Keep It In Mind

“I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children.” 1 Corinthians 4:14

Admonish – The Christian life is not about going to heaven.  It’s not about a higher morality.  It’s not about being a better person.  It’s about agreeing with God that I am hopelessly lost without His grace and committing myself to completely changing who I am from the inside out through His power given to me.  I can’t rescue myself and I can’t fix myself after I am rescued.  But I can change my mind.  The Christian life begins right here – with a change in how I think.  My behavior is a result of my thought.  So is my language.  Paul is quite clear about this.  I must be transformed by the renewing of my mind.  The rest will follow like bees to honey.  Christianity is not better living.  It’s transformed thinking.  And if your mind is not being transformed, then you aren’t letting God do His best work.

Once we realize that Christian living begins with thinking, it comes as no surprise that the word for “admonish” is really the combination of nous (mind) and tithemi (to set in place).  Paul wants us to anchor securely in our minds what he is sharing about Christ.  He wants us to get a firm mental grip on his warnings and instructions.  He knows that the battle is all in your head.  Unless you have God’s words nailed down in your thinking, your actions will always be subject to the pressures of this world.

Now we see why Paul refuses to shame, but is adamant about warning.  Paul knows that shame drives me inward, away from clear thinking, because it begins with a lie about God’s view of my worth.  I won’t shame you, says Paul.  If God loves you (and He does) then who am I to say you aren’t worthy.  But I will warn you because you need to keep these things in mind.  Guilt reminds me that God loves me.  Guilt reminds me that in spite of His warnings, I was disobedient.  But guilt does not make me unworthy of His love.  Guilt is a description of my broken relationship.  And it can be fixed.  Guilt leads me to confession, repentance and restoration.  Shame imprisons me in humiliation.

So, here’s the first mental step.  Refuse shame.  Accept guilt.  Know who loves you.  Confess.  Follow Him.

There are no actions without thoughts.  There are no thoughts without words.  Get the words right.