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STUDY X
THE SPIRIT OF A SOUND MIND
The Spirit of God in His People Casts Out the Spirit of Fear--Mankind in
General Unsound Mentally and Physically--The Sense in Which the
Holy Spirit is the Spirit of a Sound Mind--The Operations Producing
this Result--The Evidences of the Spirit of a Sound Mind.
"God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and
of a sound mind." 2 Tim. 1:7
BY EVERY law of language, the spirit of fear is here put in
contrast with another spirit. If the Spirit of love, power, a
sound mind, be a person, or three persons, then in all reason
the Spirit of fear should be considered another person. The
fallacy of such an argument is so apparent as to need nothing
more than a mere statement for its disproof.
In proportion as the Lord's people are filled with his holy
Spirit or influence, and are expanded more and more by it,
and enlarged, they have the less of the spirit of fear. The
spirit of fear in a Christian is the spirit of doubt, and marks
a lack of faith, a lack of the holy Spirit. The spirit of fear is a
fruitful source of evil in spiritual matters, in every feature of
the Christian growth, individually and as a Church; and it
is also closely identified with physical weakness and disabilities.
The child of God who is filled with the holy Spirit
is a giant in comparison with his own natural self; because
his fears are quelled, his heart is established, his faith is
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rooted and grounded, and his soul is anchored sure and
steadfast, within the veil. Thus he is held from being driven
onto the rocks of disaster, when the stormy winds of trouble
prevail. The holy Spirit is thus a power to those who possess
it, which has often caused amazement to their enemies.
It is not our claim that the Gospel of Christ takes hold
upon the strong minded and strong bodied, and that therefore
those who are his are strong; quite to the contrary of
this, we hold, as a matter of fact, as well as a matter of Scriptural
testimony, that the Gospel of Christ usually takes hold
upon the weaker ones, who feel their weakness, and who realize
more than do the stronger their need of help. Yet such
is the transforming influence of the holy Spirit upon those
who receive it, that in their weakness they are made strong.
The weak things of this world are made mighty through
God (through the Spirit, the power of God) to the pulling
down of strongholds of error and sin, and to the endurance
of a good fight as good soldiers of the Lord Jesus Christ,
much to the surprise of those naturally their superiors.
1 Cor. 1:27; 2 Cor. 10:4; 2 Tim. 2:3,4
This was true in times past, when the weak ones of the
world espoused the cause of Christ, and were firm to the
very end of life, as martyrs, enduring unwaveringly trials
and difficulties before which the strongest of the world
quailed. And the same thing is still true of the same class,
for although the particular features of persecution have
greatly changed, nevertheless it is still necessary to "endure
hardness as good soldiers," and to "lay down our lives for
the brethren"; and the weak things of the world, yea, those
that are naught, whom God hath chosen, are still confounding
the wisdom and might of this world. 1 Cor. 1:27,28
This Spirit of God in us is not only a Spirit of power, but
a Spirit of love, says the Apostle. The love here mentioned is
not the natural love possessed to some extent by all mankind,
and even by the brute creation--in large measure a
spirit of selfishness. In those who receive the holy Spirit of
love this natural love should become intensified, broadened,
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deepened, and should more and more lose its selfish
characteristics, and become a generous love, a self-sacrificing
love, based not upon selfishness, but upon principles
of righteousness, truth, goodness, and the possession in general
of the Spirit, disposition of God. And this Spirit of love
should continue, increasing and abounding more and
more, until that which is perfect is come and that which is
in part will be done away. 1 Cor. 13:10
There is no more wonderful manifestation of the holy
Spirit in the Lord's people than that which the Apostle in
our text denominates "the Spirit of a sound mind." The
Lord's people, by nature, are not more sound of mind than
are the world's people. Quite the contrary. As we have already
seen, the tendency of the Gospel is to attract the more
imperfect, who realize their own impotency and their need
of grace and strength from on high, rather than to influence
those who are of stronger and sounder minds--who, comparing
themselves with others, have a self-satisfied, self-righteous
spirit or mind.
But whenever the Truth is received into good and honest
hearts and brings forth its legitimate fruitage, and the
Lord's people become partakers of his holy Spirit, whether
naturally strong or weak, they thereby obtain the "Spirit of
a sound mind"--their judgments are clearer, truer, more
trustworthy, than before; because they have before their
minds, first of all, the explicit directions of the Lord's Word
in respect to what they should do, and what they should not
do--directions which cover almost every feature and aim of
life. Those who have accepted the Lord as their instructor
and teacher, and who have his Spirit of obedience to the
Father's will, have the "Spirit of a sound mind," because
they do not trust merely to their own judgment, not merely
to their own understanding, but by obedience to the Lord's
directions they are preserved in the vicissitudes of life from
the snares and difficulties which befall those who have not
the guidance and direction of superhuman wisdom.
