There are a lot of things in this world the impact the way we frame our minds. From the place where we are born, to the country we live in, what job we have, and even what possesses we have. The World wants us to focus on its desires, the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of biological life. Advertisement, social media, news, music are all designed to get us to frame our minds in a certain way. The reason for this is that our actions are a direct result of how we frame our minds, there is simply no way around this. One who is humble in the mind will be more reasonable as one who his prideful will be push and demand his or her way. This is why it is very import for the Christian to pay attention to what the mind is framed on.
The framing of the mind involves setting parameters or boundaries around what you perceive concerning yourself and the world around you. This is not so much what we think about all day, but the limits of what we allow our mind to consider in regards to our actions.
In Colossian, Paul writes that we are to have our minds framed on the things above.
Therefore, since you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of the God, frame your mind on the things above, not upon the things of the earth – Colossians 3:1, 2
Having a wrong frame of mind can lead us to wrong conclusions. Peter was rebuked by the Lord because he had wrong boundaries concerning the Christ (The Messiah).
But having turned He said to Peter, “Get behind me, advisory, you are a scandal to Me because you do not frame your mind on the things of God, but on the things of men” – Matthew 16:23
If we frame our minds of the flesh, we walk by the flesh, which produces death in our lives; however, if our mind is set on the things of the Spirit, we produce life and peace.
For the ones that are [walking] according to flesh, set their minds of the things of the flesh, but the ones [walking] according to Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh [is] death, but the mind set on the Spirit [is] life and peace. – Romans 8:5-6
Does our frame of mind line up with what God says about us?
Therefore, after being justified out from faith, we have peace towards God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we boast upon the hope from God’s proper opinion. – Romans 5:1-2
God says we are righteous before Him out from faith (Romans 1:17), God says we are His children (1 John 3:2), God says we are alive to Him in the Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:15,16; 6:17), God says we are no longer slaves to the sin nature (Romans 6:6), God says we live in the world but are not of the world (John 17:16).
Think on these things today and let them influence your actions throughout the day.
