Renewing Your Mind: The Dynamics of Christian Trasformation

Renewing Your Mind:
The Dynamics of Transformation
By
Dr. Rick Wallace
Published by Odyssey Media Group-Dr. Rick Wallace
Copyright 2012 Dr. Rick Wallace
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Table of Contents
Introduction
You Are What You Think
The Correlation between Mind & Body
The Source of Human View Point
The Source of Divine View Point
The Bible, A Critic of the Thoughts
Areas of mental Attitude
Wordliness
Inner Happiness
Peace of Confidence
Stability
Giving
Love
2 Corinthians : The Mental Attitude Dissertation
Our Spiritual Weapons
The Mental Attitude in Conflict
Summation
Renewing Your Mind:

The Dynamics of Transformation
Introduction
As I observe the plight of the modern day Christian I see believers that are consumed by the
darkness around them. I see professed Christians that have bought into the secular world views
that dominate our society. As followers of Christ we have been given some powerful and
infallible assets to walk this life; however when our thinking is conformed to the thought
processes of those in the world, we lose our power. There are so many believers that are walking
around defeated and overwhelmed by their circumstances. There are too many believers that are
being tossed by every wind of doctrine. Instead of being guided and sustained by the Word of
God, we have become a people driven by emotions.
Too often, I meet Christians that are just waiting for the next great motivating sermon, only to
have their emotions wane over the next several days. Once the emotion has waned, the believer
is back to square one in attempting to deal with all that is going on in their lives. So somewhere
around Tuesday or Wednesday they began to yearn for the next motivational explosion from
their Pastor. Don’t get me wrong, you should be yearning the teaching of the Word. The problem
is not yearning for the next sermon. The problem is that in some way this believer is not
absorbing or inculcating what is being taught by the pastor, they have gotten caught up in the
emotion of it all. It is not the emotion that sustains; it is the Word of God; its promises, its
guidance, its revelation of Christian identity and assets.
Romans 12: 2 is one of the most oft quoted scriptures in the Bible, yet it is one of the most
misunderstood and rarely executed of all scriptures. It is my objective in this short book to unveil
the true meaning and power that is revealed in this scripture, to open up the source of true
transformation and elevation within the Christian life.
I will be drawing from a number of scriptural passages to set the ground work for this revelation
to be unveiled. My ultimate goal will be to get you to understand that “you are what you think”.
Although you are judged by your overt behavior, your behavior is determined by your thought
processes.
So many people wonder why they continue to find themselves in the same situations over and
over again. The answer is simple, whether it is financial ruin, relational issues, emotional issues,
or psychological struggles, the answer is in the way you think. If you want to change your
perpetual situations, change the way you think perpetually.

The Christian life is meant to be lived in victory not defeat, but it requires the believer to take on
“The Mind of Christ” (1 Cor. 2:16). There is a Christian way of thinking that is revealed in
scripture and sustained by scripture through the power of the Holy Spirit. We will visit this in
some detail with the objective of transformation.
Every Christian has before them the power to live in victory, but without the renewal of the
mind, this will become lost potential.
You Are What You Think
Through God’s omniscience He has always known everything we will ever do or think (Heb.
4:13), yet He allows us the volitional freedom (freedom of choice) to make our own decisions.
Although we are given the right to exercise our volition freely, we are held responsible for every
decision, including the things that we allow ourselves to think. Scripture has revealed quite
clearly that our thinking carries great implication, so it is important to grasp the fact that our
thinking is all-important.
7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. (Prov. 23:7, AMP)
Although you are judged by your overt behavior, you are what you think. Your mental attitude;
your thought processes directly influence every aspect of your behavior. Understanding this goes
a long way in bringing about the necessary transformation.
When the Bible refers to thought there are two primary influences by which thoughts are
produced. For the sake of clarity, we will call these two primary conduits the left lobe and the
right lobe of the soul. The Bible always relates our thought patterns to the right lobe of the soul,
which in the Greek is designated “kardia” in the English “heart” and Hebrew “leb”. This is in
contrast to the left or perceptive lobe of the soul, which in the Greek is designated “nous”, and in
the English “mind”. The mind is the staging area of the soul. Quick warning; do not get the
“mind and the “brain” confused. The mind is an immaterial aspect of the soul while the brain is a
material biological organism.
For the sake of definition: The “soul” is that rational, immaterial aspect of mankind
composed of self-consciousness, mentality, volition and conscience. For a more detailed
explanation of the soul you may request a copy of “The Study of the Soul”, which is an in
depth study of the human soul.

