Opened Minds (4)

And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures. Luke 24.45

The Lord’s work
When Jesus opens a person’s mind to understand the truth of God, everything changes. All the old limitations by which we lived are set aside in the light of the unlimited possibilities for new life that spread out before us. This is true both for those who are just coming to faith in Jesus Christ, as well as those who, having languished as infants in Christ, now become eager to press on to maturity in their thinking and lives.

When Jesus opens our mind, our way of thinking about life – our worldview – begins to change. We feel released from the constraints of experience and narrow rationalism, and a desire to grow and become richer, fuller, and more brimming with prospects for glorifying God. At the same time, our heart burns within us, so that we are quickened to seek more love for God and our neighbors. We begin to be excited about knowing the truth at last, and knowing it with greater scope and power than ever. And we want everyone we know and love to discover what we have come to know.

The path to a mature mind begins when Jesus opens our minds to see Him and the world in this way. This is a work that only the Lord Jesus Christ can do; mere reason will not open a person’s mind, nor will passionate persuasion. Jesus must open the mind, or people will continue to live deceived and unsatisfying lives.

But how does He do that? How does Jesus open the minds of those whom He is preparing to hear the Word of truth, whether more clearly or for the first time?

The Word of God
Typically, the Lord employs three proven instruments for opening minds that are darkened in unbelief or deceived and languishing in a merely intellectual faith.

The first of these, as I have previously mentioned, is the Word of God. The Scriptures are alive and powerful; the Gospel, which the Scriptures contain, is the power of God for salvation, and for bringing about true spiritual life (Heb. 4.12; Rom. 1.16; Jn. 6.63). Spiritual power attends the Word of God in Scripture, power that can break through years of complacency, deceit, or mere intellectualism, and shine the light of truth on the souls of men. The more of Scripture we bring to bear on a person’s life – speaking the truth patiently, respectfully, and in love – the greater is the likelihood that Jesus will work to open their minds to His truth.

Further, the more we allow Scripture to speak to every area of life, concerning the good works appropriate to our lives, the more the light of God’s truth will penetrate and flare into the everyday nooks and crannies of life, all our relationships, roles, and responsibilities (2 Tim. 3.15-17). If we read and study God’s Word with a view to understanding all of life from the perspective of Scripture, not only will our own minds be more fully illuminated with the mind of Christ, but we will have more of the mind of Christ for illuminating the minds of others by various means and along various lines of thought.

The Spirit of God
Second, the Spirit of God works with that Word. He brings life and light to darkened or complacent minds (Jn. 6.63). As the Word is being explained, the Spirit penetrates to the depths of a person’s soul, exposing his sins and causing him to see his shallowness and self-deceit. Then He piques that person with new possibilities in the Good News of Christ and His Kingdom, and begins to guide Him into all truth, a little at a time, step by step leading him to consider the plain teaching of the Bible in ways he never has before (Is. 28.9, 10).

The Spirit of God is present as we the minister the Word of the Gospel. His alone is the power to illuminate a heart, open a mind, and bring new life to those we are seeking to persuade. We must seek His filling, both as we press on to maturity in the mind of Christ, and as we hope to be used by the Lord to open the minds of others as well.

Teachers and persuaders
Finally, as in the case of Jesus teaching His disciples, and His disciples teaching others, God uses human teachers and persuaders to open the minds of those who have not understood the truth that is in Jesus. The Spirit of God can give us the words we need to talk with others concerning the truth of the Gospel. But we must be willing and ready to talk, as opportunities arise (1 Pet. 3.15).

It is every believer’s calling to work at becoming a good listener, a patient explainer, a careful exponent of the Word, and an unbending witness to standing for the Truth. If we are not prepared for this calling to be loving persuaders, then we must begin to make ourselves ready at once, by pressing on toward greater maturity in the mind of Christ. The Word and Spirit of God await the faithful obedience of believers in all walks of life.

The Word and Spirit of God, in the mouth of a loving, faithful, and persuasive witness, can have powerful effects on all who hear. Whether our hearers are Christians who need to break out of their narrow understanding of the Gospel, or lost people who need to hear the truth for the first time, God can use us to make known the Good News of His Kingdom.

We must prepare for this calling and begin to engage the people around us, like Jesus on that Emmaus Road. God will persuade many through us when we are obedient to His calling and faithful to go in His Name.

For reflection
1.  How confident are you that you could explain the Good News of Jesus to another person? What would you say, if the opportunity arose?

2.  Is your present approach to reading and studying the Bible sufficient to bring increasing light from God’s truth to bear on every area of your life? What might you do to improve in this?

3.  Suggest some ways you might use what you are learning from the Scriptures to engage another Christian in conversation? What about a non-Christian?

Next steps – Transformation: What’s one thing you could to do to improve your reading and study of Scripture, so that you begin growing into the mind of Christ more completely for every area of your life? Share your answer to this question with a Christian friend.

T. M. Moore

This is part 3 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.

The Lord uses your prayers and gifts to help us in this ministry. Add us to your regular prayer list, and seek the Lord concerning whether He would have you share with us. You can contribute to The Fellowship of Ailbe by using the contribute buttonat the website, or send your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 19 Tyler Drive, Essex Junction, VT 05452.

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