As a result of the fall of our race into sin and its condemnation,
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death, the whole world is unsound, mentally as
well as physically--but in varying degrees, according to circumstances
and heredity. As some are physically less sound
than others, so some are mentally less sound than others,
yet all are unsound, as the Scriptures declare, "There is
none righteous [perfect, sound, either in mind or body], no,
not one." (Rom. 3:10) Figuratively, all are covered with
wounds and bruises and putrefying sores--mental and
physical. (Isa. 1:5,6) The curse of sin has laid its heavy
hand on the entire man--mind and body.
It is a well-recognized fact that suffering in one member
of the body causes ailment to the entire body, including the
mind. The mind could not be perfectly sound, while supported
and nourished by an unsound body. The deranged
stomach of a dyspeptic has a direct effect upon his mind, as
well as upon his entire physical system. The person whose
lungs are diseased cannot avoid a degree of mental impairment
corresponding; likewise, when other organs, the
heart, the liver, the kidneys, are diseased and perform their
functions imperfectly, the effect unquestionably is disordered
blood, and a disordered nervous system, the center
of which is the brain. Likewise the brain that is harassed by
pain or imperfectly nourished through malnutrition, or fevered
through failure of the action of the secretive organs, is
sure to be impaired in all its various functions: it cannot
think and reason as correctly, as logically, as if in perfect
condition. Derangements of the mind are so common, that
the word derangement is not applied except in quite extreme
cases of more than average unsoundness, unbalance.
But no one of judgment and experience will question these
conclusions.
The question arises, How or wherein does the impartation
of the holy Spirit to the Christian serve to repair his
judgment, and become to him the Spirit of a sound mind?
We answer that the divine mind is perfect, "sound," and
consequently to whatever extent Christians are able to set
aside their own minds or judgments, on any or all matters,
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and to accept instead the divine mind, will, judgment, for
the control of their lives, to that extent they will have the
spirit or disposition of a sound mind--God's mind. We do
not mean by this that the brains of Christians undergo a
change or a reversal of the order of nature in their operation,
but that under the guidance of the holy Spirit, the
Spirit of the Truth, such learn gradually to rectify the errors of
their own judgments in respect to all the various questions
which come before them, to harmonize with the teaching of
the holy Spirit through the Word of God. To illustrate: suppose
we had a clock, a poor timekeeper, and without means
for regulation; suppose also that we had access frequently
to a chronometer of absolute correctness, which showed us
that our clock lost thirty minutes every twenty-four hours,
we would learn how to correct it, by resetting every twenty-four
hours. Moreover, we would learn also how to estimate
its error at any point in the day. So with our judgments,
and the various matters and affairs of life: when we measure
them with the perfect standard, we find that we are either
too fast or too slow, too weak or too strong, in our
mental and physical emotions. And while we are quite
unable to alter our methods of thought and action so as to
have them perfect and in full accord with those of our Lord
Jesus, our standard, nevertheless we are enabled to regulate
our thoughts, our judgments, according to the standard
which is before our minds, in a way and to a degree which
those who have not this perfect standard, or who are not
seeking to be regulated by it, will neither appreciate nor be
able to copy.
Who has not noticed in his friends and his neighbors (as
well as in himself) abundant evidence of such unsoundness
of mind that they are unable to manage their affairs creditably,
and who nevertheless cause great annoyance by their
attempts to manage the affairs of others? Through self-conceit
they are judging others, gossiping busybodies in other
men's matters, though evidencing thorough incapacity for
the management of their own affairs. Is not this one evidence
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of an unsound mind--a measure of insanity? Do we
not find that the same principle, carried to a still greater extreme,
is noticeable in the cases of all whose judgments are
so unsound that they are obliged to be confined in an asylum?
Undoubtedly self-conceit, approbativeness and fear
are the bases of the mental troubles in the majority of those
who are confined in insane asylums--many of the remainder
being demoniacal obsession. If we enter an insane asylum
we find some of the inmates laboring under the
delusion that they are very wealthy, or that they are kings,
or queens, or nobles, or princes, and correspondingly full of
pride and touchiness, and easily offended. Others have endured
fancied wrongs, and imagine that they are not sufficiently
appreciated, and their friends are endeavoring to
get them out of the way, for fear of their influence, or to
hide their ability, or to prevent them from securing a fortune.
Others, through fear, imagine that every one is seeking
their life, that the whole world is mad, and that they
alone are sane; or that God is against them, and that their
fate is eternal torment, because they have committed unpardonable
sins, etc.
