Minding Your Thoughts
A Biblical Overview of Obtaining and Maintaining a Biblical Thought Life
Hebrews 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
The time which this verse speaks of is the time of the Gospel, known as the church age, the age of grace, and many other names. It speaks of today. Chapter 10 of Hebrews sums up the previous nine chapters revealing Jesus Christ as the High Priest of His beloved people. The old covenant has been replaced with the new covenant. Part of the old covenant was that God wrote the law to His people. In the new and better covenant God promises to write His laws in His people.
This is done in at least four ways. The law of God is put into the minds of His people through personal Bible reading, preaching of the Word of God, teaching the Word of God. and through the ministry of the Holy Spirit in each believer. These four methods of putting the law of God in His people are invaluable. They should complement each other, should agree with each other, and should build on each other. The only way for these four methods to be ineffective is for a person to abstain from them. When a person stops reading the Bible, seldom attends church, has no systematic study of the Scriptures, and ignores the Holy Spirit’s efforts, the law of God becomes diminished in the mind.
Perhaps James was speaking of individuals that had ceased to allow the law of God to be put in their minds when He wrote: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” (James 1:24-25) Without the continual reminders that come from Bible reading, preaching, teaching, and being filled with the Holy Spirit, any Christian will sooner or later forget what manner of person they are to be. By making these four exercises an important part of your life, you will be amazed at the wisdom you gain by having the law of God put in your mind.
May the Lord bless and be pleased with your thought life today.
Dr. William T. Howe
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