316. Gird Up the Loins of Your Mind

“Be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

There is nothing that we need to guard so closely as our heart and thoughts. If we become intoxicated in our thoughts, it is not long before we slide into false liberty. The Scriptures become distorted so that hope and liberation are given to the flesh that was meant to die. Therefore Paul writes, “Stand, therefore, having girded your waist with truth.” Eph. 6:14. By this he means the loins of the mind. If in our mind we begin to be indifferent to the truth, this shows that our heart has been corrupted. Then come teachings that the body of sin has been done away with and that Jesus has done everything for us, so that we can live as apathetic a Christian life as we want to. This is a false teaching, and although it may never be said so blatantly, nevertheless it exists, and its end is perdition. The pride of life is evidence that the loins of the mind have not been girded up, and similarly respect of persons, which reigns because of a lack of watchfulness, and covetousness. Immodest behavior in thoughts, words, and actions come because the mind has not been girded up. Party spirit has its roots in anxiety and covetousness. The mind has not been girded up with truth. Gal. 5:19 and 20. Those who practice such things and live in them lie defeated and cannot stand in the judgment. The ones who are girded with truth will guard their heart from being weighed down with luxurious living. Such people will care for their children so they are not offered up to the powers that be, but rather to Jesus Christ. Parents who strive, either a little or a great deal to get their children to get on and get up in the world, over and above what is necessary for life’s needs, demonstrate that their minds are not girded up. Leaders of Christian assemblies who strive to make their children great in the world show that their minds are not girded up. They worship idols on the high places, and this becomes an expensive affair for the assemblies who have to pick up the bill. Christ’s disciples will understand that God’s work has nothing to do with idolatry, for it is not possible to serve both God and idols.

If we do not arm ourselves with the full armor of God, we will quite naturally slip into idol worship (which is the pride of life), covetousness, as well as other lusts that lead to perdition.

“And he [King Jehoshaphat] walked in the way of his father Asa, and did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of the Lord.

“Nevertheless the high places were not taken away, for as yet the peoples had not directed their hearts to the God of their fathers.” 2 Chr. 20:32-33.

The loins of King Jehoshaphat’s mind were not girded up for the Lord God alone, and in our day, too, those things that are great in the world still cling tightly to Christians. If you take up the sword against the high places, there will be protests and great opposition.

To be a disciple demands obedience to the Word, a mind that is girded up for the Lord, and a high and secure wall. Rev. 21:12. Nothing else is of any avail. Nothing else can lead to the goal, even if you have been gloriously saved, baptized by water, and baptized in the Spirit, as the saying goes. Everything depends on us walking in the newness of life. God’s Spirit (the Instructor) must be allowed to lead us. Otherwise the Spirit is quenched.

“For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.” Gal. 6:15 and 16.

These verses teach us that we must have the forgiveness of sins, baptism, baptism in the Spirit, the breaking of bread, etc., in order to be worthy to become a new creation. However if we do not follow the instructions of the Scriptures in these things, the forgiveness of sins is meaningless, since we will continue to sin. Likewise baptism by water is nothing because we do not walk in newness of life, and the baptism of the Spirit cannot help us because we do not allow the Spirit to lead us into all the truth. Everything is futile if it does not result in a new creation in me.

What was right in the sight of the Lord? From this we can clearly understand that it is only the obedience of faith—discipleship—that avails anything. Read and contemplate on Romans 1:5, 15:18, and 16:25 and 26. Apathetic Christianity, which is actually hypocrisy, cannot produce joy, peace, glory, or honor since Jesus, in whose footsteps we are to follow, loved righteousness and hated iniquity, therefore He was anointed with the oil of gladness more than His companions. Heb. 1:9. And because He suffered death, He was crowned with glory and honor.

Satan showed Jesus all the glory of the world (especially the glories on the high places) and said, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’” Matt. 4:8-10.

I really wonder how many Christians give Satan such a straight, direct answer when he offers them the glories of the world, especially the glories on the high places (honor of man, power, and reputation). Instead of this glory, Jesus chose dishonor and descended into the lower parts of the earth; “And being found in the appearance of a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” This is the way; walk on it—in His footsteps. Then the forgiveness of sins, baptism, and baptism in the Spirit will benefit us abundantly.

When we gird up our mind, we receive a transformed, renewed mind. Rom. 12:1,2 and Eph. 4:2,3.

After the time of the apostles, Christianity spread, and there was a great influx of Jews and Gentiles into the church. Many of them were not God-fearing, so they were not transformed by the renewing of their minds. Therefore everything stiffened into forms—lifeless forms that resulted in lifeless churches.

These dead churches have continued right until our present day.

We are to depart from such churches, since the church of God is living, just like its Head (Christ) is living. Eph. 1:22. Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it, that He might cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, “that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.” Eph. 5:26-27.