When doctrinal knowledge is received through the left lobe (the mind) it is called “gnosis” in the
Greek and “knowledge in the English, and knowledge that is transferred to the right lobe
“kardia” or “heart” is called “epignosis” in the Greek or “full knowledge” in the English.
Though what you are reading now may seem somewhat technical and uninteresting, it lays the
foundation for understanding God’s great design for advancing you in spiritual maturity, while
equipping you to fully execute the Christian way of life.
Knowledge that enters the left lobe is simply academic knowledge, information that has been
learned, but when this knowledge is transferred to the right lobe (heart) through faith (believing
that it is true), by the revelatory power of the Holy Spirit it becomes full knowledge and is ready
to be applied to the Christian way of life.
There are several categories through which this full knowledge will be funneled and stored for
proper and appropriate application: Frame of Reference, Memory Center, Vocabulary Storage,
Categorical Storage, Conscience, Momentum, and Wisdom. Each of these categories play a
major role in the application of acquired knowledge to the real issues of life. This is where the
majority of believers run into trouble. Emotional compulsion doesn’t solve the issues of life,
Bible doctrine does. It is “The Mind of Christ”; the same thinking of divine viewpoint that
sustained Christ through His earthly ministry that will bring you through as you face the
vicissitudes of life. It is not emotionally charged antics or the empty quotation of motivational
phrases that will stabilize and empower you, but the application of Bible doctrine that has been
absorbed, digested, metabolized and inculcated daily that will provide the stability and
confidence necessary to withstand life’s vicissitudes.
When knowledge is transferred from the left lobe (mind) to the right lobe (heart), it becomes
“full knowledge” and is now ready to be applied to the issues of life which constitutes wisdom.
“Doctrine first enters your frame of reference and memory center, the initial staging areas for
retaining and storing information. From there it flows into the vocabulary storage compartment
for developing the ability to think divine viewpoint.
Divine viewpoint is the thinking, value system, and problem solving ability gleaned from Bible
doctrine, an orientation to life based of God’s perspective. We you have oriented yourself to the
proper mindset based on a biblical perspective it will help you avoid major mental pitfalls such
as an arrogance complex, victim’s mentality, or a narcissistic complex. The proper thinking
always reminds you that it’s not about you, but about God’s plan for your life.
Next, doctrine flows into the categorical storage compartment where concepts are organized and
accumulated. From this doctrine norms and standards are created in your conscience. Now, you
can grow and develop momentum in your spiritual life and manifest wisdom; the application of
divine viewpoint to experience.” (R.B. Thieme Jr.)

The objective of this study will be to analyze certain passages of scripture that teach that our
approach to life and the effectiveness of our Christian walk is dependent upon the way you think.
Even physical attractiveness and health can be affected by your thoughts.
The Correlation between the Mind and the Body
Medical science is becoming increasing aware of the correlation between physical health and the
human thought process. We are constantly learning that many illnesses or either a direct result of
psychoses of the mind, or the psychosis exacerbates the matter. This condition is called
psychosomatics. The word itself is made up of two Greek words: “psuche” meaning “soul”, with
emphasis being placed on the mentality, and “soma” meaning “body”.
The principle or concept of psychosomatics is very simple; any fear, worry or anxiety that
creates continuous mental tension will eventually manifest physically within the body. There are
numerous illnesses that are associated with psychoses. I do not mention psychosomatics for the
purpose of addressing any illnesses at this point; I just want to point to the immense power of the
mind. There can be a psychological influence on physiological problems.
This draws us toward the issue we must all face. When we think divine viewpoint through
applied Bible doctrine that is resident in the heart (right lobe) the result is inner peace, relaxed
mental attitude, stability and inner happiness. However, when we choose to think human
viewpoint, we produce mental attitude sins such as pride, jealousy, bitterness, vindictiveness,
implacability, and guilt complexes, which dominate the mentality of the soul and creates selfinduced
misery.
Human viewpoint is any human or satanic system of thinking, values, or problem solving
contrary and diametrically opposed to divine viewpoint, values, and problem solving as revealed
in the Bible.
Let’s take a look at what scripture has to say about the two opposing viewpoints of life:
7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to
the Lord, and He will have love, pity, and mercy for him, and to our God, for He will multiply
to him His abundant pardon.
8 For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says the Lord.

9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My
thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:7-9, AMP)
There are multitudinous mental attitudes among us, but there are only two viewpoints from
which they emerge; divine viewpoint and human viewpoint.
While the unbeliever is only capable of human viewpoint (Eph. 4:18; Col. 1:21), the believer is
capable of both, human viewpoint and divine viewpoint. It is the believer’s ability to perpetually
think divine viewpoint that will allow him to live a victorious life.
Although the believer is not of this world, he is definitely in it (John 15:19) and thereby exposed
to the cosmic views of this world. The believer is bombarded daily with erroneous and fallacious
doctrines designed by Satan to distort his perception of reality and cause him to think contrary to
Divine viewpoint (Col. 2:8, 20-22). The world is pressuring the believer to be like the rest of
humanity, but God requires him to be transformed to His way of thinking (Rom. 12:2).
We have been told over and over throughout life that our decisions have consequences. What has
not been stressed enough is that our thought processes impact our decisions. If what you have
stored away in your heart is human viewpoint then your decision on any issue will reflect that.
However, if you have saturated you heart with the “Mind of Christ” (1 Cor. 2:16) then your
decisions will reflect the will of God and produce the victorious life. Satan uses human or satanic
viewpoint for one reason, to neutralize the Christian life. Without thinking divine viewpoint, the
Christian becomes ineffective in his walk.
The Source of Human Viewpoint
There many factors that influence our thinking; environment, parents, education, culture, history,
traditions, attainments, religion and more. Though designated as such, human viewpoint did not
originate in the human mind. It began with the thinking of Satan that led to his revolt against
God. Satan knows that if he can infiltrate the thinking of believers with his own systems of
thought that He can neutralize them, and they become casualties in the angelic conflict.
The first sign of human viewpoint concerning the human race is seen in the Garden when Satan
cunningly convinced the Women that if she ate of the fruit of Good and Evil she would not die,
but become wise (all-knowing like God).

