THE SPIRITUAL BATTLE – 26 Is Your Mind (Heart) Closed?
“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). KJV
Introduction
Loved ones, Satan rejoices when Christians close their mind in our Spiritual Battle. An "open mind" refers to the ability to consider different viewpoints and ideas, even those that challenge one's own beliefs. It refers to the capacity for empathy, compassion, and emotional vulnerability, allowing one to connect with others deeply and experience a wider range of emotions.
Open-mindedness is the willingness to search actively for evidence against one's favored beliefs, plans, or goals, and to weigh such evidence fairly when it is available.
Being open-minded does not imply that one is indecisive, wishy-washy, or incapable of thinking for oneself.
The Mind Of Today’s World
In an age where we have so much knowledge, information, and education, it is tragic that so many people have closed minds. They seem to be satisfied with what they have been taught, even though it is not always based on facts and truth itself.
For instance, in the scientific world there is a determination to promote the theory of evolution in spite of the fact that it is totally unscientific and is as much a faith-based "religion" as belief in God and creation.
The world rejects the truth that a fetus is a human being and proceeds to use all kinds of ghastly methods to kill and destroy unborn babies.
Even in the religious world, most Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, the majority of members of the Catholic church, and most denominational people are not interested in studying the Scriptures with those who differ with them. Are such people afraid of God’s truth (cf. Genesis 3:8-10)?
It would seem that they are unwilling to study and learn, and unwilling to have their thinking and positions challenged, lest they have to admit that they have been wrong and that there is a better more truthful way which necessitates CHANGE on their part.
Some people are trying to live in the past. They reject modern inventions and conveniences and still use the horse and buggy as their means of transportation, still use the kerosene lamp for their lighting, still dress and behave as though this is the nineteenth century.
Why have they set such boundaries around their lives and refused to even consider accepting the good things available in today's world? Could it be a closed mind?
Why do we send our children to school? Not to remain ignorant and unknowledgeable of the things they will need as tools throughout their lives.
Rather, they go to school because we want them to know how to read and write, we want them to learn math, to be taught the history of their country and the world, to learn science, to use a computer, to be taught all of the other things one needs to know to go out into the world and make a living for him/her self and for his/her family.
How quickly in our generation have we become familiar with radio, TV, the video, the copy/fax machine, the computer, E-Mail, the cell phone, shuttle flights, drones, and many other things. Who would not want to learn how to use them and to make them a part of their life?
The Voice Of A Christian Believer
Those of us who believe the Bible to be the word of God; who accept God as the Creator of all things; who believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who died for the sins of the world; who believe that God has given us His word to read, study, and know His will about salvation, the church, worship, the Christian life, and the one way to heaven – can never be content to accept the confusion and contradictions of the religious world as it is.
How could we restrain ourselves from going to the Scripture to be sure that we know what the Lord wants us to do in order to be approved and accepted by Him?
Even the so-called "Christian world" is divided into numerous ways to be saved, hundreds and thousands of churches and names to wear, ways to worship, and many ways to heaven. But if the Bible is the truth, how can man get all of these teachings out it?
How can we know what the truth really is? ANSWER: By reading and studying the Scriptures independently, and by engaging in open-minded discussions with others. What do we have to lose when we do this?
Who wants to be blind, to be deceived, to be in error, and to be lost? Sadly, we may be absolutely satisfied with what we believe, and with the church of which we are members, but if these things are not according to the truth of God's word, we are still lost.
What if Saul, later called Paul, had been unwilling to acknowledge the Lord when He appeared to him on the road to Damascus? (Acts 9). What if he had refused to accept Him as the Christ, the Son of God, on the basis that he was satisfied with his Jewish religion?
What if the man from Ethiopia had refused to allow Philip to join him in the chariot and to read and study the word of God as they traveled through the desert? (Acts 8).
In the other cases of conversion listed in the book of Acts, what if both men and women had been unwilling to study with the Apostles and others that approached them? Then the book of Acts would be a far different story than what it is, because none of those people would have been converted. They would have gone on through life with their minds closed, and they would have died without Christ.
What Does The Bible Say?
The Scriptures encourage us to study God's word (2 Timothy 2:15), to seek to know the truth (John 8:32; 17:17), to hear the word of God (Romans 10:17), to believe the word of God (John 3:16; 8:24), and to be doers of the word (James 1:22; Matthew 7:13-28).
We are also warned not to follow the teachings of man inspired by Satan (Matthew 15:8-9; 1 Timothy 4:1-6), not to hear another gospel (Galatians 1:7-9), and not to be deceived, because we will reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7-8).
We need to keep an open mind when we study the Bible or when we study with one another. The word of God is the truth (John 17:17) and it will NOT deceive us. It will tell us how to be saved (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38) and translated into the Lord’s kingdom (Colossians 1:13) – the Lord's ekklesia/church (Matthew 16:18-19).
The New Testament tells us that there is but one family, body, or ekklesia (Ephesians 4:4-6), that Christ is its head (Colossians 1:18), that Jesus is its foundation (1 Corinthians 3:11), that the Lord God Jesus, the Christ is the one who died for the ekklesia (Ephesians 5:25), He is the Saviour of it (Ephesians 5:23), it wears the Lord's name (Acts 4:12; 11:26; Romans 16:16), it is to worship God in Spirit and in truth (John 4:24), it tells us that God adds the saved to the church (Acts 2:47), and that Christ is coming back for it one day (1 Corinthians 15:23-24).
Invitation
We are inviting you to study with us. Please don't turn down the invitation on the basis that you are satisfied with what you have. Even if you believe you have the truth, use this as an opportunity to teach us!
Again, if you believe you understand the truth and that we don't, invite us to study with you so you can teach us the truth. Any way you look at it, there is no reason to turn down an opportunity to study God's word or to teach it to others.
Those who believe they have the truth should not fear having their faith challenged because the more “real” truth is studied, the brighter and more convincingly it shines.
If people are afraid to study, this may be a sign that they don't have the truth, or they can't defend what they believe BY the Bible. And if they can't, that is all the more reason why one should want to study.
The Bible says that we are to study to know the truth and then to obey it. Once we have done that, we are to teach it to others (Matthew 28:18-20).
Conclusion
Dear friends, we beg you to keep an open mind. Don't close it with willful ignorance or self-deceit. Sometimes people try to take comfort in the idea that if they don't study God's word, and don't know what it actually says, then God will surely not condemn them for their failure to do what He has asked.
Sorry, 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 says that when Jesus returns it will be to take vengeance on two groups of people: those who are willfully ignorant (those "who know not God") and those who choose to disobey Him (those "who obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ" – cf. Romans 10:16; 1 Peter 4:17) which will result in a lost soul — your soul. Please don't make that eternal mistake.
Shared with you by Samuel A. Matthews, preaching with the Liberty NW church of Christ, meeting in Portland, Oregon, USA. The God of Heaven and Earth is so good, and His love reaches all. He is in control, so trust Him. We love you with the love of the Lord (John 13:34-35).