There’s a kind of statement in the canon, that we have to understand. So profound, indeed, that its ramifications are beyond words. Behold, 👇🏾
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, …
… But we have the mind of Christ
that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind.
You see, man is triune.
Spirit; Soul; Body. {note: the mind is in the soul}
The action and expression of man’s being, is much like the operation of a machine.
Consider Iron Man, the comic hero. It’s a human inside the mechanized suit, the suit has been engineered and programmed by this human, Mr. Tony Stark, to do those things that Mr. Stark wants done; how he wants them done. So, when the suit is in use, the world sees not the man within, but may bear witness to what they consider acts of heroism.
This is pretty much identical, to the triune nature of man.
The human within the suit, represents your Spirit.
The programming and Artificial Intelligence, Jarvis, through whom the suit is controlled, represents your Soul.
And the suit, itself, represents your body.
Triune. Three, yet, one.
You soliloquize; talk and converse within yourself, much like Mr. Stark holds conversation with Jarvis within the suit. Sometimes, you want things done, but your soul informs you that you’re losing power, and cannot fire thrusters anymore (maybe you’d skipped a few meals).
Now, this is where things get interesting.
If someone else were to legally and truthfully, inherit the Iron Man suit after Mr. Stark’s passing, there’d be a world of difference.
- First of all, the character of the man in the suit. Is he righteous or evil? A good guy, or villain?!
- Second, the purpose of the man in the suit. Is the suit’s current programming suited to his purpose, plans and projects?
- Thirdly, customizations. What if, Mr. Stark had programmed Jarvis to play raunchy music whilst in flight, and the new guy prefers Zen music? You can’t get into flow state and do deep work if the vibe is all messed up, can you?
There’s more, of course; but these’re core!
So, what’s the difference between the unsaved, since he “popped-outta-momma,” gent, and the one who has believed in Jesus Christ for salvation from sin? Between the natural (before Cross of Christ) and the carnal/spiritual man (since redemption at Cross of Christ)? When someone walks past you into Target, meets with Jesus, maybe through a teen-preacher, and walks back out, saved, how are they any different?
The iron man suit stays the same - same face, scrawny beard and build.
Jarvis stays installed - same old soul; he still loves tacos.
⚠️ The man inside the suit, has changed.
It was a guy called “Mr. Flesh, " or “Old Man. "
And now, its “Christ” or “New Man. "
So, when Brother Paul wrote, that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man, he meant, “merely uninstalling the apps running on the OS (Jarvis) won’t do. You’ve got to format the whole drive. " Jarvis gotta go!
Christ, the New Man, needs his own mind {“mind of Christ”} to live {“express Himself”} through.
If you’re never taught, you’ll keep wondering why you stumble at old thought patterns.
One moment you’re minding your business, mowing the lawn (or scrolling through your feed): suddenly a voluptuous female goes waltzing by, clad in leather tights, and next thing you know, you’re bolting the bathroom door, dropping your pants, and masturbating.
Jesus wouldn’t do that: and you know you’re made new of Spirit, just like Him, so what gives?! The mind that is in you, was trained to lust by the Old man. Jarvis OS, gotta go! We need a new Operating System. And not a new, different distro of same old Linux; no! A whole other OS, entirely.
Now, that you realise the conundrum — that you’ll never be free to the honourable, righteous things that you know to preach: until this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, how?
If you’ve ever formatted a PC or phone; no, not a factory reset: a formatting, you know you’ve got to get enough power in the battery to see you through the entire process; get a disc or thumb drive or some external storage that holds the new OS; access to the BIOS or root system of your device; and careful patience.
So, how does that apply?
| Device OS | Soul | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | 🔋Power | Invite the Holy Spirit to power this transformation |
| 2. | 💾 New OS Software | Any programme is essentially a comprehensive list of definitions and commands. So, evidently, it’s the Teachings in the Holy Bible. In particular, teachings (law) on the mountains of God. {see Isaiah 2v3; Micah 4v2} The actual teachings are in two volumes - old and new. Mosaic Law (Exodus 24:12) and Eternal Law (Matthew chapters 5-7), respectively. Go for the full thing, I say. |
| 3. | 🗝️ BIOS/ Root Access | You can’t format an OS while it is in use. So, shut your door: that means, shut your senses against all distractions — food, too, if you can; and trust that as you begin to read and meditate the Bible’s mountain teachings, they will translate you to the very mountain-top from whence they came, and open up the root directory or BIOS of your soul. |
| 4. | ⚒️ Careful Patience - v1 | Have you ever wondered, why if you quit on something when it gets tough, it appears to have grown bigger, and will never cease to mock you, until you square your shoulders and give it all it takes? Don’t learn the hard way. Commit to a doable minimum of regular Bible reading & praying, to be practised daily, without fail. You’re not limited to the bare minimum that you promised (& wrote in your journal). It’s better to promise a daily one chapter or thirty minutes; and keep it consistently, than promise 4hours, and never start. |
| 5. | 🏗️ Careful Patience - v2 | Yeah! This is where you’ve fed a great deal on the full teachings of God’s Law; and are now ready for understanding in specific mysteries. It’s time for depth unto mastery. That’s what the “Truth to Behold” series are for. Mediation and contemplative praying. Never rush. Meditating one of these can be enjoyed for decades. One verse. Same verse. Everyday. For days, weeks, months, years; mysteries deeper still, uncovered every time. Oh, take me to that place; beholding Thine Glory o God. |
After all is said, please consider these precepts:
The Foundation:
- Believe in Jesus Christ as your Salvation
- Learn how to be led by the Holy Spirit
- Read through the canon, Holy Bible, multiple times
- Converse with the Father as His child
The Principal Virtues:
- Love
- Faith
- Wisdom
The Pillars of Growth:
- Food & Drink (“Bread & Water/ Milk/ Wine, " which is the word of God)
- Exercise (Prayer, Obedience, Walking by Faith)
- Rest (confidence in GOD)
The Definition of Kingdom-Life
“Trust and Obey”
I trust that the Lord will help me, frequently, to come back; writing more fully, articles of the KING’s blueprint for shaping your life into an edifice; a tower of love and glorious light. Indeed, the blueprint is to be a series; masterfully authored in the power and might of the Holy Spirit.
Peace be with you, brethren.