THE WORD OF GOD AS AFFECTING OUR MINDS
[p. 297] THE WORD OF GOD AS AFFECTING OUR MINDS
Acts 18: 11; 1 Corinthians 1: 18; Genesis 15: 8 - 18
My remarks will bear on the human mind, how it is affected for good or for evil, particularly for good, and how the word of God is intended to affect it. The word of God as such is specially stressed in the ministry at Corinth, whether orally or in the written form. The soil there was divinely selected for the divine sowing; it was no accident, for Corinth represents mankind in its cultivation, and, corresponding with this, secret wickedness, for education tends to wickedness, skilfully concealed. In the Lord’s service, no one should assume that public conditions must of necessity forbid the work of God; the work of God goes on and He selects His own soil for His sowing, as well as His own battleground. In Acts 18: 11 stress is laid upon the word of God, not simply that it was preached, but that it was taught. Now I refer to this because of the current operations of the enemy through our minds, and especially the youth amongst us. He selects the mind, knowing that if the mind is secured the will may act and continue acting, but carefully veiled.
The apostle, having heard what the Lord said to him, “I have much people in this city”, laid hold on what was in the Lord’s mind and settled down to a piece of work that he knew from experience and from observation must be difficult. So the apostle settled down in the city of Corinth for eighteen months, teaching the word of God. Not that he did not preach or pray or visit or exhort; not even that he did not work with his hands — for he did — but the governing thing in these eighteen months was to teach the word of God; not simply to set it before the saints, but to teach it. Teaching involves not only the ability to open up the mind of God, but to [p. 298] enforce it, to bring it home logically to the mind, and to show it thus to be superior to anything man did or could bring forth.
Before proceeding in regard of Corinthians, I desire to illustrate this from Genesis. In this chapter in Genesis we are in the presence of the believer representing all believers, for Abraham is called the father of us all, that is, all who believe; and it is in this chapter that he is specifically said to have believed God. The apostle Paul cites it, saying, “Abraham believed God” — a very great matter for young christians to face, because, in principle, this is the young christians’ chapter; not indeed as called out, but as progressing and standing out against the temptations of the world. The world, in the king of Sodom, was ready to honour and enrich Abraham, but he refused. So you find in this chapter the first reference in the Scriptures to the word of God. Not that the word of God had not been spoken, but it is here in its formal statement twice over for the first time in the Scriptures, corresponding with Corinthians. “After these things”, we read in the first verse of Genesis 15, that is, after the chapter in which Christ comes in to support the believer in his conflicts and to furnish him against the seductions of the world. Abram triumphed in these two settings, and “after these things” God proceeded with his education. We find in this chapter that very important formula, “the word of Jehovah”. God was now dealing with Abram the believer on the principle that there was such a thing as the word of Jehovah. Not that it began at this time, for it began much earlier than man, much earlier than Genesis 1; it began formally, as we are told, in the creation, in the beginning, “By faith we apprehend that the worlds were framed by the word of God”, Hebrews 11: 3.
There can be no doubt that John’s ministry, so applicable in our times, has this in mind, so he begins with “the Word”, applying it to Christ personally.
[p. 299] There was a Person here who was equal to opening up all that was in the mind of God, able also to unfold it, to make it intelligible to His disciples. Hence the importance of John’s ministry in this sense, that we might understand that there is such a thing as that, not merely as an abstract thought, but in a Person, so that concurrently with our knowledge of the Lord Jesus in His Person He unfolds the mind of God. How wonderful that there is in the world at the present time the methodical unfolding of the mind of God in the power of the Spirit. What a range of things is opened up for us to enter into, and the Lord in His grace ready to help us at every point! As we consider what is said, the Lord gives us understanding in all things. This ought to have the greatest attraction for us, for in it there is an escape from current importations of knowledge, which indeed, in very great measure, is “false-named knowledge”. Everything that is disclosed is coloured by what is false in the importations of knowledge amongst men, the world of human wisdom.
