A companion study to the work of Dr. Richard Gottier.
By Richard F. Gottier
Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
(1) Two paths are offered here, either: ____________________________ or _____________
_______________________________________________________________________.
Isaiah 55:8-9 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways," declares the Lord. [9] "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.
(1) God makes it clear that His _____________ are not the same as our _____________. Because our ways of thinking are different from the Almighty, our actions often lead to ____________________________________________________________________.
Isaiah 55:10-11 "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there without watering the earth, and making it bear and sprout, and furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; [11] So shall My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.
(1) In verses 10 an 11 God declares that His thoughts are not like our thoughts and His ways are higher than our ways. What conclusion can you draw about the purpose of God's word on the earth? What does He expect it to accomplish? _____________________ ______________________________________________________________________________
(2) What happens to seed that doesn't receive water? ______________________________
Note if you will this passage in Hosea 4:6 Hosea 4:6a My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. . . Today all around us the Word of God is being ridiculed, disparaged and lampooned. It is our only source of truth. God gives us a thrilling promise in Habakkuk 2:14
"For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea."
The focus of Dr. Gottiers book will encourage us in living a victorious Christian life through the acquiring of a Renewed mind. A Renewed mind will transform our relationship with the Lord, making us sensitive to the voice of His Spirit, lead us into triumphant faith, enable us to have new understanding in the ways of the Lord, and allow us victory of many of the temptations of life. *
* From the preface
Romans 7:22-23 For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, [23] but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind, and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members.
(1) Paul acknowledges that he is a candidate for a renewed mind. He ___________ concurs or agrees with the law of God in his innermost being, which is where the Spirit of God resides and speaks to the mind of man.
(2) He find his body or physical impulses in disagreement, analogous to "________ ______ with his mind
(3) In the last part of the verse Paul tells us who is winning. He protests that he is a __________of the _____ of sin which resides in the members of his __________.
Romans 7:24-8:5 Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? [25] Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin. [8:1] There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. [2] For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. [3] For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, [4] in order that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. [5] For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
2 Cor. 10:5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
The whole of Scripture demands that we make this assumption: God created the first man Adam perfect. It is by satanic deception and man's disobedience that a state of constant deterioration begun and continues until this day. Genesis 1:26-28 Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." [27] And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. [28] And God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
Genesis 2:19-20 And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. [20] And the man gave names to all the cattle, and to the birds of the sky, and to every beast of the field, but for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him.
God gave man one law: Genesis 2:17 but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die."
Genesis 5:5 So all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years, and he died.
Man is a tri-part being. He was created in the image of God (Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness).
Again in Genesis 9:6 "Whoever sheds man's blood, by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God He made man."
Psalm 8:3-5 When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained; [4] What is man, that Thou dost take thought of him? And the son of man, that Thou dost care for him? [5] Yet Thou hast made him a little lower than God, And dost crown him with glory and majesty!
1 Cor. 11:7 For a man ought not to have his head covered, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man.
Genesis 2:17 but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die."
How did Adam die if he lived another nine hundred years after the fall? We could make an argument that a day is like a thousand years to the Lord and so Adam died that day and while that may be true perhaps these next passages will give us a clue. As you read remember that Adam no longer communed with God, took walks with Him, or had fellowship with Him as he did in the Garden.
Genesis 5:1-3 This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day when God created man, He made him in the likeness of God. [2] He created them male and female, and He blessed them and named them Man in the day when they were created. [3] When Adam had lived one hundred and thirty years, he became the father of a son in his own likeness, according to his image, and named him Seth.
The purpose of Christ's incarnation and subsequent death on the cross in our place was to make it possible for a man to again be perfect, body, soul and spirit; to be made spiritually alive again..
John 3:5 Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
This is called the new birth or birth from above: John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
Jesus' death on the cross and subsequent resurrection made it possible for a man to again have the Holy Spirit of God indwelling him.
In effect Jesus made it possible for God to begin to reverse the curse of the "fall". John 1:12-13
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, [13] who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
When we are born anew, we are again a tri-part being. Look what God calls us in Hebrews 10:14 because by one sacrifice He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. (Niv)
Let's look again at John 4:24 in context with 23: "But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. [24] "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."
Compilers note: Truth is only found in the written word of God, or that which agrees with the word.
John 17:17b ". . . ; Thy word is truth."
"The essential part of man, that part on which God has stamped eternal, is spirit. That part of us that lives forever to spend eternity with or without God is the very centra essence and nature of man --his spirit." (a)
We should look at them briefly, in context, that we may have a thorough understanding of them as we study God's word..
