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In this series of posts I will follow the theme of the Christian mind through the book of Romans. In doing so, I will draw out seven principles for developing a Christian mind, which, I believe, is an essential goal for us.
1. The Christian mind recognises its limitations and worships God
Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgements, and his paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counsellor? (Romans 11:34)
Wisdom, according to several Old Testament verses, begins with the fear of the Lord. At the end of Romans 11, Paul writes a great hymn of praise to God, in which he speaks of God’s superior wisdom, knowledge and understanding. The language is striking. We cannot claim to fully comprehend the mind of God – His ways are beyond our ability to comprehend. Whatever studies we may engage in and qualifications we may achieve, we will always be paddling on the shores of the ocean of God’s infinite knowledge. Whatever skills for life we acquire, we will be like infants in comparison to God’s limitless wisdom. Whatever insight we may gain, we are only scratching the surface of God’s understanding.
The implications of this realisation are clear. When it comes to our relationship with God, it is never one of reciprocity. God is always the giver, we the receivers; He is ever the teacher, we the students. God does not need our advice, our resources or our cooperation. Yet He calls us to participate with Him, to be His agents in the world. This realisation should cause us to humble ourselves and bow the knee in worship. It should also cause us to redirect our efforts in learning to discover more of who God is. Sadly many Christians excel in academic studies or develop impressive skills in trades and business, but they remain infants in their knowledge of God and His ways. We acquire all sorts of knowledge about news, entertainment and celebrity gossip, but we don’t always know how to respond to issues in a distinctively Christian way. My hope in this series of posts is to give some pointers towards developing a Christian mind so that we can think ‘Christianly’ in every aspect of our lives.
To develop a Christian mind we must first acknowledge our own limitations and worship God. If we are to develop Christian minds we will need revelation from God Himself.