This chapter is a chapter of new things; almost everything in it is introduced for the first time, and this makes the mind ask, What is this? God would challenge us by the presentation of new thoughts as to where we are — are we interested? So the Lord said to Abram, “I am thy shield, thy exceeding great reward”. Mark, it is not a mere statement; it is the word of Jehovah, that unique kind of thing; it has its own force and power in our minds. I began with Abram’s inquiry, “how shall I know?” — a very fine question! He had already asked another question, “what wilt thou give me?” God spoke to him in vision; it is not only an appearing, as earlier; it is the word of Jehovah in vision. That is, God would appear to us to draw us aside for Himself so that He can speak fully and freely and forcefully to us. He asked what God would give him, and God opens up to him what He would give him. God showed him the stars. No [p. 300] astronomer ever saw such a sight as that. I am persuaded; no one could ever see such a sight of the stars as one who is shown them by God. They present a living state of things typically; they are called by name. He is acquainting Abram with the greatness of his calling, and the wealth of things that is ahead of him. Then it says that Abram believed God; he stands out here as characteristically believing God. It is not here simply believing a statement God makes, it is a question of believing God. He stands out as our great parent in this sense — “he believed Jehovah; and he reckoned it to him as righteousness”. God, taking account of this kind of evidence, reckons it to us as righteousness. But now Abram says, “how shall I know?” Many have come to the point of faith in God and righteousness according to Romans — a very fine point to reach, but we need confirmation. The enemy is busy, and young people are being diverted and some turned aside entirely by the enemy’s activities through the mind. Abram says to Jehovah, “how shall I know?”
I am concerned that those who are young may see how they may know, how they may be conscious, how they may come into the things veritably. John speaks much in this sense — “we know”, he says, and “that ye may know that ye have eternal life”. He “has given us an understanding that we should know him that is true; and we are in him that is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life”. It is thus that we are delivered out of the world of pride and of the natural mind. The apostle speaks of it in Romans 1; what a practical thing it is, and how essential to what God manifests! He says, “from the world’s creation the invisible things of him are perceived, being apprehended by the mind through the things that are made”. They are manifest, he says, for “God has manifested it to them”. It is not simply that there are certain things made, but, in the making of them, there is the manifestation [p. 301] of the hidden things of God. Then he proceeds to say, they are “apprehended by the mind through the things that are made, both his eternal power and divinity”. What an immense thought that is — apprehended by the mind! The manifestation would be of no use aside from the mind. But he proceeds to show how their thoughts descended, became darkened, fell into folly. O dear young people, look out for your thoughts! Thoughts are isolated things, but there is a downward trend, unless we are on the level I am speaking of, that is to say, asking God how we may know. The heart being darkened, the thoughts first descended into folly. There is a sort of pride attaching to this, an assumption to know and understand — “they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful”. The idea of thanksgiving flees away when persons become sceptical and critical. They do not glorify God; they descend, and descend, and descend, until they honour and serve “the creature more than Him who had created it, who is blessed for ever”. How the beloved apostle’s heart welled up in the thought of the blessed God — “blessed for ever”!
In answer to Abram’s query, “how shall I know?”, Jehovah says, “Take me a heifer of three years old, and a she-goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtle-dove, and a young pigeon”. God is not going to proceed at once to answer your questions from Himself; He wants to bring you with Him. What has been your history? Have you been observing? Now these particular creatures are mentioned here for the first time in Scripture, but there is not a word as to what they mean spiritually. God is dealing with the believer in regard of his own history, and his history is unique, if he has had one at all in a spiritual sense. This extends back for three years. Abram has to go out to the large cattle and look about for a heifer, and he has to know its age. It takes time, no doubt; he must get one three years old. What an effect this would have on Abram!