The Satan-inspired view that man is basically good is another ingenious part of his strategy to
erroneously influence the mind of man. This view that man is basically good in and of himself
does not measure up to what scripture says.
23
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23, NIV)
9
The heart is deceitful above all things
and beyond cure.
Who can understand it? (Jer. 17:9, NIV)
When we begin to believe the lie of Satan that we are inherently good it cultivates arrogance. We
begin to look for things within ourselves that validate our claim to righteousness. This alienates
us from God and neutralizes our power to function under grace and renders us ineffective.
The Source of Divine Viewpoint
16
For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM?
But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Cor. 2:16 NASB)
If you do not take anything else away from this book, please grab hold of this truth: The Bible is
the Only Source of Divine viewpoint. It is the Mind of Christ (John 1:1), the living word,
expressed in written form. When you have not saturated your heart with God’s Word; when you
have not inculcated the very mind of Christ into your heart, how can you possibly respond to any
circumstance or situation in a Christ like manner? The biblical command is to “Let this mind be
in you, which was also in Christ (Phil. 2:5). What mind is this scripture speaking of? It speaks of
the thinking of Christ; divine viewpoint. Christ set the pattern during His earthly ministry. He
used divine viewpoint in every situation.
In order to gain spiritual momentum in the Christian life, positive volition must be exercised
toward divine viewpoint. Bible doctrine must be believed and thereby converted into full
knowledge or spiritual knowledge. As you are beginning to see, your thinking is of immense
concern.

The Victory of Divine Viewpoint
This is where a lot of Christian believers will become upset with me, but in order for there to be
true advancement in the Christian way; in order for there to be true stability and peace, there
must be the revelation of truth. It seems to be the general consensus of believers that once a
person becomes a Christian they must stop using their minds and start depending upon emotional
stimuli as the indicative force in their lives. Most Christians are looking for some emotional or
ecstatic experience to validate their position in Christ and to solidify their hope.
Don’t get me wrong; emotions have their proper place as responsive mechanisms of what is
perceived, but they are not the perceptive mechanism in themselves. Such gross
misunderstanding and misapplication of Scripture comes from the lack of Bible doctrine resident
in the soul (specifically, the heart – right lobe of the soul), and from pastors and bible teachers
that fail to properly teach the Word of God. It has become the acceptable norm to preach to
itching ears rather than disseminating he truth.
When you are encouraged to depend upon your emotions instead of your mind to validate truth
and provide stability, you will find you are living a capricious and instable existence. Anyone
who has studied psychology or sociology will tell you that human emotions are lacking in
endurance; they are hard to maintain for long periods of time. When a person seems to be able to
carry their anger for what seems to be forever, they are not really carrying anger, but some other
mental attitude sin, like resentment or bitterness. The anger itself is simply designed to reveal the
existence of a perceived wrong, and dissipates shortly afterward. Since emotions are not long
endured, they are not suitable for use in maintaining a longevous state of being. The way that
you maintain a consistent state of being is by proper thinking. The way that you maintain proper
thinking is by taking on the mind of Christ.
When you choose to depend on emotional indicators to gauge your position in relation to your
circumstances rather than using your heart and mind to take on the thinking of Christ you will
always be riding the rollercoaster of instability. Those who lack adequate bible doctrine in the
soul to properly influence there thinking and guard their souls from spiritual assault tend to use
substitute systems of survival and false advancement. Systems such as the power of positive
thinking, self-hypnosis (This system is a distorted and diluted doctrine based on [faith rest];
which is the dependence on the promises of God which allows the soul to be stabilized long
enough to draw on the bible doctrine necessary to provide a resolution), for the Christian way of
life. The true Christian way of life is thinking Bible doctrine; taking on the mind of Christ.
16 For who has known or understood the mind (the counsels and purposes) of the Lord so as to
guide and instruct Him and give Him knowledge? But we have the mind of Christ (the
Messiah) and do hold the thoughts (feelings and purposes) of His heart. (1 Cor. 2:16, AMP)

The Christian lifestyle requires toughness, but toughness does not come from emotion nor does it
reside in sublimations. Toughness is a mental state of mind that has been established on
something that cannot be shaken and does not waver in the face of adversity and delay. For the
Christian believer this mental attitude is a reflection of his faith. A faith that is founded in the
Word of God and built as the Word of God is systematically inculcated into the heart. To be able
to view life through divine viewpoint is one of the greatest stabilizing forces that we have at our
disposal. Where emotion, sublimation, and false advancement come miserably short, thinking
divine viewpoint provides unshakable stability.
The Bible, a Critic of the Thoughts
12
For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and
piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge
the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Heb. 4:12, NIV)
We have come to measure ourselves and our thinking, for that matter, by so many external yard
sticks, but the only accurate discerner of what we think is also the only source that can be used to
straighten out our erroneous thinking, and that is the word of God.
23
Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24
See if there is any offensive way in me… (Ps. 139:23-24, NIV)
You must learn to train yourself to measure your thinking through the Word of God. When your
thought processes are placed juxtaposed with scripture do they line up or are they diametrically
opposed? When your thinking lines up with bible doctrine you will have the power, stability,
inner-peace, strength, and inner-happiness (also known as joy, the happiness that is not
transitory) to face every situation in your life with confidence.
Areas of Mental Attitude
There are number of different of areas of mental attitude through which the effectiveness of
Christian living can be impacted.
Worldliness

Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external,
superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its
new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and
acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in
His sight for you]. (Rom. 12:2, AMP)
This verse constitutes a direct command” “Do not be conformed to this world, but be
transformed.” In simple, the command is to not be worldly; however, in order to properly apply
this text you have to have a lucid understanding of the term “worldly’ and its application.
Contrary to the common application, worldliness is not what you do it is what you think.
Worldliness is a mental attitude; it is thinking in any way that is antithetical to the teachings of
the Bible. Worldliness is the thinking of human or world view point.
There are many world views in the world; for too many to mention, but I will list a few to give
you an idea of what the believer is up against on a daily basis.
Atheism – A denial of the existence of a supernatural God.
Darwinism – The theory proposed by Charles Darwin that species gradually evolve into new
species over time due to natural selection. You can also include Evolution and Neo Darwinism is
this category.
Determinism – The belief that events, actions, or decisions are inevitable consequences of
proceeding events or national laws, deny freedom of the human will.
Naturalism – The belief that all reality is fundamentally material and all phenomena can be
explained in terms of natural causes.
Ethical Relativism – The belief that no absolute moral code exists and therefore man determines
what is right in each situation according to his private judgment.
Nihilism – The belief that life has no ultimate meaning.
Religious Pluralism – The conviction that one should be tolerant of all religious beliefs because
no one religion is true.

Secular Humanism – A world view based on atheism and naturalism in which “man is the
measure” of all things; man, not God, is the ultimate norm by which truth and morality are to be
determined.
There are quite a few more; some are a combination of two or more of the ones you see above.
When we examine this we can see how they are diametrically opposed to divine viewpoint, but
we can also see some of the tenets of these worldviews being taught in certain sects of the
Church. The enemy has laboriously pressed to infiltrate the thinking of believers with world
views that distract and misdirect the believer from the thinking of divine viewpoint and thereby
rendering the believer ineffective.
When we are commanded not to be conformed to human viewpoint, it means that we must take
on a new mental attitude. The problem is that there a multitudinous Christians that are very
worldly, yet they are totally unaware of this fact because they do not have an accurate
understanding of Romans 12:2. When they think of worldliness they think of overt behavior.
They look at the practice of religious ritual and sacramental rites to gauge their spirituality. They
look for works of human good to validate their spiritual growth. The problem is that it is not the
act that constitutes worldliness, but the mental attitude that motivates it.
“Be transformed” (Greek “metamorphoo”; present passive imperative) is a continuous process
involving Bible study and the actualization of spiritual potential which builds momentum toward
living the Christian life. Bible doctrine must be present in the right lobe of the soul (the heart), in
order to facilitate this change or transformation. “Be transformed” literally means to change your
thinking or your thought processes. Saturating the heart with Bible doctrine is the defense
mechanism against thinking human viewpoint and perpetuating a worldly life.
1
Therefore if you have been (A) raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where
Christ is, (B) seated at the right hand of God. 2 [a](C) Set your mind on the things above, not on the
things that are on earth… 10 and have (Q) put on the new self who is being [i](R) renewed to a true
knowledge (S) according to the image of the One who (T) created him— (Col. 3:1-2, 10, NASB)
The “things above” are literally the “upward things” which constitutes the sum total of divine
viewpoint. The command is to continue to seek to think and commit to thinking divine
viewpoint. “Set your mind on” is literally, “keep thinking about the upward things”. “Things that
are on earth” is the sum total of human or world viewpoint. This verse gives emphasis to the
believer’s continual mental attitude struggling through human and divine viewpoint.
Inner Happiness

2(C) make my joy complete [b] by (D) being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in
spirit, intent on one purpose. (Phil. 2:2, NASB)
The believer is positionally perfected at the point of salvation. This means that he is placed in
Christ and his positioning in Christ provides positional justification and sanctification; however,
the believer’s soul still has a deficiency; it is empty and must be filled. God’s plan of grace
provides the means for this void to be filled through the saturation of Bible doctrine. This is the
meaning of “make” πληρόω, plēroō
play-ro'-o
From G4134; to make replete, that is, (literally) to cram (a net), level up (a hollow), or
(figuratively) to furnish (or imbue, diffuse, influence), satisfy, execute (an office), finish (a period
or task), verify (or coincide with a prediction), etc.: - accomplish, X after, (be) complete, end,
expire, fill (up), fulfil, (be, make) full (come), fully preach, perfect, supply.
Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries G4137
As Bible doctrine fully occupies, possesses and influences the believers thinking, God fills the
believer’s soul with His own happiness. “Joy” χαρά, chara
khar-ah'
From G5463; cheerfulness, that is, calm delight: - gladness, X greatly, (X be exceeding) joy (-
ful, -fully, -fullness, -ous).
Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries G5479
“Chara” in the Greek refers to inner-happiness. Not situational or transitory elation, but a
happiness that is stabilized and solidified by the truth obtained from Bible doctrine. When you
add the possessive pronoun “my” joy then refers to perfect happiness or God’s happiness. This
sharing of God’s happiness exists initially as potential; whether this potential is actualized
depends on whether the believer functions under the principles of grace and builds an edifice of
spiritual strength, joy, love, humility, all of which is built upon doctrinal integrity and
accomplished through the filling of the Holy Spirit.
Peace or Confidence
3
You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its
inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on
You, and hopes confidently in You. (Isa. 26:3, AMP)
Having your mind “fixed” or “occupied” with Christ is the foundation and basis for perfect
peace. Knowing Christ requires knowing the Word; remember, He is the Word manifested in the

