Sillion = furrow: the mind is an amazing thing. I saw this French word the other day and recognised it as a word I had to translate from French in the 1963 Leaving Certificate. Why did I still remember this word? It's incredible.
Someone greeted me the other morning with: "I hope you decide to have a good day." Decide to have a good day. Set your mind on it.
The mind is a remarkable gift from God. You can accomplish the extraordinary with it.
Make up your mind how you will live, and then maintain that mindset.
Your mindset is either God and His will or self and selfish desires.
The spiritual mind focusses its attention on spiritual things.
You cannot have faith unless your mind decides to believe. Faith doesn't just happen.
The verb phronéō is derived from phrḗn, "the midriff or diaphragm; the parts around the heart." It means properly, to regulate or moderate from within, as one's inner-perspective (insight) shows itself in corresponding, outward behavior. Phronéō essentially equates to personal opinion fleshing itself out in action.
This idea is difficult to translate into English because it combines deep feelings with mental awareness. It is a studied perspective on something, not simply a quick or passing thought. It is developing an attitude as a result of careful thought.
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. Romans 8:5-11
In the midst of his great discussion about the relationship between the believer and God in Romans 8, Paul introduces a word which occurs only in this chapter in the New Testament. It is the noun phronēma (vv. 6(2x), 7, 27). The cognate verb phroneō, in contrast, occurs many times (once in Matthew, Mark and Acts and the remainder in Paul's correspondence) and means "think, hold an opinion; set one's mind on; develop an attitude based on careful thought" (BDAG, 1065-66). In Matthew and Mark it only occurs in the stinging rebuke delivered by Jesus to Peter: "you do not have in mind(phroneis) the concerns of God, but merely human concerns" (Mark 8:33). Both terms etymologically derive from the noun phrēn which means "the process of careful consideration, thinking, understanding" (BDAG, 1065).
The ending of the noun phronēma, i.e. –ma, occurs in Koine Greek as a way to derive nouns from verbs, specifying "the result of the action for the most part" (Blass-Debrunner-Funk, section 109(2), page 59). So in the case of phronēma it would express "the result of thinking, holding an opinion; setting one's mind on; developing an attitude with careful thought." Thus we find it used to describe a person's mindset or disposition, understanding about a matter, a studied perspective, or an attitude of some kind — determined, opinionated, etc.
When Paul first uses this term in Romans 8, he employs it as part of the contrast between a life controlled by "human sinful nature, i.e. the flesh" describing an unbeliever, and a life controlled by the Holy Spirit, i.e. a believer. The former generates death and the latter offers life (8:6). He then notes that the phronēma of the human sinful nature (sarx) is hateful to or hostile to God (8:7). Finally he declares that God knows the phronēma of the Spirit (8:27). However, he introduces this usage by employing the cognate verb in 8:5 where he affirms that "those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on (phronousin) what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit (have their minds set on [Paul does not repeat the verb in the second clause]) what the Spirit desires" (NIV).
The noun phronēma has a long history in Greek literature, so Paul is not coining a new term here. It has little exposure in the Greek translation of the Old Testament (only in 2 Maccabees 7:21; 13:9). Rather a cognate noun phronēsis has much more usage, occurring in stories about Solomon (1 Kings 3-10) and Daniel (1-5) and generally in the Wisdom literature (Job, Proverbs, Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach). It renders Hebrew terms describing understanding or wisdom. According to 1 Kings 5:9 Yahweh gave Solomon "discernment (phronēsis) and very great wisdom (sophia) and volume of mind like the sand that is by the sea" (translation of the Greek text). A similar pattern of usage occurs with the adjective phronimos. According to Wisdom of Solomon 6:24 "a sensible (phronimos) king is the stability of a people."
The usage of phronēma in 2 Maccabees illustrates well its essential meaning. The writer describes the perspective
of a mother whose seven sons are tortured and killed in one day because of their loyalty to the Jewish law (7:21). He describes her encouragement to her sons as "filled with noble spirit/disposition (phronēmati)." The capacity of this term to be used negatively occurs in 2 Macc.13:9. The author describes Antiochus Eupater as "the king who had become barbarous in his thinking (tois…phronēmasin)," using this to explain his attempts to attack the Jewish nation and the temple. It describes understanding that shapes perspective and disposition, but in this case with potentially devastating results for God's people.
Philo uses this noun extensively, particularly to describe Jewish leaders such as Abraham, Joseph and Moses, as types of people who act with noble understanding and spirited-disposition because of their knowledge of God, despite their circumstances. Moses, for example, even though he was slated to become lord of Egypt (in Philo's perspective), rejected this position because of the harsh treatment of the Israelites and "his own nobility of soul and magnanimity of spirit (phronēmatos)" (Moses I, 149). Moses' defense of Jethro's daughter at the well "argues a spirit (phronēmatos) of no petty kind" (Moses I, 51). "Spirit" in these contexts would equate with our expression "disposition, perspective, attitude" generated and influenced by certain knowledge.
http://moments.nbseminary.com/archives/149-a-disciples-mindset-phronema-romans-86727/
We conclude with some more Scriptures that emphasise the mind in the life of a Spirit-filled Christian:
"Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." Psalms 139:23-24
"Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;" 1 Peter 1:13 = Be mentally prepared for Jesus' return!
The Message
So roll up your sleeves, put your mind in gear, be totally ready to receive the gift that's coming when Jesus arrives.
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. 5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. 12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:1-17
But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him" — 10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11 For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts 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 understand the things freely given us by God. 13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.
14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. 16 "For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ. 1 Corinthians 2:9-16
If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are
a command of the Lord. If anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized. 1 Corinthians 14:37-38
I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have laboured side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. Philippians4:2-9
Though Peter's mind and heart were set on Christ, he still experienced a sinful lapse in his life as a Christian. Galatians 2:11-21. Even the strongest Christians can surprisingly fall into sin, but repentance sets it right.
David Carr
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