Thinking! - what a glorious activity

What is thinking?

Thinking is such a rewarding and such a thrilling activity. The word capitalism comes from the roman word caput, which means “head”.

Even though we will focus here on the difference between Greek thinking and Biblical or "spiritual" thinking is is till important to know thanking thinking and understanding are good things in all realms.

Capitalism and all the advances we have seen in the world comes from thinking, realizing and understanding. All progress is the result of thinking and understanding. Technology is just that, knowledge, understanding and hopefully some wisdom.

Before we deal with the technicalities of thinking, we must therefore first define the goal of thinking, which is UNDERSTAND, to KNOW and to COMPREHEND.

Understanding, Knowing and Comprehending

Consequences of not comprehending

44. Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.”45. And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.

Luke 24:44-45

1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.2. He was in the beginning with God.3. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.4. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.5. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

John 1:1-5

23. “But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

Matthew 13:23

Greco-Roman

We are living in the Greco-Roman, Judeo-Christian world, and we will need to get clear about the difference between Greek thinking and Biblical thinking. The western world has merged these two realms with some success in the natural but at quite a devastating “spiritual” cost.

Spirit is Spirit

Jesus said in John 3 that what is born of the Spirit is spirit.

We need to realize that what we have been taught at school and University on how to learn, think and understand, is Greek, and it is per definition not "spiritual".

Its clear form Scripture that the Spirit of God wants to inhabit our minds hearts and souls. The inhabiting of the Spirit will transform us away from our western ways and into Christ and the Spirit.

Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit.

19. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?20. For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

The Brain

Joseph Le Doux said “The brain is a machine that only a ghost can operate”. One cant help to think that he was touching on this matter of God's Spirit wanting to live inside of us.

The brain is not the mind and neither is it the spirit. It appears though that the mind is somehow housed in the brain, but how does the brain, the mind the soul and the human spirit relate. How do they combine to form the “heart” of man.

Much is said in the bible about the function and the role of the heart and to keep it and guide it.

The Bible calls the inner working of a man, the “heart”, and many things flow from the heart. More about the heart a bit later.

Unspiritual Christians

Strangely, not all Christians enjoy "spiritual things. Many are happy to remain in the Greek world of memorization and logic and reason. These end up focusing on teaching and on doctrine and correct exegesis just like the Pharisees. Jesus did not commend them for it.

39. “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.40. “But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.41. “I do not receive honor from men.42. “But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you.

John 5:39-42

Biblical thinking, as is promulgated by the Holy Spirit is very different to the Greek or European/American world we have grown up in. This world is also known as “the West”.

God’s thinking is eternal, transcendent and most importantly it forms Christ inside of us. That is the definition of spiritual understanding.

The wisdom of God vs the wisdom of the world

6. However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.7. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory,8. which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.9. But as it is written:

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,

Nor have entered into the heart of man

The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

10. But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.11. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.12. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.13. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.14. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.15. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one.16. For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

1 Corinthians 2:6-16

Praying in the Spirit brings the mind of God into us that we may “know”

26. Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.27. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.28. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.29. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.30. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

Romans 8:26-30

15. Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,16. do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers:17. that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,18. the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,19. and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power

Ephesians 1:15-19

Renewing the spirit of your mind

23. and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,

Ephesians 4:23

The Heart

The heart is the inner part of man form which spring the thoughts and intents and the good and evil. The heart is often the place where we receive Christ, His Spirit, His wisdom and where our transformation happens.

20. My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings.

21. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart;

22. For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh.

Proverbs 4:20-22

The heart must be searched by the Spirit

27. The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord, Searching all the inner depths of his heart.

Proverbs 20:27

The heart guides the mouth

33. “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.34. “Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.35. “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.36. “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.37. “For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Matthew 12:33-37

The heart must be trained and enthused by the Spirit.

9. But as it is written:

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,

Nor have entered into the heart of man

The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

1 Corinthians 2:9-16

The heart can be blind with devastating consequences

18. having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart;

Ephesians 4:18