flesh. Paul explained that this peace that God provides “guards” or “garrisons” the hearts [right
lobe of the soul] and minds [left lobe of the soul] through Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:7).
The word “peace” εἰρήνη, eirēnē
i-rah'-nay
Probably from a primary verb εἴρω eirō (to join); peace (literally or figuratively); by implication
prosperity: - one, peace, quietness, rest, + set at one again.
Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries G1515
This peace reflects the transfer of gnosis (academic knowledge stored in the left lobe) to
epignosis (full knowledge stored in the right lobe of the soul). When the believer continuously
builds his faith store, doctrine upon doctrine, line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little,
there a little (Isa. 28:13) he is able to face all kinds of adversity and difficult circumstances with
confidence and stability of the soul.
For those believers that do not have stability under pressure, there is something wrong with their
mental attitude (Prov. 24:10).
Stability
For God hath not given us a spirit of fear; but of power and love, and of a sound [stabilized]
mind (2 Tim. 1:7, emphasis mine)
The stabilized mind is a direct result of thinking divine viewpoint which produces tranquility in
life and allows the believer to be free from worry, fear or mental stability. “Fear” is human
viewpoint that is caused by the inability to rest on the promises of God and trust in His
faithfulness. Paul encouraged the Thessalonians to take on this same inexorable mindset when
facing adversity.
2 Not to allow your minds to be quickly unsettled or disturbed or kept excited or alarmed, (2
Thess. 2:2a, AMP)
Stability is judged by overt action, observing the response of someone in the midst of adversity;
however, at the core of every decision to remain calm and unshaken is the mental attitude which
produces the stability to do so. Your circumstances are not stabilized by what you do; they are
stabilized by what you think. In order to function optimally under pressure a person must have a
stabilized mental attitude.

Giving
Many believers never apprehend the principle of proper mental attitude in giving. Most, through
improper, inadequate, or inaccurate teaching, focus on the act of giving, and lose sight of the
importance of having the proper mental attitude toward giving.
12
For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according
to what one does not have. (2 Cor. 8:12, NIV)
7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under
compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Cor. 9:7, NIV)
True biblical giving is a mental attitude first and foremost. Giving should not be done from
compulsion, but from what the heart purposes. The heart is always going to be the determining
factor. What you fill your heart with is what will come to the surface when you are squeezed by
the pressures of life.
Love
5
Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
(Deut. 6:5, NIV)
5 [Love, ἀγάπη, agape] It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude
(unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own
rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no
account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. (1 Cor. 13:5, AMP)
“The Greek word agape confirms the principle that the true concept of love in the Bible is a
mental attitude. Agape, which comes from the filling of the Holy Spirit and epignosis knowledge
of doctrine, is found only in the mentality of the soul and is the capacity to love god and people.
Agape is the relaxed mental attitude …Agape is the divine viewpoint that will prompt overt
manifestations of either personal or impersonal love (1Cor. 13:4-8a; 1 John 4:11, 19).” R.B.
Thieme Jr.
2 Corinthians 10

The Mental Attitude Dissertation
One of the most power mental attitude passages in the Bible is found in 2 Corinthians 10. This
passage reveals the correlation between the spiritual conflicts we encounter to our thought
pattern
1 Now (A) I, Paul, myself (B) urge you by the (C) meekness and gentleness of Christ—I
who (D) am [a] meek when face to face with you, but bold toward you when absent! (2
Corinthians 10:1, NASB)
The word “meekness” literally means “gentleness of mind” and is a word for mental attitude of
grace. “Gentleness” is literally “graciousness” or the application of grace. Paul, from the
beginning of this passage, sites the exceptional grace orientation of Jesus Christ. Christ
exemplified proper orientation to the grace plan of God.
To fully understand this passage, you have to have a small bit of background information. I will
give you enough to set the stage, and the rest I will reveal as we move forward.
Paul in this passage is first all responding to his critics who have accused him of abusing his
apostolic authority. They have accused him of using his letters to terrorize the Corinthian
believers. Paul’s response is not what most would think would be a Christian response, but he
responds well within the rights of his apostolic authority.
The attacks from the Corinthians against Paul originated from a critical mental attitude fostered
by Satan to disrupt Paul’s mental attitude of grace orientation. It was an attempt to shake the
stability of Paul by corrupting his thought processes.
Paul does not turn the other cheek here because he recognizes the machinations of the enemy and
understands that this is an opportunity to teach through life experience and proper correction.
The easy thing to do would be for Paul to turn and walk away, which would be a dereliction of
his responsibility as an apostle. So Paul addresses the issue at its source; failure to think Bible
doctrine. The Corinthian believers had fell victim to satanic thought or human viewpoint.
The last phrase in verse one is often misunderstood. Paul not only addresses his critics, but he
does so sarcastically by quoting their assaultive words towards him. Paul’s caustic remarks point
to the fact that his critics accuse him of being bold through his letters when he is absent, but
obsequious and timid when present with them. This is a reference to the first epistle (1
Corinthians) in which Paul spent a great deal of time admonishing the Corinthian believers about
their immature behavior and carnality.

