By: John Mitchell
The way we see things is according to our mindset. If our mind is set on the things of the world, we understand things with the wisdom of the world. If our mind is set on spiritual things, we understand things with the spiritual wisdom of God. Carnal thinking is to accept, and believe in, whatever is most popular, and accepted, by our current society. If something has the majority vote of approval and acceptance, then is must be full of truth and goodness and peace for everyone. Spiritual thinking is to accept and believe in, whatever the scriptures tell us is God’s truth and goodness and peace for everyone. Our spiritual acceptance is based on, what does the Bible say, is God’s will and plan for us. There is no better plan and will for us, than God’s plan and will for us. (1 Corinthians 2:14) “The natural man 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.” (Romans 8:5-6) “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on things of the flesh, but those who live according to the spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” God speaks to us through His scriptures. He tells us about His plan of salvation, and about what we need to do to have that eternal salvation. (2 Timothy 3:16-17) “All scripture is given by the inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” To be able to change from a carnal mind to a spiritual mind. we need to follow God’s plan of salvation, including being baptized for the remission of our sins, and to daily read and study the Bible. This will give us a new mind set. It will renew our mind from a worldly mind, to a spiritual mind. “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2). (Hebrews 4:12) “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and Spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” We are Spirit, soul, and body. While here on earth, we are a Spirit and soul in a body. Our body and all worldly things are only temporary. Earth is not our permanent home. Our Spirit and soul are eternal. After our short, temporary life here on earth has ended, our Spirit and soul will go to its permanent, eternal home, of either heaven or hell. The decisions, and choices, we make here on earth are what sends us to the permanent home of our choice, for eternity. If we have loved and followed carnal, worldly ways, and they have been first and most important in our life, then hell is the permanent and eternal home of our choice. If we have loved God, and followed and obeyed His will for us, then heaven is the permanent, and eternal home of our choice. Our mindset is so important!!! We follow whatever our mind is set on doing and accomplishing!!! If our mind is set on the world, and the ways of the world, then the actions of our life will be guided by the carnal thoughts that our mind is set out to accomplish. If our mind is set on God, and His will for us, then the actions of our life will be guided by the spiritual thoughts that our mind is set out to accomplish. With the seriousness of heaven or hell in the future for every one of us, we need to set our minds on going to heaven. To be able to go to heaven, we need to search for the true will of God that we can follow and obey all the way to Heaven. Jesus established HIS church to help us to be able to know, obey, and follow God’s will for us, all the way to Heaven.
(John 14:6) “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (Acts 4:12) “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. Scripture tells us that “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all” (Ephesians 4:4-6). People who are following God’s plan of salvation are the members of the one church that Jesus established. Those baptized, born again believers are called the church, and they are called the body of Christ. When you read the New Testament, you are reading about the church that Jesus established, the church of Christ. (Matthew 16:18) “And I tell you Peter, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” (Romans 16:16) “Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.” Jesus established one church, the church of Christ. So why are there hundreds of churches with hundreds of other names, established by many different people, over the last more than 2,000 years? The Bible answers this question. Romans 10:1-3 tells us one of the reasons why other churches exist.
“Brethren, my hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.” So many people from the time of Jesus’ ministry on earth, to this present day, have started, and are starting different churches. They think their way of worshiping God is the best way. God loves all of us and doesn’t want any of us to perish in hell. Out of God’s love for us, He sacrificed His Son Jesus for our sins so we could be able to go to heaven. God gave us the Bible to guide and instruct us in how to worship Him, and how to live our lives in His will for us. God is a loving God, and a very exacting God. Jesus took upon Himself our punishment for our sins. Now we just have to follow God’s plan of salvation for us. Any doctrine that is not the doctrine of God’s truth found in scripture, is false doctrine. How sad it is that so many are accepting false doctrine and not searching for the true plan of salvation. “For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:14)