Mortifying Sin
Excursus: Loving God With All Your Mind

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Teaching Ministries

November 3, 2002
Adult Sunday School
Class #8

Key Points:

The mind plays the key role in our obedience. The great duty of the mind is to attend to the rule of duties.

The work of your mind is to know His rule and apply it to all you do before God—"be very careful, then, how you live" (Ephesians 5:15).

The flesh will fight the mind by trying to keep the mind thinking in "general terms" what it means to please God (i.e., "sure, love your wife"—this is "general", verses "love your wife by serving here this Saturday by going out and cleaning the garage").

The flesh will also try to get the mind to be content with duty and routine without examining the motive and heart of your actions.

Train your mind to think of sin in these terms: It is Sovereign God who forbids sin, every act of sin deserves punishment (yet Christ was punished for yours), the kindness and love of God for you, the blood of Christ poured out for us and our responsibility to Him, and that we grieve the Holy Spirit who indwells us when we do.

Your mind has become spiritually lazy when you aren't stirred by warnings against sin, when you can't be motivated to spiritual duty, and when you are easily discouraged and give up at the sight of difficulties—now, more than ever, it is time to pray and meditate upon God's Word (see last week).