[p. 302] He was a man who owned cattle. The believer surely owns something, he has had experience with something; and it is for Abram to tax his mind, his experience — what does this heifer mean in the mind of God? Is there nothing in your history to assure you at all? Is there nothing to tell you that God has been dealing with you? Why are you becoming sceptical or uncertain or doubtful now? The God who has dealt with you earlier is the God you have to do with now. In all His dealings with me there is something in His invisible things that He would press home on me. Have I taken account of the dealings of God? It is a question of challenging me as to whether I have been impressed with what God has brought to my observation as to Himself. He has put something into that heifer, into that she-goat, into that ram, into that turtle-dove and that young pigeon. Every one of these creatures represents some thought of God, and as soon as I finish finding a three-year-old heifer and all these other things, my mind is at work, and I begin to think of what these creatures are. There is something in them of Christ; they are about to be offered. Abram is to know what to do with them, and he challenges himself. They represent what I perhaps have little of. If I have love, ardent affection — which I believe a heifer represents — I shall not be sceptical or doubtful; I shall be gratifying myself in regard to God and the brethren; I shall love the brethren in relation to God in a holy way. I shall love God. If it is a she-goat — note the female, for it is a question of affection, what is wrought in the believer in a mature way — it is as if God were to say, If you have just followed on in the things I have been presenting to you, you will be confident already. God graciously comes down to us, for He would have everyone confident as to the great things He has prepared for those who love Him.
The thought of affection is intended to keep us. Where there is love there is no scepticism, there is no unbelief.
“Love never fails”, and the cultivation of love, the reciprocation of love, for God, for Christ and for the saints, is a sure antidote to complaint, to criticism, to unbelief of any kind. Where in the whole world can you get anything to be compared with the wisdom of the people of God? It is a challenge that cannot be overcome.
Then there is the thought of the ram, the strength of things. A ram has a great place in Scripture, entering into the death and resurrection of Christ. It is a question, I believe, of the strength of things, of the power for increase. If I had increase in mind I should be free of this criticism; I should be occupied with increase, with increase in love, increase of its own kind, for progenitiveness is of its own kind. I do not want any admixture, or to bring any extraneous matter amongst the saints.
Abram knows what to do. It is a question now of Abram’s exercise of his intelligence, as to what he will do, and he knows what to do. He slays the creatures and sets the parts over against each other. The birds he did not divide. No doubt the birds have allusion to the Spirit here; it is no question of smallness, as it is elsewhere. These very birds are mentioned here for the first time. It is not any question with Abram of smallness; it is a question of this kind of thing coming in in a turtle-dove and a young pigeon, that these refer to the minds of the saints. The Scriptures are full of these things, and God would have us to have our minds flooded with these things, impregnated with them, so that we may grow. God loves to leave things to us, knowing we know what to do. I make bold to say that God has much more pleasure in a saint doing a thing than in doing it Himself. He loves to see us doing things with intelligence.
Abram not only knew what to do with the creatures, but he knew how to keep evil away — that is another thing. Young people are damaged because they do not [p. 304] keep evil away, they do not discern it. The enemy comes in to spoil these circumstances that are delightful among us; Abram drove away the evil birds. Not the turtledoves or pigeons, but those evil spirits coming down to interfere with this precious service of God in the growth of the saints. He drove them away and he shuts his mind against the enemy. Let us learn to do that. We read in Romans of some whose thoughts descended to folly. You may say, the devil prompted them; but the epistle to the Romans is dealing with our responsibility, what we are doing. The devil is only mentioned once in Romans, for the point is our responsibility; whatever happens we are responsible. God loves us too well to let us off. Abram says, I will not let those wretched thoughts in at all; they are not my thoughts, they are of the enemy. He scared them away. See what power he has! It is the power of the Spirit to shut the doors of the mind against evil suggestions — a very important matter. People read novels even; they are just opening their minds to these evil creatures, these birds of prey. They must be shut out.
