Obstacles to the Mind of Christ

In this Lesson, Dr. Steve Deneff also mentions three types of mind in the Bible that stand in the way of having the mind of Christ. These ways of thinking are obstacles to holiness.

The Simple Mind

Proverbs 14:15 says that “the simple believe anything, but the prudent give thought to their steps.” The proverb seems to have in mind a person who is naive and uninformed. They may have good enough intentions but their lack of understanding inevitably leads them down the wrong paths. This person is not aware of him or herself. They don’t know their own biases and assumptions. They are easily led astray.

At times, however, the Old Testament blurs this type of person into the “fool,” who is not just unaware but is someone who resists knowledge (Prov. 1:22). The “fool” doesn’t want to believe in God (Ps. 14:1). The “fool” does not wander onto the way of holiness because it is not a path that he or she really wants to take.

The Corrupt Mind

If the simple mind is mostly ignorant of the way and the truth, the corrupt mind actively opposes God and the good. Isaiah 5:20 speaks of those who “call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” Romans 1:28 talks about those who, although they know what God is truly like, they chose rather to worship idols and to have a depraved mind.

The corrupt mind can eventually result in a hardened heart. Many of Jesus’ opponents in the Gospels understand well enough Jesus’ power and anointing by God, but their minds are so corrupted that they oppose him all the more. Similarly, Pharaoh could clearly see the power of God toward the Israelites, but he foolishly pursued them anyway. This is the mind that Satan and the demons have toward God. They oppose him even though they know exactly who he is.

The Divided Mind

James 1:8 talks about the “double-minded” person who is unstable in all his or her ways. This is a person who has not fully committed to God. They half serve God, and they half serve themselves. They have divided loyalties. Some of their mind thinks like God. Some of their mind thinks in earthly ways.

Dr. Deneff uses the example of Peter in Mark 8. On the one hand, he recognizes that Jesus is the Christ. Yet Peter also cannot believe that Jesus would go to the cross. Satan uses Peter’s thinking to try to tempt Jesus not to follow through, and Jesus tells Satan to “get behind me” (Mark 8:33).

Romans 14 similarly warns the person who might try to hide sinful desire under the guise of faith. If a person is going to do something that is debated among Christians, they had better do it with a heart full of faith. Whatever is done with a double mind, with divided loyalties, is sin (Rom. 14:23).