GODLINESS PT. 1~THINKING LIKE GOD DOES
Rom 1:8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
Rom 1:9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;
Rom 1:10 Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you.
Rom 1:11 For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established;
Rom 1:12 That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.
Rom 1:13 Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles.
As we studied earlier in the “Sonship” study Godliness is the issue of ‘thinking like God does,’ ‘doing things His way,’ and ‘working together with Him in what He is doing.’ I felt this was a needful study considering the time limitations on the previous study, and the length of the lesson as well. This will be part one in a three part lesson on Godliness where we will look at how to think like God does and its benefits in assisting you further into your sonship education. We will also go over ungodly thinking and its effects on your edification from taking place, and Satan’s role in hindering your growth from getting off on the right foot. The book of Romans is the foundational epistle for establishment within the believer, it is the ‘first things first’ in your sonship education. The first thing that Paul wants to make known is God the Father’s designed will and desire to edify the saints, and that they have the “mutual faith” together with the apostle Paul. The “mutual faith” is the saints and Paul being on the same ‘Godly page’ in their establishment, Paul says that the establishment of their souls in the doctrine according to Godliness would cause a ‘comforting’ with Paul, just as it is designed to cause “comfort” within the saint who has just begun his education for his sonship establishment. The apostle Paul says that we should not be ignorant concerning the fact that he “oftentimes” tried to come unto the saints but he was “let hitherto.” Paul does not want the saints to be ignorant concerning Satan’s attack on the establishment of the saint from taking place.
Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Rom 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Rom 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
Rom 1:23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
Rom 1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Rom 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Paul uses the rest of the chapter to identify ungodly thinking within the natural man, and God judging them according to their unrighteousness and their ungodly hearts and minds. The ungodly thinking of man is deserving of God’s wrath against him and he is “without excuse,” which is contrary to the way our Father would have His sons to think.
Rom 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
Rom 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Rom 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Throughout the book of Romans Paul brings up a question based upon man’s natural way of thinking, and as we can see there are more question marks in the book of Romans than any of Paul’s 13 epistles. Paul does this for a specific reason; God knows the thinking that can come across the minds of the man, so when Paul brings up a question in view of the good news that he just set forth, he knows what man’s response would be based on his ungodly thinking. Paul would bring up a question based upon the natural response to the gospel, and then he would say “God forbid,” meaning ‘God would forbid you to think that way.’
Rom 8:5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
Rom 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Rom 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
Rom 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
Rom 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
Rom 8:10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
Rom 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
Rom 8:12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
Rom 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Rom 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
Rom 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
As “sons” we are to be “led by the Spirit of God” in the details of our life, we should have the “mutual” thinking that Paul has concerning the things we encounter during our daily lives, and toward the word of God. The book of Romans deals with the carnal thinking of man in view of the good news that God has for him, and God’s response to his carnal thinking.
Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Rom 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
Our Father would have us to possess the same Godly thinking that Paul has, but the only way we can have the “mutual faith” with Paul would be with the “renewing” of our minds with the doctrine of sonship found within our King James bibles. Moreover the key to renewing our minds is our change in attitude toward the things of this world that we have come to place a high value upon, and once we identify these ungodly wants, desires, loves, and gains for what they really are, we will possess the same Godly thinking that Paul had toward the “carnal” things of this world.
Rom 12:16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.
Rom 15:5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
Rom 15:6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Rom 15:7 Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God
Being “members of one another” and of the same body “in Christ,” we should all be on the same Godly page, but this world has always tried to exalt their knowledge over the word of God. In Paul’s day there were some that taught and glorified God differently, but today there are thousands of different denominations all claiming they are preaching ‘Jesus,’ but they all teach the word of God differently from the other.
1Co 2:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
1Co 2:6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
1Co 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
1Co 2:8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
1Co 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
1Co 2:10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
1Co 2:11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
1Co 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
1Co 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
1Co 2:15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
1Co 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
As Romans chapter one points out since the beginning man has exalted his knowledge over the wisdom of God, however we as “sons” should not let our “faith stand in the wisdom of men,” most ‘church-goers’ will say they do not, but if they are honest with themselves they will see that their reasons why they joined their denomination, and/or why they are currently attending their church has to do with carnal wants regarding their flesh, or because of how big the church, or because of how popular the preacher is, or how ‘powerful’ the preacher’s message is. 1Corithians 2:10 through 2:16 gives us a clear understanding of how we can obtain the “mind of Christ,” and how we can ‘discern’ if what we hear in the pulpit is of the “Spirit of God,” or from the wisdom of man. Paul says “But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit,” now how did God do that? 2000 years ago the Holy Ghost revealed Israel’s good news and ours unto faithful men, and we have the results of this good news in our King James bibles, the preacher in the pulpit ought to follow God the Father’s design for edification, which is following Paul in how he let the word of God “instruct him” in all things. 1Corinthians 2:12 says “that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God;” so that begs the question; what things are “freely given to us from God”? Well “man’s wisdom will say these things are health, wealth, relationship, or God helping you out of troubleous times, or God guiding your life toward better days. Those are things that the “natural man” wants to “receive,” the things for the fleshly outward man, but the Spirit teaches that God has and will provide for our “inner man,” and only our inner man is of any benefit, and purpose in God our Father’s will and power being put on display on this earth, and in heavenly places as well.