1 Thes. 5:23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1. Take notice where the mind gets most of the information about the world it lives in. This is referred to in scripture as the flesh or body. Because it's view is limited to the five senses, God provides additional information, through His Spirit, which speaks to our hearts, the home of our attitudes. The heart or the spirit communicates this information, revealed knowledge, or as Dr. Gottier calls it, course correction, to the mind.
1 Thes. 5:23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit: the Greek word used here is pneuma, wind or breath
The Holy Spirit or Pneuma replaces our human spirit ( that is a rebellious spirit) when we accept the person of Jesus as Lord of our lives, and He becomes the center of our being. John 14:17b . . . the Spirit of truth, . . . you know Him because He abides with you, and will be in you.
John 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.
Genesis 6:5 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart (leb, inner man) was only evil continually.
Confirmation of the heart being the home of our attitudes is replete In the New Testament. We find the Greek word for hearts is kardia. John 14:1 "Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me."
John 16:22 "Therefore you too now have sorrow; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one takes your joy away from you.
Romans 10:8-10 But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart"-- that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, [9] that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; [10] for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Scripture uses interchangeably these two words, the spirit and the heart.
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
The Greek word for soul is psuche, breath, or mind. The parallel Greek word is found in such passages as 1 Cor. 2:16a For who has known the MIND OF THE Lord, that he should instruct Him?. . .. "Who has known the mind of the Lord," (nous, = mind, understanding, reason).
The soul and mind are used interchangeably. The mention of the body or flesh also uses parallel words.-body (soma) and (sarx).
Matthew 10:28 "And do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Acts 2:31 he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that He was neither abandoned to Hades, nor did His flesh suffer decay.
The body and the flesh are used interchangeably.
When we first come into contact, we meet with our bodies, involving basically physical attraction or repulsion or anything in the middle. We size a person up, so to speak, and unless forced by external forces, we choose whether or not to move to a higher level of communication, that is verbal or intellectual interaction. We have a meeting of the minds. There is another level of communication that can only be joined by those who have been born from above, that is spiritual communication. The apostle John describes it best in 1 John 1:3 What we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, that you also may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.
1 John 1:5,7 And this is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. (7) but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
With the previous pages as a foundation, let's look a little closer at Adam, the created man.Genesis 1:28 And God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
Hebrews 2:5-8 For He did not subject to angels the world to come, concerning which we are speaking. [6] But one has testified somewhere, saying, "What is man, that Thou rememberest him? Or the son of man, that Thou art concerned about him? [7] "Thou hast made him for a little while lower than the angels; Thou hast crowned him with glory and honor, and hast appointed him over the works of Thy hands; [8a] Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet."
Genesis 2:19 And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name.
Remember the earlier quoted passage, Jesus speaking to the Samaritan woman at the well stated:
"God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." John 4:24 Now note again this passage in Genesis 2:19 and read 3:8a And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name.
Genesis 3:8-9 And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. (9) Then the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, "Where are you?"
According to John 14:26 it is the very nature of the Spirit of God to teach. "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.
Adam would have been unblemished mentally, spiritually alive, in harmony with God's creation. Dr. Gottier points us to a passage in Luke 2:46 And it came about that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them, and asking them questions.
Luke 2:47 And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers.
To utilize Dr. Gottier's illustration: comparatively, the mind of Jesus and Adam, to the mind of man after the fall, is the difference of knowing a healthy, robust man, who has been ravaged by cancer or Alzheimer's disease.
Doctor Gottier now wants us to think of the human brain-the mind by itself, isolated.
The brain is a computer, it processes information. It is more than a man-made computer because it can rationalize, problem solve, and, process information and make decisions based upon that information. The question we must ask and answer is "Where does the brain get it's information?".
When we are born it is essentially like a blank piece of paper. Author's note: It is fair to say that some information is inherent in the human spirit, called a conscience. It is also true that the higher one goes up the ladder on the food chain, the less inherent or instinctive knowledge is present.
So the mind can only derive it's information from the body and the spirit. This divides humanity into two types of people, those born only in the natural way and those born from above, inclusive of Jesus, and Adam and Eve. John 1:12-13 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, [13] who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
John 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.
1. _________________________________
2. __________________________________
3.___________________________________
4.___________________________________
5. __________________________________
All of these five senses are referred to in Scripture as the flesh. The New Testament writers clearly show a separation of living according to the five senses (the flesh), knowledge limited to data on the physical plane, and that which is enhanced or dominated by spiritual input from the heavenly realm. .
