peace, an unruffled mind, by setting our mind on the things above and seeing things as they really are.
Our war is not a physical one, it is for the mind. By using the inherent ability God has given to us in Christ we are able to destroy strongholds within the mind while tearing down everything that is built up against the knowledge of God so that we are making correct conclusions based upon facts, not assumptions based upon false teachings.
For walking in flesh, we do not wage war according to flesh, for the instruments of our warfare are not fleshly, but an inherent ability by the God facing destruction of strongholds while tearing down logics and every high thing lifting itself up against the knowledge of God and taking captive every conclusion of the mind unto obedience of the Christ – 2 Corinthians 10:3-5.
2 Corinthians Our Heavenly Home
Therefore, while being confident always and intuitively knowing that while being at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord. For through faith we walk not through sight. Now, we are confident and are pleased rather to be absent out from the body and to be present facing the Lord.
Revelation The Beast that Was Not and Now Is
The beast which you saw, was and is not and is about to come out from the abyss and he will go into destruction.
2 Corinthians The Things That Are Not Seen Are Eternal
We Speak Because We Believe, 2 Corinthians 4:13-15
Having the same Spirit of faith according to what was written, 2 Corinthians 4:13
Referring to Psalms 116:10
The Author of the Psalm expresses His belief in God
He called out to God, and God saved Him
We Speak Because We Believe
Faith Always Goes Back to a Promise, Hebrews 11:1
The Reason Paul Speaks is Because He Believes God
Not a Belief Built on Presumption, but Actual Fact and Promises From God
Christ was Actually Raised from the Dead on the Third Day According to the Scriptures, 1 Corinthians 15:4
God Really Created a New Man in Which Christ is the Head and the Church is the Body, comprising of Both Jew and Gentile, 2 Corinthians 5:17
We Actually Possess Eternal Life and Therefore All Things Pertaining to Life and godliness, 2 Peter 1:3-4
God Will Raise Us Along with Jesus, 2 Corinthians 4:14
We Don’t Have an Experiential Knowledge Yet, For We Are Not Resurrected
When We See Him We Will Be Like Him, 1 John 3:2
We are Given The Holy Spirit as a Guarantee of Our Full Redemption, Ephesians 1:13-14
The Grace Super Abounding Unto Thanksgiving, 2 Corinthians 4:15
Grace Exists in Abundance
Grace is God’s Attitude Whereby He Gives a Benefit Without Consideration of Merit
Grace Increases Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is an Attitude of Gratitude
The Things Not Seen Are Eternal, 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Although The Body Is Decaying We are Not Cowards, 2 Corinthians 4:16
We Do Not Act In an Improper Way
Our Outer Body is Decaying
Decaying Carries the Meaning of Changing for the Worse, or being Consumed by Rust
Those of a Decaying Mind, 1 Timothy 6:5
Our Inner Man is Being Renewed Day by Day
In Our Inner Man We Delight in the Law of God, Romans 7:22
We are Strengthened in the Inner Man by The Holy Spirit, Ephesians 3:16
The Ease of How Tribulation Comes Upon Us, 2 Corinthians 4:17
Tribulation super abounds with ease towards us
The Ease or Lightness of Tribulation Concerning Us
Same Word is Used of Christ’s Yoke, Matthew 11:20
It Works Out a Super Abounding Eternal Weight of Glory
Suffering For Good is a Thing of Grace, Philippians 1:29
When We Suffer for Doing What is Right, We Suffer Correctly, 1 Peter 3:17
We Live Out from Faith, Not by Sight, 2 Corinthians 4:18
Scoping Out – Paying Close Attention To
Jesus Warning The Jews Concerning The Light In Them, Luke 11:35
Watching Those Who Cause Divisions, Romans 16:17
Watching Yourself When Helping Another Caught in a Trespass, Galatians 6:1
Not Just Watching Out for Yourselves, but Also for Others, Philippians 2:4
Follow Those who Walk Properly in the Lord – Scope Them Out and Walk as They Walk, Philippians 3:17
The Things that Can be Glanced At
Faith is the Evidence of Accomplished Deeds that Cannot be Glanced At, Hebrews 11:1
We See the Results, But Cannot Yet See Our Full Redemption
Glancing At How We Walk, Ephesians 5:15
Glancing at Yourself to Make Sure No One is Taking You Captive Through Philosophy or Empty Deceit by the Traditions of Men, Colossians 2:8
If we Hope for What We See, We Have No Hope, But If for What We Do not See, We Have Patience, Romans 8:25
We Cannot Yet Look at the Things That Are Eternal, But We Can See Them
Scripture Reading
And having this same Spirit of faith according to what was written, “I believed, wherefore I spoke”. Also, we believe, wherefore we speak. We intuitively know that the One Who raised the Lord Jesus also will raise us through Jesus, and He will present with you. For these things are because of you, in order that the grace while super abounding through the many, it should increase the thanksgiving unto the proper opinion of God.
