Seeing Jesus - Mind (Eliminate Misinformed)

	Jesus has the hands of a carpenter, a fisherman, a physician, a farmer, a teacher and a parent.  They reach down in love, out in support and up in praise.  His eyes look backward for lessons from the past.  They look forward with determination. They always look with love.  Certain things never come from His mouth.  However, He always speaks up when the situation calls for it.  At all times, His words are those of God.  The feet of Jesus are often tired.  But this does not stop Him as he pursues His critical mission.  These feet are willing to step forward and stand firm.  They are powerful.  And they are beautiful.
	It is of major importance that we comprehend and develop in ourselves the mind of Christ.  This requires that we eliminate certain negative elements from our minds.  These include things which are bad.  They are bad because they are physically, mentally or spiritually corrupted.
	Let's consider, now, another category of thoughts which must be removed from our minds.  These are thoughts which are misinformed.
	Before continuing, we must ask ourselves whether or not ignorance is an acceptable excuse for not doing what we should.  When we were growing up, we used to hear the phrase, "Ignorance is no excuse before the law."  But, in our upside-down society, is this still true?
	There cannot possibly be a United States citizen who does not know the Miranda statement.  "You have the right to remain silent.  Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.  You have the right to a lawyer.  If you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be appointed for you."  How many times have we heard this repeated?  
	A criminal might commit the most horrible crime imaginable. He might confess to that crime.  But if he is not "read his rights," he must be turned loose.  He knows the Miranda statement better than anyone else.  But, if he can claim ignorance, he must be released.
	Somehow, we have developed this same attitude about God.  We picture ourselves standing before God and claiming that we were ignorant of His will.  Or, perhaps, we were misinformed.  We really believe that God will say, "In that case, you are O.K." How does this fit with what we find in the Bible?  What did God require under the Law of Moses?
	"Now if a person sins and does any of the things which the Lord has commanded not to be done," we learn from Leviticus 5:17, "though he was unaware, still he is guilty, and shall bear his punishment."
	Could it be any clearer?  We are no longer under the Old Law. But has God's nature changed?  Is ignorance a valid defense before God?  Can we retain misinformed ideas in our minds if we are to develop the mind of Christ?
	There are various causes which might result in misinformation or ignorance.  One of these is a hardened mind.
	"But their minds were hardened;" Paul expresses in 2 Corinthians 3:14-15, "for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ.  But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart."
	There were people who did not understand the Old Law because of hardened minds.  And, as Paul indicates in this same chapter, anyone who tries to apply the Old Law to Christianity is misinformed.
	"Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as {coming} from ourselves," Paul writes in verses 5-11, "but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate {as} servants of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.  But if the ministry of death, in letters engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading {as} it was, how shall the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory? For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness abound in glory.  For indeed what had glory, in this case has no glory on account of the glory that surpasses {it.}  For if that which fades away {was} with glory, much more that which remains {is} in glory."
	We will be mislead if our hardened minds lead us to misunderstand the Old Law by extending it to Christianity.
	Blinded minds will also lead us to be misinformed about God's will.
	"Therefore, since we have this ministry," Paul instructs in 2 Corinthians 4:1-6, "as we received mercy, we do not lose heart, but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.  And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.  For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus' sake.  For God, who said, 'Light shall shine out of darkness,' is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ."
	If we allow it, Satan will blind our minds so that we might not see the light of the Gospel.  Does ignorance still sound like such a great option?

	We must remove misinformed ideas from our minds.  These might be the result of hardened or blinded minds.  Or they might be caused by minds which have been led astray or corrupted.
	"But I am afraid," Paul expresses in 2 Corinthians 11:3, "lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the simplicity and purity {of devotion} to Christ.  For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear {this} beautifully.  For I consider myself not in the least inferior to the most eminent apostles.  But even if I am unskilled in speech, yet I am not {so} in knowledge; in fact, in every way we have made {this} evident to you in all things."
	As this passage points out, knowledge is very important.  Without it, the devil will be able to lead us astray.
	"For such men are false apostles," Paul adds in verses 13-14 of his enemies, "deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.  And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light."
	Our minds will be mislead if they are hardened, blinded or corrupted.  They will also be misinformed if we allow them to be stirred up or embittered.  Have you ever tried to reason with a bitter person?
	"And the word of the Lord was being spread through the whole region," Acts 13:49-50 records.  "But the Jews aroused the devout women of prominence and the leading men of the city, and instigated a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district."
	"But the Jews who disbelieved stirred up the minds of the Gentiles," the next chapter continues after the preaching moves to Iconium, "and embittered them against the brethren.  Therefore they spent a long time {there} speaking boldly {with reliance} upon the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting that signs and wonders be done by their hands.  But the multitude of the city was divided; and some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles.  And when an attempt was made by both the Gentiles and the Jews with their rulers, to mistreat and to stone them, they became aware of it and fled to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbe, and the surrounding region; and there they continued to preach the gospel."
	Notice what happens when people allow their minds to be embittered by factious, jealous people.  They actually fight against the Gospel.
	We will be misinformed if our minds are hardened, blinded, led astray or embittered.  So, how can we combat this danger? How can we avoid facing God with no defense other than ignorance?
	"I have confidence in you in the Lord," Paul encourages in Galatians 5:10, "that you will adopt no other view; but the one who is disturbing you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is."
	"Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude;" Philippians 3:15 urges, "and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you."
	We fight ignorance by having no view other than that which we find in God's word.  We fight ignorance by not having an attitude which is different from that revealed in God's word.
	In other words, we overcome ignorance by seeking and following only the truth.  For only the truth will set us free.

Unless otherwise noted, "Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE(R), (C) Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977. Used by permission."