2 I entreat you when I do come [to you] that I may not [be driven to such] boldness as I intend
to show toward those few who suspect us of acting according to the flesh [on the low level of
worldly motives and as if invested with only human powers]. (2 Cor. 10:2, AMP)
Paul is literally begging his critics to take on the proper mental attitude. He is telling them to
submit to the proper orientation to grace and to resist the thinking of the world. He is telling
them that the bickering and the verbal assaults need to stop. Paul consistently taught Bible
doctrine as the proper medium of influencing the thought processes. The greatest expression of a
pastor’s love for his flock is the constant and accurate dissemination of Bible doctrine.
For though we walk in the flesh [human body], we do not war [in the angelic conflict; spiritual
warfare] after [according to] the flesh [sin nature]. (2 Cor. 10:3)
Paul was a genius and was exceptional in his ability to express his points in his writings; whether
it be his elliptical style, the use of “a fortiori” logic, or his exceptional play on words to paint
vivid portraits. In verse 3 Paul uses a play on words by using the word “flesh’ both in its literal
and spiritual connotations. Paul is walking in a physical body [flesh], but he does engage the
enemy or teach according the reasonings of the “flesh” [world]. We cannot fight this spiritual
war using worldly methods.
Our Spiritual Weapons
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are
mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds, (2 Cor. 10:4, AMP)
The believer with Bible doctrine saturated in the right lobe of the soul has the resources available
to fight off the attacks of Satan through spiritual means. He has the ability to break down the
fortresses of world and satanic viewpoint that surrounds them.
The believer does not become frenetic and unglued at the sign of adversity; he does not become
overwhelmed by anxiety when the vicissitudes of life roll in. The believer who has filled his
heart with the Word of God understands that “all things are working together for his good”
(Rom. 8:28). This believer casts all his cares upon the Lord) 1 Pet. 5:7).
When you have a heart that is filled with the Word of God you are able to do as Christ did at the
beginning of His ministry when Satan tempted Him. You will be able to confront Satanic thought
with Biblical thought and emerge victoriously.

The Mental Attitude in Conflict
5
[Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty
thing that sets itself up against {in opposition to} the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead
every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the
Anointed One), (2 Cor. 10:5, AMP)
“Bringing every thought captive” has been interpreted in so many ways, by so many that are
confused to its true meaning. Whether it is the meditators, the agonizers, or the positive thinkers,
they all interpret this as meaning that they are bringing their thoughts into obedience for Christ.
Yes, it is important that our minds and thinking are in agreement with Christ; however, there is
another part of this warfare that is extremely important in order to be victorious in this Christian
life.
When this verse is properly analyzed in the Greek, we can clearly see that Paul, as he often does
is using military vernacular to lucidly express goals and directives. “Casting down” refers to a
military action (kathaireo) indicates the power of a thought to demolish the treachery of Satan. It
reveals that we have the power in our thinking to manifest power to overcome every obstacle.
Make no mistake about it, we are in the midst of battle that will be fought to the death (the
angelic conflict) [The Angelic conflict is the invisible warfare between the forces of Satan and
the forces of God. Satan recruited one-third of the angels and ignited this prehistoric revolt, and
subsequently they were tried and condemned to the lake of fire (Matt. 25.41). Satan appealed the
judgment and in grace, God created the human race to resolve this ancient conflict which
continues as spiritual warfare in human history. (R. B. Thieme Jr., Satan and Demonism)].
Satan has waged a war against humanity as a last ditch effort to delay his inevitable end. He uses
non-believers and carnal believers to perpetuate his evil machinations. He understands that if he
can infiltrate the thinking of believers he can effectively neutralize them; making their lives
ineffective.
One of the most effective world views that have infiltrated the thinking of many Christians is the
belief that their humanity has doomed them to a life of failure. In fact, humanity has almost
become synonymous with failure and mediocrity. It is not humanity that we are associated with
as believers; it is the unity in faith and the fact that we are a part of the Royal Family of God. We
are not to associate ourselves with our humanity in the sense of its weakness and fallibility, but
with our position in Christ.

17 Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new
creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away.
Behold, the fresh and new has come! (2 Cor. 5:17, AMP)
We have passed from the old; we are a new spiritual creation with multifarious assets at our
disposal. In understanding this we must set aside the excuse of humanity and take on the
newness of our spiritual existence. There is an acronym applied to the word “human” that sheds
light on this.
H – Highly
U – Unproductive
M – Manipulated
A – And
N – Neutralized
Satan has neutralized a large number of believers through the infiltration of satanic thought. We
must change our thinking in order to transform or existence and thereby elevate our position.
Another Satan inspired worldview is the belief that man is inherently good. When we as
believers began to think that we are good on our own, we become arrogant and discount the need
for a savior. The worldview that men are naturally good does not jibe with scripture.
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Rom. 3:23, NIV)
9
The heart is deceitful above all things
and beyond cure.
Who can understand it? (Jer. 17:9, NIV)
God declares you to be a sinner. This means that you cannot be inherently good. Any good that
man can do is human good, measured in relation to others not the standard of God. It is only
through the grace of God revealed through the magnanimous gift of Jesus Christ at Calvary that
we are declared good and enabled to execute true righteousness.
8
For (U) by grace you have been saved (V) through faith; and [h] that not of yourselves,it is (W) the
gift of God; 9 (X) not as a result of works, so that (Y) no one may boast. (Eph. 2:8-9, NASB)
We must continue to think what God has given us or we will be defeated.

