The Mature Mind (5)

Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who areuninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind? But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. 1 Corinthians 14.23, 24

Minds in gear
We need to remember that, in the larger context of this passage, Paul is instructing the Corinthians not to be children in their thinking, but to strive to be mature, to exercise the mind of Christ which they have because they belong to Him (1 Cor. 2.16). It is childish to babble on and chatter away, no matter the language you’re using, only to hear yourself speak, without regard for edifying others. A person who is mature in his thinking is sensitive to others and knows how to season his words with grace appropriate to every situation or need, so that others will be edified, and not just confused (Col. 4.6).

As we have seen, a mature mind is one that (1) regards the concerns of others as more important than its own. One who is mature in his thinking (2) makes plans and takes actions that build others up, so that real people benefit in real ways from the fruit of such mature thinking. And, as Paul explained, to have a mature mind, we need (3) to ground our thinking in the whole counsel of God in Scripture – all of Scripture, at ever-deeper levels of understanding and thought, including those parts of Scripture that counsel us in seeking the wisdom of God in His world.

Now Paul gives us a fourth characteristic of a mature mind: One is mature in his thinking who exercises his mind to understand the outcomes and consequences of any possible course of action. In other words, a mature mind thinks through whatever might be done in a situation, in order, as much as possible, to foresee the results of thinking and acting before actually beginning to act.

Realizing the Kingdom
To put this in a clearer light, we might say that one who has a mature mind operates with a view to realizing the kind of Kingdom outcomes which he is learning from God, and which he can envision in their outworking within the sphere of his own influence and power. This means thinking in terms of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit, and what these might look like as they come to expression in every area of our lives (Rom. 14.17, 18).

Every believer has a “sphere of influence,” as Paul explained in 2 Corinthians 10.13-18. That sphere of influence, which we refer to as our Personal Mission Field, defines the social and cultural settings in which each believer is called to live out his faith. There we encounter and relate to the people to whom God has sent us, like Jesus, to bring near the blessings of His Kingdom.

A person who has a mature mind is always thinking, envisioning, and planning so that what he is learning about Jesus might come to expression in all his relationships, roles, and responsibilities. Right now, parts of our Personal Mission Fields are in disarray – if not in our lives, then in the lives of others. God has blessed us with the mind of Christ so that we can bring His blessings of order, beauty, goodness, and truth into every place and person. One who is mature in his thinking can see the newness of Christ effecting changes in his life at home, work, in the community, at church, and in the larger world (cf. Heb. 2.5-9). He studies and thinks about ways to improve his relationships with the people he sees all the time – how to encourage his fellow-believers in their walk with and work for the Lord, and how to present the Good News of Jesus to those who do not yet know Him. And he plans for the kind of real-life transformations that refract the glory of God into his everyday experience (1 Cor. 10.31).

Two worlds at once
A person with a mature mind thus lives in two worlds at once, the one that is and the one that is coming on earth as it is in heaven (Matt. 6.10), to which he intends to contribute through his service to the Lord. Knowing that he is called to “make the most of every opportunity” for serving the Lord (Eph. 5.15-17), and that seeking the Kingdom of God involves understanding what that Kingdom would look like in its outworking (Matt. 6.33; 5.13-19), a person who is mature in his thinking is always seeking to bring the real world of his daily experience into line with the ideal world of his vision for the Kingdom.

To that end he prayerfully ponders, prepares, plans, and prosecutes his daily activities toward the realization of specific outcomes in line with the Kingdom of God, across the entire spectrum of his activities, responsibilities, and interests. Everything in his life is ground to be gained, held, and improved for the Kingdom of God. As a citizen and ambassador of the Kingdom of God, the believer who is mature in his thinking thinks “Kingdom” into every moment, place, activity, situation, and opportunity of his life.

Here there will always be room for growth and improvement. We’ll need to do some more reading, engage in conversations about the Kingdom of God, participate in a course of study, and spend much more time in prayer, thinking about the outcomes we should be seeking as we seek the Kingdom of God in our lives and our Personal Mission Fields.

Obviously, this is not work for children. This is what people with mature minds do, and it’s how the Kingdom of God makes progress in our lives and in the world.

For reflection
1.  In what specific ways does seeking the Kingdom of God factor into your weekly planning?

2.  What are some things we might expect to see as the Kingdom comes to fruition in our lives? In our Personal Mission Fields?

3.  How can Christians encourage one another to be more “Kingdom-seeking” in their prayers, planning, and daily lives?

Next steps – Demonstration: What opportunities for Kingdom progress are available to you today? What will it look like if the reality of the Kingdom comes to expression in your life in those opportunities? How can you prepare for this right now? What step will you take in the way of Kingdom initiatives today?

T. M. Moore

This is part 2 of a multi-part series on the Christian mind. To download this week’s study as a free PDF, click here.

How’s your Christian worldview? Are you stretching your mind to think about life and the world as Jesus does? Our free online course, One in Twelve: Introduction to Christian Worldview, can provide the categories, terms, and framework for you to begin nurturing a more expansive Christian mind. For more information and to register, click here.

The mind of Christ is set for the Kingdom of God. Is yours? Our book, The Kingdom Turn, provides a concise and practical overview of what it means to live for Christ from within the framework of His Kingdom. Order your copy by clicking here.

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.