All these are but extremes of mental conditions and characteristics
which the observing may see about them every
day in all the walks of life. The tendency of the world and
the spirit of the world, with its ambitions and pride, its superstitions
and errors and fears, is to intensify these natural
conditions; and as a result we find that insanity in the extreme
form is making rapid increase throughout the civilized
world.
What these need--what we and all mankind need--are
sound minds: but the time for the general healing of a
world's mental and physical ailments at the hands of the
Great Physician is the Millennial age, when fully introduced;
but that age cannot be introduced, and its relief
and blessing cannot come, until the due time. Meantime,
however, the called-out Gospel Church obtains, through
her Lord and his Word, his holy Spirit--the Spirit of his
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sound mind, which is the same as the Father's mind or
Spirit. And in proportion as each member utilizes his privileges
in this connection he will be helped over the natural
mental and physical troubles which beset us in common
with the whole world of mankind. The Word of the Lord
through the Apostle directs us thus--"I say...to every man
that is among you not to think of himself more highly than
he ought to think; but to think soberly [not according to the
flesh, but according to his new nature] according as God
hath dealt to every man the measure of faith." (Rom. 12:3)
It is a life work with many, to conquer their too high appreciation
of themselves, and to obtain the Spirit of a sound
mind as respects their own talents, but they are assisted in
this work of rectifying their pride, by the words of the Master,
which say, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit
the earth." They are assisted also by the words of the
Apostle, which declare that "God resisteth the proud, but
giveth grace [favor] to the humble." "Humble yourselves
therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt
you in due time." Matt. 5:5; Jas. 4:6; 1 Pet. 5:5,6
But, as a matter of fact, not many great, not many wise,
according to the course of this world and according to their
own estimation of their own wisdom, hath God chosen; but
rather the poor of this world, rich in faith--who trust not to
their own wisdom, nor to their own righteousness, but accept
Christ as their wisdom, their justification, their all.
Likewise, also, those who have the "spirit of fear" are
helped to counteract it by the "Spirit of truth," the "Spirit
of love," if they receive it--for, "Perfect love casteth out
fear." (1 John 4:18) As they learn to know God through his
Word and the gracious plan of the ages therein set forth, it
removes from their minds the great incubus of fear and
dread which torments so many. It gives them instead of
fear, hope--a hope that maketh not ashamed, because the
love of God is shed abroad in their hearts through the holy
Spirit--the Spirit of a sound mind.
Thus also those who are too humble (too lacking in self-confidence)
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ever to accomplish anything in life, are encouraged
and uplifted and made useful to themselves and to
others, by the same Spirit of truth which reproves and corrects
those who are over-confident, self-assertive, self-conscious,
self-conceited. The former are encouraged by assurances
of God's aid; the latter are restrained, moderated,
brought into subjection and taught what is pleasing to God
and helpful to themselves: as the Apostle says, "If any man
[confidently] think that he knoweth anything [of his own
wisdom], he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know."
(1 Cor. 8:2) But transformations of character, let us remember,
come not from saying, Lord, Lord, nor from having a
Bible in one's possession; nor from joining a human organization
called a church; but from joining Christ, and receiving
from him the Spirit of his Word, the Spirit of truth, the
Spirit of holiness, the Spirit of a sound mind--his holy
Spirit and the Father's.
The man who has, by the grace of God, and his own acceptance
of that grace, come into possession of the Spirit of
a sound mind, has much advantage every way over the remainder
of mankind; for the Spirit of a sound mind is a
Spirit of wisdom. Such an one values more correctly than
others the things of this life--wealth, fame, social position,
etc. From his new standpoint he sees things connected with
all these which others do not notice. His mind, instructed
from the Lord's Word, discerns that if he should amass all
the wealth of the world, he could take none of it with him
when he dies. He sees that fame is a very hollow and very
transitory thing, and that in the busy rush of life the dead
are soon forgotten. He sees that society is shallow, and its
professions of esteem, etc., often insincere, and that its effervescence
terminates with death--if not sooner in financial
disaster. They see, in the language of the world, that--"The
game [of chance for earthly fame and wealth and pleasure]
is not worth the candle." And indeed, from the standpoint
of the average man and woman of the world, life is but a
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game of cards--unsatisfactory in its results, because even to
the most successful it means comparatively nothing in the
end.
On the other hand, the children of God, now begotten of
the holy Spirit to the "high calling" of this Gospel age, have
something offered to them which attracts their minds away
from the trifles and delusions which captivate and often
frenzy the minds of mankind in general. Theirs are higher
joys, higher ambitions--for a higher social standing, for
greater riches and for a Kingdom--for heavenly riches and
a heavenly and eternal Kingdom. The ambitions inspired
by these heavenly promises are holy ambitions, full of mercy
and good fruits, and operate along the lines of love, while
the operations of the earthly ambitions are along the lines
of selfishness.