5
[Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty
thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and
purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One), (verse 5)
Let’s take a look at this verse once again. Remember we are dealing with military terminology.
Through an intensified attack Satan has begun to attack believers through an elevated assault on
the knowledge (Word) of God.
Believers are troops in this spiritual warfare; when we fail to execute the plan of God in the
battle it is because of negative volition toward doctrine. When we choose to think and
subsequently act against the teachings of the Bible we render ourselves ineffective.
When this scripture addresses Satan’s attack it uses the word “arguments” or “imaginations”, but
the Greek word in use here is “logismos” which literally means “systems of thought or
reasonings”, and refers to the reasoning powers of cosmic doctrine and human viewpoint
1
The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving
spirits and things taught by demons. (1 Tim. 4:1, NIV).
Satan’s tactic is to infiltrate the minds of men, both believers and non-believers, with intent to
neutralize them with cosmic doctrines, which have no true validity. These doctrines appeal to the
natural reasonings of men and therefore are received as truth.
The modus operandi of Satan is described in the passage as “every high thing” (Greek, pas
hupsoma), o “every obstacle of pride”. Satan attacks with obstacles of pride; the very sin that
caused his fall. You may not think that your wayward thinking has anything to do with pride;
however, when you reject bible doctrine in lieu of some cosmic system of thought you reveal
your arrogance. Arrogance is fostered by pride. Pride says that I can do this on my own; it
assumes that it can take worldly solutions to spiritual issues and work it out. Pride rises up when
you are wronged and mistreated and determines that you will show them, instead of turning them
over to God.
The Devil uses pride to keep the believer from maintaining his spiritual equilibrium.
“Every proud and lofty thing that sets itself” (Greek, epairo) means “to elevate the assault”.
Satan places his system of thought against the thinking of divine viewpoint as the best system of
thought. He elevates the assault through more intense mental barrages. “The knowledge (gnosis)
of God; the academic understanding of doctrine is assaulted and distorted. Satan understands that
if he can distort the academic knowledge of God in the left lobe, it cannot be transferred to the
right lobe and become full knowledge (epignosis). When he is successful with this assault he is

able to neutralize the life of the believer. “Logismos’ is Satan’s successful attempt to eliminate
the function of grace in the believer’s life of revealing and making understood biblical doctrine.
Let’s take another look at this passage when the original text is rigidly applied.
Resisting cosmic thought, and every obstacle of pride attacking against the academic knowledge
of “the” [definite article included in the Greek] God, and making a prisoner of every human
system of thought to the authority of Christ (2 Cor. 10:5; corrected translation)
The authority of Christ is the Bible. Bible doctrine is the authoritative Word of God and the
Revelation of Christ like thinking. Do you remember what Paul said about scripture?
16 Every Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for
reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, [and] for
training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God's will in thought, purpose, and
action), (2 Tim. 3:16, AMP)
Paul says that scripture is God Breathed, or given by God the Holy Spirit and the (b) portion
reveals that this scripture provides training in righteousness, bringing us into conformity with
God’s will in THOUGHT, purpose and action, It was Paul in Romans 12 that reveal that the
renewal of our thinking would reveal what God’s perfect will was for us.
You are wondering why you cannot seem to lift yourself up beyond your fears. You are
contemplating the almost incessant failures in your life. You are attempting to understand why
you can’t seem to ever quite get over the hump. You may be asking yourself why you struggle
with depression. You are thinking from a non-biblical perspective. You are trying to address
spiritual matters with worldly solutions. Yes, these are all spiritual matters; they manifest
themselves in some physical form, but the source is always spiritual.
When you begin to think with the mind of Christ, you will be able to engage the enigmatic issues
of life with confidence, because you understand who you are in Christ. A believer who thinks
Bible doctrine instead of worldview understands who they are in Christ and they are not shaken
by the demeaning or negative opinions of others.
A believer that is steeped in Bible doctrine understands that “No weapon formed against them
will prosper”. When a believer is faced with darkness, he is not overtaken by fear, but he
understands that God has not given him a spirit of fear, but of power, of love, and of a sound
mind (the ability to maintain mental stability in times of pressure and adversity).
There is a divine plan for your life that when followed leads you to a place of victory and
fulfillment.