Romans 8:4-5 in order that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. [5] For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
2 Cor. 4:11 For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
2 Cor. 10:3-4 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, [4] for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.
Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me.
Galatians 5:16-17 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. [17] For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.
Can you grasp the concept that the mind can be swayed to either side? The person without the Spirit of God speaking to him is lopsided, since the input from the senses is limited to this earthly realm. When a man is born again, God's Spirit speaks to him and offers course correction that he may begin to think in the ways of the kingdom.
"For My thoughts are not your _______________,
Neither are your ___________ My ways," declares the Lord.
Let's examine the Chart:
These passages will clearly demonstrate the limitations and the source of influence of rational knowledge and how it sets its self against the truth of God's revealed knowledge. In this instance it is the Living Word Himself, Jesus.
John 8:31-47 Jesus therefore was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; [32] and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
[33] They answered Him, "We are Abraham's offspring, and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, 'You shall become free'?" [34] Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. [35] "And the slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. [36] "If therefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed. [37] "I know that you are Abraham's offspring; yet you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. [38] "I speak the things which I have seen with My Father; therefore you also do the things which you heard from your father."
[39] They answered and said to Him, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said to them, "If you are Abraham's children, do the deeds of Abraham. [40] "But as it is, you are seeking to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God; this Abraham did not do. [41] "You are doing the deeds of your father." They said to Him, "We were not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God." [42] Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love Me; for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me. [43] "Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. [44] "You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar, and the father of lies. [45] "But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me. [46] "Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me? [47] "He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God."
Psalm 119:160 The sum of Thy word is truth, And every one of Thy righteous ordinances is everlasting.
John 8:32 "and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
John 17:17 "Sanctify them in the truth; Thy word is truth.
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
1 Cor. 1:30 But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption,
The Chart then points out all of the attributes of that wisdom, which are the fruits of the Spirit, which God is enabling us to attain as He renews our minds..Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
1 Cor. 1:21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.
James 3:13-17 Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. [14] But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. [15] This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. [16] For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.
[17] But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.
____________________________________________________________.
Dr Gottier introduces this chart here that we
may see man as God intended. "God intended that our created spirits
should hear from Him and rule our minds, and the spirit and the mind
together should rule the flesh." (b) In the natural man the flesh
rules the mind and sin and rebellion prevail.
(1) Man in constant communion with God, speaking through the newly born spirit: the spirit rules the mind and the mind rules the flesh.
(2) Man dominated by the flesh: the flesh rules the mind and the human spirit collaborates with the mind.
(3) Man dominated by the mind, which rules the human spirit and the flesh.
In these next passages, which speak of things that are in rebellion toward God, we will try to separate them.
Galatians 5:19-21 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, (20) idolatry, sorcery, (the use of hallucinogens) enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, [21] envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
(3) ________(4) ________(5) ________(6) _____________.
___________________________________________________________________
Rev. 21:8 Contains another list. Can you again divide them as to domination by the flesh or the mind? "But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."
Paul gives us another list in 2 Cor. 12:20 For I am afraid that perhaps when I come I may find you to be not what I wish and may be found by you to be not what you wish; that perhaps there may be strife, jealousy, angry tempers, disputes, slanders, gossip, arrogance, disturbances;
Romans 2:8 but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation.
James 3:14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth.
Beginning on page 33, Dr. Gottier would like us to revue what we have already established by God's word.
1. Man was created in the image of God, possessing the capability of constant communion and fellowship with the father. This was confirmed by Jesus :John 4:23-24 "But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. [24] "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."
1. Man is a tri-part being. Hebrews 10:14 For by one offering He has perfected [made complete] for all time those who are sanctified. By the offering of Christ man is made whole again.
2 Cor. 1:22 who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.
Ephes. 1:14 [the Holy Spirit] who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory.
3. Man was given dominion over the whole earth, including the Satanic realm. Genesis 1:26
Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."
4. Rational sense knowledge in man, as he was created, was subject to course correction by revealed-knowledge received knowledge in the spirit of man in communication with the father. John 4:24 God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."
John 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.
Through the cross and at Pentecost Christ restored, for all who would believe and obey, a spirit made alive, thus enabling communion and fellowship with the Father. Through the Holy Spirit of God, there now exist a possibility of having one's mind renewed, with the potential of having dominion once again restored..
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