Then it says that a deep sleep fell upon Abram. That is, God is now taking you entirely away from your natural senses. You have shown you have control over them; now God is helping you. God is going to speak to him now unhindered by natural sensibilities, “As the sun was just going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, a horror, a great darkness, fell upon him”. There is the horror of great darkness, but God proceeds graciously; the deep sleep precedes it. Deep sleep is not suffering, although it may deprive us of natural sensibilities; but a horror of great darkness is suffering, and God will not let us off. As Romans 7 shows, we must learn what is in us. God hates that more than we do, and He loves us too well to let us go on without hating it. Now he says, “thy seed will be a sojourner in a land that is not theirs, and they shall serve [p. 305] them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years”. That is to say, the future has to be anticipated. We are not always to be in a horror of great darkness, but God loves us too well to let us off. He would remind us of what is in us, and what a terrible thing the meanness of the natural progeny is; it is to be afflicted four hundred years, but God says, “that nation ... I will judge”. He may in His government use things to lead us to this, but He will judge them and bring us out with great property, so that we can say, “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord”. That is deliverance.
Then when the sun had gone down “there was a smoking furnace, and a flame of fire which passed between those pieces”. We see now the intelligence of Abram, the spiritual understanding, that he placed the pieces so that there might be room for the power of God; there is a passage between the pieces. It means to me that I must make room for the power of God. I must not struggle myself. What did Abram do in the presence of what he saw? He was powerless; but he had set up the offering, he had given God an opening to come in in power. Disallowance of the flesh in one’s own will, in one’s own thoughts, in the full recognition of the sacrifice of Jesus, is the way room is made for the power of God. We may shut out the power of God in our own ways and thoughts. Abram made room for the power of God, and the power of God came in. He saw “a smoking furnace, and a flame of fire which passed between those pieces”. They were moving; it was a question of the power of God in these circumstances. So it is with every christian in whatever crisis he may be in his soul; it is a question of making room for the power of God. Can He not come in in these circumstances? Is there any circumstance in which He cannot come? Make room for Him as He comes in. I have no doubt this smoking furnace speaks of substance. Who can enter into death and annul it and glorify God in respect of sin,
[p. 306] but a divine Person? He came into it Himself, He was raised by the power of God. Room was made for the power of God, and God came in, as He does in every circumstance of the saint; hence the importance of not shutting out the power of God. As the apostle says, “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me”, 2 Corinthians 12: 9. He accepted the thing, and he realised the power of God.
“On the same day”, it says, “Jehovah made a covenant with Abram”. What a glorious thing it is, this coming into known relations with God! God deals with a christian and gives him to understand that He is taking full notice of him and giving him a covenant, a fixed order of things, so that he will never doubt again — I can say that as to myself. Time was with me, as with other young people, when there was doubt, but a time comes when you have fixed ground, when you know where you stand with God, and it is a present and eternal matter. It is a matter of the future here, a question of four hundred years hence; everything divinely promised made good, every promise yea and amen in Christ. God is faithful. Let the dear young people come into this — it is open to you — and shut the mind against these wretched things that are not of God and that make you think you know everything.
The word of the cross, the apostle says, is to us who are saved the power of God. It is not simply the fact of it, but it is the word of it. That is to say, the mind of God about it is made effective in my own soul; my mind is brought into it. It is the word of it, that I understand what a great thing the cross is. The apostle alludes to it in various ways: he says, “our old man is crucified”. What a view he had of the old man, the wickedness of it, the organised wickedness, the developed wickedness, in man! Then he says, “the world is crucified to me, and I to the world”; that is to say, the cross has made me so [p. 307] objectionable to the world. I am crucified to it. I know we do not like that; we like to court the world and to be in good favour with it, but the apostle says the cross crucified the world to me and crucified me to it. Oh, what deliverance and escape it means! What victories it means! I have done with the world; not only is it crucified to me, but it hates me as I am like Christ. I accept its judgment of me, I know it hates me. I am not speaking now of individual persons, but of the world in the principle of it; it despises christians who accept the cross. Finally the apostle says, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me”, Galatians 2: 20 — that is, he is looking into another world.
A vast range of thought is found in the ministry to the Corinthians in connection with the word of God, with that which overthrows darkness in the human mind and brings it into accord with God and the things of God, the great system of things He has before Him for us.