The battle of this life can be won when you follow divine mandate.
Satan bombards believers with human viewpoint and then attacks them while watching them use
the same erroneous views in an attempt to resolve the issue. Just imagine trying to fight a battle
with a weapon that was supplied by your enemy. Yet, believers do this every day when we
attempt to solve our issues through cosmic systems of thought such as rationalization, denial,
sublimation and subjectivity. Having he Word of God settled in your heart stabilizes your mental
attitude and allows you to productively live in your designed purpose.
Just because you are a believer and covered by the blood of Christ it does not mean that your
soul is automatically guarded against the satanic assaults of the enemy. Because we are saved,
we cannot be possessed, so Satan seeks to influence the life of the believer through world
systems of thought. This is why Paul told the Philippians to focus their minds on the things of
God.
Meditate [keep thinking] upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting
[progress] may appear to all. Take heed unto yourself, and unto the doctrines; continue in them:
for in doing this you shall save [deliver] yourself [from satanic doctrine and systems of thought],
and them that hear you [those over whom you have influence]. (1 Tim. 4:15-16)
And to the Corinthians, he said,
Holding in readiness [the garrison of doctrine] to punish all deviation from obedience [revolt],
when your obedience [deficiency of doctrine] has been fulfilled, so as to fully influence you. (2
Cor. 10:6, corrected translations).
Summation
I hope that I have been successful in bringing some lucidity to this very impactful issue. It is time
for believers to address the issue of mind renewal. Your thought processes are the centrality of
your existence. Until believers can apprehend this fact they will continue to fall victim to the
devices of the enemy.
You have been neutralized by the world views that you are exposed to daily. Your perspective of
your situations and circumstances are a direct reflection of your thought processes. You are
being heavily influenced by secular paradigms that neutralize your ability to function as a

eliever. You have not been able to overcome certain obstacles that are perpetually present in
your life because you are using human reasoning instead of divine viewpoint.
You have the power of God at your disposal, but you must take on the thinking of Christ. Many
of you have a victim complex. You have taken on the mindset that if anything can happen wrong
it will happen to you. You are tired of being stepped on, but you don’t know how to step up out
of the pit. I encourage you to pick up the Word of God and immerse yourself in it. Allow your
mind to be renewed and your life transformed. You will begin to see a magnificent change in
every aspect of your life.
If you are a person that believes that you don’t have the time for serious Bible study, or you feel
that you are not good at studying the Bible, there are numerous programs that you can obtain that
will help. There are audio Bibles on CD and Mp3. There are programs that will share the
powerful secrets of Scriptural affirmations as they reveal all that God has to say about you. You
will find a few of them in this book and many more on my ministries website. You can visit our
site by clicking Rick Wallace Ministries or by pasting the following URL in your browser:
http://focusedchristian.blogspot.com
Managing Hard Times with Grace
By Edward T King
All of us confront many sorts of trials and hardships day-by-day. From over-bearing illnesses
like a diagnosis with a serious sickness to personal financial issues, work loss, loss of a spouse,
to our run-of-the-mill stresses associated with our living conditions.
In John 16:33, Jesus Christ claimed "In this world you will have anxiety. Yet take heart! I have
triumphed over the world." Jesus is right that we are going to have difficulty in this world.
Distress is all over. There's scarcely somebody that is not affected by trials as well as problems.
Nevertheless why would his friends who live on earth have courage because he has overcome?
An individual can say this can be just fine for you Jesus that you have overcome this universe, I
haven't and I am struggling to do it. The reason Jesus made this assertion is present in the
scriptures. That's we're one with Christ.
After we accepted God's unmerited favor, that grace made us to be called sons and daughters of
God. As a result of that, we're one in Spirit with God. Understanding our union with Jesus is very
important in appreciating God's grace to us. God's unmerited favor that in fact made us one with
Jesus additionally allows us to defeat challenges and tough situations as Jesus. That's how come
Paul had the ability to assert "I am capable of doing everything because of Christ who gives
strength to me." (Phil 4:13) Just how? Given that Jesus lives in Paul and he resides in Jesus. He
and Jesus actually are spiritually united. Jesus not only strengthens him but in addition endures
with him. At the same time, in the event where Paul discusses his toil in the call of God, Paul
ascribes that to God's favor being employed in him (1Corin. 15:10). That blessing is Jesus Christ

esiding in him and operating inside of him by his Blessed Holy Spirit. The very scriptures prove
this union with Jesus in numerous other ways. We are precisely regarded as the body of Christ as
well as the future bride of Christ. Anyone is one with his very own body and with his wife. In the
gospel of John 14:20, Jesus says, in that day you will understand that I'm inside my Father and
you in me, and I in you.
The Word of God brings this presentation of this union deeper. If we are insulted Christ is
insulted. If we are injured Christ is injured. Here you will find a passage that in fact proves that:
Acts of the Apostles 26:14 records that "We all fell onto the ground, and I heard a voice just
saying to me in Aramaic, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is not so easy to have the
ability to kick against the goads." In this section of the Scriptures, Paul who at the moment in his
own life is a Pharisee is going places persecuting and torturing followers of Christ. He's along his
road to the city of Damascus to catch and slay or punish Christian believers. In response to this,
Jesus charges Paul of punishing him, not with persecuting Christian believers. So Jesus plainly
identifies the Christians being tortured as him! We and he are one, he experiences our pain!
Well, now you understand that God adores us more than you love yourself, that God understands
us greater than we all know ourselves, that you and Jesus are one and that we are positioned in
heavenly realms with Christ Jesus.
Christians are in Jesus; Jesus is in God the Father. Jesus died as us as well as for us. He is seated
on God's right hand as us and for us and once again believers are in him, you will be able to go
through challenges with assurance that God goes through the trial and is feeling your pain. Not
only so but that Jesus has won, ultimately have you!
Additionally, you can find easy to comprehend, helpful information about the grace of God and
how to answer the question: what is grace at www.whatisgrace.net . What is Grace is a complete
website dedicated to helping all people begin and grow their understanding of God's grace.
Visit What is grace today!