1Co 4:15 For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
1Co 4:16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.
1Co 4:17 For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.
1Co 11:1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
1Co 11:2 Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.
Following Paul as he followed Christ is the issue of Jesus Christ being the ultimate ensample of how a son ought to walk, Paul comes along and says that we remember him in all things, and keep the “ordinances,” the thought process ought to be the same in our minds as it was within Paul’s, and as it was in the Lord’s, this is what having the “mind of Christ” is all about. Every church ought to be teaching the same doctrine, and be of the same mind, this was the way Paul set things in order in his day, but man has went after “man’s wisdom” and now there is confusion throughout the Christian world because of failure to follow Paul as our Father in heaven ordained. Paul sent Timothy to establish these saints because he knew that Timothy was a faithful son, and that he would edify these saints as if Paul himself was in their midst. The objective of sonship is doing our Father’s business as if He was engaged in it Himself.
Eph 4:17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
Eph 4:18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
Eph 4:19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
Eph 4:20 But ye have not so learned Christ;
Eph 4:21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
Eph 4:22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
Eph 4:23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
Eph 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
The doctrine found within Romans through Galatians gives us the blueprint into how to “renew” our mind as a son, and how to be “led of the Spirit,” and how not to be “ignorant” of Satan’s devices concerning his attempt to hinder your edification from taking place. Satan has chartered a course for this world that caters to the “old man,” but with a renewed mind a son can “put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”
Php 1:27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
Php 2:2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
Php 2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
Php 2:4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
Php 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
The doctrine found within Ephesians through Colossians deals with a son who has learned how to think like God does, and now he needs the motivating doctrine for his inner man so he can not only have the knowledge of how to think like God does, but he can now put it into practice as the “’new man.” And being a son walking as the “new man” he now understands the importance of having “the mind of Christ.” Moreover it is important to note that Ephesians through Colossians deals with the “knowledge” issue within the son. Ephesians goes over the fact that God has “made known unto us the mystery of his will,” and that a son can possess the “spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge” of God the Father.
Eph 3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
Eph 3:18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
Eph 3:19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
Most will say ‘we will never know the whole council of God’, (the ones that say this are ignorant of the design for our growth in the knowledge of the Father’s will) but this not true we can know “all the fullness of God” and have all knowledge concerning God the Father’s plan and purpose for the son today. This is why we see Paul say “Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things,” we can know “all things” concerning the will of the Father for us today. The epistles of Ephesians through Colossians all start off making known the Godly knowledge we can possess “in Christ,” however each epistle ends with Paul warning the son of Satan’s attack against him so he will not possess the “fullness of God,” and have “the mind of Christ” and all knowledge in the will of the Father.
Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Eph 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Eph 6:14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
Eph 6:15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
Eph 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
Eph 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
Php 3:15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
Php 3:16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.
Php 3:17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.
Php 3:18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
Php 3:19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
Php 3:20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
Col 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
Col 3:6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
Col 3:7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
Col 3:8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
Col 3:9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
Col 3:10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
Just as Paul was hindered by Satan many times, we also face opposition in regards to our edification growth process. The only way we can think like God does is to “be perfect, and thus minded,” and that is to be complete and “thus minded” with Paul, and with God our Father in His will, not with the will of man and his quest for creating more denominations in the name of Jesus Christ, and for every new name that man comes up with as a new denomination is another ungodly attempt to hinder your growth and ones that have yet to hear the gospel of their salvation from taking place. In the verses at the bottom of the page Paul says “for we preach not ourselves,” and “that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us” when speaking of those who are “handling the word of God deceitfully,” the preachers of the “god of this world” preach glorifying themselves and the gospels that they preach appeal to the old man and his carnal thinking. Every denomination in the world, whether Christian or not “mind earthly things,” and ARE “enemies of the cross of Christ,” this might seem as a harsh statement to make against all these ‘Christians’ that go to church every Sunday and Wednesday, but the plain God given fact is if they are not working with the Father, then they ARE WORKING AGAINST HIM, and are “enemies of the cross of Christ,” and they ARE working with Satan and his plan to keep the will of the Father “hid.” The renewing of our minds should concern our inner man being strengthened by our doctrine found within Romans through Philemon. Moreover the design we should follow is to fully understand and appreciate Romans through Galatians before we can move on to and understand what Ephesians through Colossians is all about. The same can be said about the rest of Paul’s epistles; because if a son never fully understands how to think like God does, then he can NEVER learn to do things God’s way, nor will he ever understand how to work together with the Father in what He is doing. The son WILL end up doing things Satan’s way, and working together with him and his many ways to corrupt the doctrine according to Godliness.
2Co 4:2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
2Co 4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
2Co 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
2Co 4:5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.
2Co 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
2Co 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
Rod Jones