Wherefore, we are not cowards, but since also our outward man is decaying, but the inner is being renewed day and day. For the moment, ease of our tribulation according to a super abounding unto a super abounding eternal weight of glory it is working out in us, while we do not scope out the things glanced at, but the things not glanced at. For the things glanced at are temporary, but the things not glanced at are eternal.
2 Corinthians Held in Earthen Vessels
God Causes Light to Illuminate in Darkness, 2 Corinthians 4:5-6
The Heralding with Authority, 2 Corinthians 4:5
Paul was not presenting Himself to Them
It is Not Through Paul that Light Comes
God is the One Bringing Light, 2 Corinthians 4:6
Through the Gospel for Salvation, 1 Corinthians 15:1-4
The Importance of Truth
Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures
Christ was raised from the dead three days later according to the Scriptures
God is the One Who Illuminates the Heart of Men to the Truth
Let there be Light, Genesis 1:3
The Earth was in a State of Judgment With No Light on the Deep, Genesis 1:2
Lucifer Has Fallen, Isaiah 14:13-14
The Earth Was Judged, 2 Peter 3:5
Having a Proper Opinion of God and Jesus Christ
Rejecting God Brings Darkness, Romans 1:21
The god of this Age Blinds the Minds of the Unsaved to the Gospel of Salvation, 2 Corinthians 4:4
This Gospel has and inherent ability to Save, Romans 1:16
Different from Other Gospels Such as the Gospel of the Kingdom (The Parable of the Sower), Matthew 13:2-8
Speaking to Israel Concerning the Gospel of the Kingdom, Matthew 13:11
The Evil One Snatches the message out from the heart, Matthew 13:19
The Light Brings a Proper Understanding of God through Jesus Christ
We are to be Luminaries by Living Out Christ in Us, Philippians 2:14-16
Held in Earthen Vessels, 2 Corinthians 4:7-12
The Light of the Knowledge of a proper opinion of God in the face of Jesus Christ
It is a Result of the Super Abounding of God’s Inherent Ability, not Ours
Paul is Not Claiming to Be the Source of the Message that Brings Life
This Power Is not from the Flesh
The Impact of the Light of the Proper Opinion of God Through Christ Entering Our Hearts
We Have a Saved Spirit, 1 Corinthians 6:17
We Have a Quality of Divine Fellowship, 2 Peter 1:4
We Can Understand the Things of the Spirit, 1 Corinthians 2:14-16
We Still Have our Sin Nature, But it is Rendered Ineffective in Christ, Romans 6:6
We Have the Ability to Mature in Christ, Hebrews 5:14
Manifesting the Death of Christ so Others Will Have Life, 2 Corinthians 4:8-10
Pressed (In Tribulation), 2 Corinthians 4:8
But Not Restrained
The Corinthians Were Restraining Themselves Because of Their Feelings, 2 Corinthians 6:12
Despairing (Without Resources)
Typically used of Not Understanding
Herod Concerning What to Do With John the Baptist, Mark 6:20
The Two Women At the Grave of Christ on Sunday Morning, Luke 24:4
The Disciples When Christ Stated One of Them Would Betray Him, John 13:21
Paul Concerning the Willingness of the Galatian Christians Rejecting Grace, Galatians 4:20
Not Completely Without
Having No Means By Which You Can See A Way Through
Despairing even life, 2 Corinthians 1:8
Persecuted, but not Abandoned, 2 Corinthians 4:9
Men Abandoned Paul, 2 Timothy 4:16
God Does Not Abandon His Own, Hebrews 13:5
Cast Down, but Not Ruined
Cast down is used of laying a foundation, Hebrews 6:1
Destroyed means to bring something to ruin
Those Who Were Willing to Give All to Follow the Messiah, Mark 8:35
Old Wine skins, Luke 5:37
Carrying Around the Death of Christ In Our Bodies, 2 Corinthians 4:10
Christ Died to Sin Once for All, Romans 6:10
Carrying the Death of Christ in our Bodies
Living as dead ones to the sin nature
Can Only Be Done by Living as Ones Who Are Alive Unto God, Romans 6:11
Christ Abolished Death and Brought Light, 2 Timothy 1:9-10
No Longer I Who Live, but Christ Who Lives In Me, Galatians 2:20
Death Works Out in Us So that Life Works Out In You, 2 Corinthians 4:11-12
Scripture Reading
For we do not proclaim ourselves, but Christ Jesus [is] Lord, and ourselves your servants on account of Jesus, because the God, the One Who said, “Out of darkness light will illuminate”, Who illuminated in our hearts facing the light of the knowledge of the proper opinion of the God in [the] face of Jesus Christ.
But we have this treasure in earth-made vessels, in order that the super abounding of the inherent ability should be from God and not out from us. In all, while being pressed but not being restrained, while despairing but not totally despairing, while being persecuted but not being left behind, while being struck down but not destroyed, always while carrying around the death of the Lord Jesus in the body in order that also the life of Jesus in our body should be manifested. For always, we the living ones, unto death are being delivered because of Jesus in order that also the life of Jesus should be manifest in our mortal flesh, so that the death in us works, but the life in you.