Evaluating thoughts
"(...) They followed the rebellious reasoning of their evil hearts. They went backwards and not forwards"
Jeremiah
There's a popular saying: "He who does not bend, breaks." The Bible has been warning about stubbornness for a long time.
Why does the Bible warn against a stubborn attitude, what is the risk? Because the hardening of the heart happens little by little without realizing it. This hardening made those same people who saw the signs, wonders and prodigies performed when they left Egypt not believe in the conquest and entry into the promised land.
"For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and the worship of household idols" (1 Samuel 15:23).
In another period of Israel's history, Jeremiah warned the people of Israel that they constantly disobeyed the commandments, even though they confessed the Lord as their God, until they reached a level of rebellion so deep that the only way to be treated and there was hope to break their hearts would be through the pain of going into exile, this happened when God used the prophet and said:
But I have given you this command: obey me, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. You will walk in all the ways that I command you, so that all may go well with you; But they didn't listen to me or heed me. But they followed the rebellious reasoning of their evil hearts. They went backwards and not forwards.
But they didn't listen to me or pay attention to me. Instead, they became obstinate and were worse than their forefathers. Jeremiah chapter 7 verses 23 to 26
As well as preventing promises from being fulfilled, obstinacy also distances us from God and brings bitter consequences.
NECESSARY CONFRONTATION
What happens when we are confronted? We look for justifications and rebuttals. Isn't that so? Most of the time our first reaction is to make excuses, it was like that from the beginning with Adam and Eve, and we inherited the corrupted nature.
That's how it was with the Christians in Corinth. Paul brought the gospel and founded the community of Christians in Corinth (the church). The city had a culture of promiscuity, worship with prostitutes and orgies, some of those in the church didn't resist or didn't renew their character and had problems of this kind, so Paul sent messages to correct them (First letter to the Corinthians).
When they were called to account, they questioned Paul's authority. Funny isn't it, Paul didn't shy away and sent the second letter in which he reaffirmed his authority and spoke of thought patterns.
"(...) For although we live like men, we do not fight according to human standards. The weapons with which we fight are not human; on the contrary, they are powerful in God to destroy strongholds (concepts, ideas, understanding). We destroy arguments (sophisms - they seem true, but they aren't) and every pretension (haughtiness - an arrogant attitude) that rises up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive, to make it obedient to Christ. And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience once your obedience is complete." Second Corinthians 10:3-5 (our insertions)
New spirit, but the same soul
When we convert we come with baggage (the spirit is revived, but the mind needs to go through a process to be renewed, is what Paul teaches
"Do not conform to the pattern of 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." Letter to the Romans, chapter 12, verse 2.
Strengths in the mind
Ideas and understandings that are so established and protected in a person's mind (doctrines and ideologies) that they are not easily penetrated, these strongholds in the mind close a person's understanding in such a way that they are not open to learning.
God even speaks, but He doesn't enter the mind; these are real strongholds of the mind,
It's the hardened heart that Jeremiah describes
Sophisms
Lies that seem to be true, and misinterpretations
Feelings generate thoughts
Every day we are exposed to stimuli that generate feelings and these feelings undermine or determine our thoughts. Carnal desires deceive our minds
Paul explains it like this:
"As for the old way of life, you were taught to put off the old man,[16] which is corrupted by deceitful desires,
to be renewed in your way of thinking and to put on the new man, created to be like God in righteousness and holiness from the truth" - Letter to the Ephesians, Chapter 4, verses 22 to 24
Fight vulnerability
1 OBEDIENCE
When some obeys, they destroy the other person's argument. There are many people who claim that it is impossible to live in holiness, but when someone obeys and lives in holiness, this argument is destroyed.
Obeying even if it's against my will (obeying without feeling)!
To obey is faith, to walk by faith is to walk in the words that God has said, in the ways that he has determined, any other argument is a lack of faith in the word. Either you believe that everything God has said is true or you discard it all, you can't take part and discard the rest that you don't like, it's always been like this generation after generation and it always will be, because God's word lasts forever. This was one of Israel's deceptions in the time of the prophet Jeremiah.
2 HUMILITY
When you humble yourself, you listen.
May your attitude be the same as that of Christ Jesus, who, though he was God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but emptied himself,
and became a servant, in the likeness of men. And being found in human form,
he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross! - Letter to the Philippians chapter 2 verses 5 to 8
3 THE RENEWING OF THE MIND
"(...) and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." Gospel of John, chapter 8, verse 32
γινώσκω (ginosko) is the original Greek word for "you shall know". Basically, it means that it starts a process. Thus, γινώσκω generally means "to come to know", "to recognize", "to perceive"
"Therefore I say to you, live by the Spirit, and by no means fulfill the desires of the flesh. (...) Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires."
The great advice against be stubborn
"So I tell you, and I urge you in the Lord, do not live any longer like the Gentiles, who live in the futility of their thoughts. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance in which they are, due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to depravity, greedily committing all kinds of impurity;
However, this is not what you have learned about Christ. In fact, you heard about him, and in him you were taught according to the truth that is in Jesus." - Ephesians 4:17-25 onwards
This is much more serious than you think. The worst consequence of hardening will come in eternity:
"But according to your hardness and impenitent heart you will store up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and judgment of God."- Paul's Letter to the Romans 2:5
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