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A Well Mind

serving with a well mind like as the Lord and not men.*

The word well mind εὔνοια (eunoia) is often translated as enthusiasm/heartiness but it refers to thinking that relates to the mind being well, healthy and whole.  Traditionally it has been taught, we should serve without questioning and with enthusiasm and heartily. If we think of serving in this way we miss the meaning of serving with a well mind (eunoia, from the same as eunoeó, from eu "well, good, right" and noeó "mind.") A well mind is enlightened in the knowledge of the Son or renewed to understand, think, consider, conceive, apprehend as Christ. It is like as (ὡς (hōs)) the Lord. Like as Christ, submit to unyoked authority for the purpose of consecration, as the inner beauty of a heart consecrated to God is most pleasing in the sight of God. For this purpose, our reasonable service is presenting the body a living sacrifice, like as the Lord. Like as Christ, walk in truth exposing darkness. Like as Christ, not men, serve with a well mind.

present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, this your reasonable service... transformed, the renewing of your mind, so that you approve the will of God, good, acceptable, perfect.* 

Renewal of the mind is through transformation which is a process achieved through God's power. The word renewed here is ἀνακαίνωσις (anakainōsis) which implies an upward process making one new. There is being born anew, formed a new creation, of the Spirit, and there is the upward process of transformation in Christ. We are spiritual, but we exist in a carnal body which doesn't submit to the spiritual, thus the renewal of the mind is producing a mind spiritual that can submit to the spiritual things of God. "Now, renewed, the spirit of your minds."* A spiritual mind is a well mind like as Christ, thus it is said that we have the mind of Christ. Because the soul is related to the mind, it pertains to our salvation, as Peter writes we are receiving the goal of our faith, the salvation of our souls. This salvation of our souls is by transformation,  renewal of the mind, to have the mind of Christ, a well mind. Other scriptures speak of a renewed mind as having a sober and sound mind. A well mind is a renewed mind.

so that you approve the will of God, good, acceptable, perfect.* 

A well mind is like as Christ and approves of the spiritual things of God as good and pleasing, thus a well mind is an approved mind. Paul begins the letter to the Romans by telling us what an unapproved mind is. This mind knows of God but glorifies Him not, exchanging the truth for a lie, one which creates an image of God like as man. The carnal mind has no power to overcome because of the weakness of the flesh. But what about those who have been enlightened to the truth and go astray?  who make seeking first His righteousness about things that are not essential? "to the extent you determine that essential, so that existing pure and without blame, to the extent each day, Christ, receiving fulfillment, fruit of righteousness through Jesus Christ, to the extent, glory and praise, God's."* For those in Christ we possess the seed of righteousness that will grow up to bear fruit, and as the parable of sowing states, the purpose of the weeds is to choke out growth. Any thing not essential to us growing up to have a well mind is weight that hinders us and needs to be counted as loss. An unapproved mind is like as man, but an approved, well mind is like as Christ.

not according to eye-service, like as people pleasers, but like as Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.*

There is a difference of serving like as Christ and like as men. Like as men is for eye service, seeking to please people in hopes of winning a perishable crown; of promotion and status, fame and fortune. One can serve with enthusiasm and serve heartily like as men, disciplining the body to run the rat race, climbing over others to win. John writes like as Christ we should love one another.* A telling sign of a well mind is that it loves, serves like as Christ, not like as men. Eye service would be giving to the world while not loving your own. And would not giving for eye service be related to what Jesus said, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing?* To serve like as Christ shows a well mind, and the beauty of an inward heart consecrated, like as Christ. Presenting the body a living sacrifice for this holy purpose is the sacrifice acceptable to God. The treasure of your heart is proven to God alone, in consecration, not in giving nor serving like as men. Paul writes serving in the Old covenant did not mature, neither does it today. Serving is not meant to mature, nor provide wholeness. Serving like as men proves one is not mature thus a Church putting serving before growth is not mature. Truly, serving is a fruit of maturity. The gift of serving is given to the mature, and though we should test those who claim maturity, serving is not a proving ground. Serving doesn't prove we love Jesus, but being like Jesus, who served and did good works, does. 

distress of mind and anguish for all human life, the ones bringing forth bad, the Jew first and also the Greek. Now, glory and honor and peace, all the ones doing good...*

Glory and honor and peace to those who bring forth good. We are transformed from glory to glory, so the bearing of fruit of transformation reflects the glory of God. Good works is the fruit of the mature, the one prepared to do good. How can one do good? I have become spiritual, now, I have the power to do good. But evil is near me and sin dwells in my body which is against the spiritual. How can I do good? how can I practice truth and bring forth that within me? Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus I can. I can bring forth good, bear fruit of that dwelling in me, by being transformed, renewed in mind to approve the will of God, that good, acceptable, perfect. So we see what it means to be His workmanship prepared beforehand to do good works. I will do good because I have been prepared, in His image, now bringing forth good. It is that simple but preparation, possessing a well mind is not, requiring trials, testing, and proving. 

consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various kinds of trials, knowing that the proving of faith produces endurance. Now, possessing endurance, having its intended perfection, so that existing mature and complete, lacking in nothing.*

What you have in Christ, the anointing, leads you to abide in Jesus, for in His words is maturity, holiness achieved. And since holiness has the outcome of Life, bringing life to the mortal body is through holiness and a well mind fruit of. The path to Life produces a well mind, wholeness. To get to wholeness one must abide, looking intently into truth, then one is tested, proven. One must run the race, the upward call, presenting the body in which sin dwells to the Lord. One must possess endurance, and when endurance has done its work, there is perfection, maturity, wholeness. Wholeness and lacking in nothing describes a well mind and the preserving of our souls. The law doesn't perfect us, no, our motivation is love, as the bond of love leads us to perfection in truth. Like the athlete training, the process at first is tough as you question the discipline needed for endurance but once having endurance, you become mature, as a runner gets in his stride, so do you. Without discipline we will never possess endurance and will always struggle or burn out. We were adopted, predestined not just to inherit heaven but to be made in His image, to share in His character, to be formed to the image of Christ.* And we are being transformed into His image from glory to glory.* This is our purpose and high calling in Christ Jesus. It is a purpose whose worth far outweighs the circumstances of the trial. Oh, what a blessing it is to receive, wholeness, to be lacking in nothing, to have a well mind like as Christ. 





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