The man or woman whose aim is lifted from these
earthly toys and vanities and ambitions, and placed upon
the heavenly, certainly has much better opportunities for
exercising a sound judgment in respect to all the affairs of
this present life--because he looks upon them from a comparatively
disinterested standpoint. He is in the world, and
obliged to live, and to this end to provide things needful
and decent and honest in the sight of all men; but being
relieved of inordinate ambitions toward worldly things, he
is proportionately relieved from the pressure of avarice,
covetousness, pride, etc., and the better enabled to think
and to act justly, and to exercise kindly sympathy toward
all. This Spirit of a sound mind, or better judgment of the
experienced Christian, is not reckoned as a correction or repair
of his earthly or fleshly mind, but as a new mind or disposition,
begotten in him from above by the exceeding
great and precious promises of the Word of the Lord. (2 Pet. 1:4)
He is thus helped by reason of his new disposition, the
Spirit or disposition of a sound mind, the holy Spirit of the
Lord. And his mind will be sound in proportion as he receives
and is filled with the holy Spirit. And this will be
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rapid or slow in proportion as his love for the Lord and his
righteousness is fervent or cool.
It was the Master who inquired, "For what will a man
exchange his soul [his being--his existence]?" (Matt. 16:26)
A man with a sound mind would not exchange the most
valuable thing which he possesses (his being), for anything--
wealth, fame or office. And in proportion as any receive
the Spirit of a sound mind, this will be their estimate.
On the contrary, we see the world today doing the reverse,
and thus proving their mental unsoundness. What are
known as the wisest men of the world are spending their labor
for that which satisfieth not--in the accumulation of
wealth; in strife for honor, social standing and preferment;
in vainglorious display and pleasures of sin. Even were
there no future life, all who have the Spirit of a sound mind
can see that such courses are unwise; for the majority spend
the present life in getting ready for enjoyment, and then lie
down in death, realizing that they have not obtained what
they sought--and that the wealth or fame which they leave
behind them will soon be scattered, or if not scattered, that
it will remain a monument of their folly, avarice and unsoundness
of mind.
The world's life, devoid of reasonable aims and ambitions,
is what the Apostle calls "your vain [fruitless] conversation
[life] received by custom from your fathers." (1 Pet. 1:18)
The custom of laboring for unworthy objects is hereditary;
men do not stop to reason the matter out, but drop
into the grooves in which their parents moved. But the
Apostle points out that our change of course is because we
have learned that we were redeemed by the precious blood of
Christ. We have discovered through the Word of grace that
the course of the world is vain and that all follow the vain
course because of depravity--unsoundness of mind through
the fall--and having learned of the great purchase we
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gladly consecrate to him who redeemed us and receive of
his Spirit--the Spirit of a sound mind.
When the present life is viewed from the standpoint of
the holy Spirit, presented in the Holy Word, it is seen to be
but a schooling season, a preparation for a future life, for all
who see that prize and hear the "call." However, only those
whose eyes are opened and who see from the inside can realize
how unwise is the course of the majority, who, so far
from curbing their own selfish propensities, and cultivating
the nobler and truer elements of their fallen nature, are in
many instances undermining character, and leaving the
world at death weaker in character than when they were
born into it, with oftentimes a legacy of weakness also entailed
upon their offspring.
On the other hand, while the Word of God and the holy
Spirit of that Word restrain our ambitions for earthly
riches, and assure us that the "love of money is the root of
all evil" (1 Tim. 6:10), they protect us from the opposite
extreme
of slothfulness, indolence--instructing that each
should provide things honest in the sight of all men, and
especially for the necessities of his own household. They exhort
us to be "Not slothful in business, but fervent in spirit,
serving the Lord." (Rom. 12:11) Thus, those who have the
Lord's Spirit are guarded against the folly of those who
spend life with Bunyan's "muck-rake," gathering to themselves
treasures of no real worth; they are also guarded
against the unsoundness of indolence, and exhorted to be
energetic in all good services, which will be helpful to humanity
and which will meet with the divine approval, and
be accepted as a service "done unto the Lord," which will
have his abundant reward in the life everlasting.
The Spirit of a sound mind sees in the present life opportunities
for the attainment of riches of character, riches
of grace, and for the laying up of treasures which neither
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moth nor rust will consume, but which will be enduring--
eternal joys. Not that the Spirit of a sound mind leads us to
live in the future, to the neglect of the present: rather it lives
wisely in the present, by keeping in memory the future.
The Spirit of a sound mind broadens and deepens character
along all its good lines; it not only helps its possessor to
take correct views of himself, but also to take correct views
of his fellows in degradation, and it enlarges his sympathies.
He realizes the impairment of his own mind and body
through the fall, and his own need of mercy and helpful
correction, as well as the similar derangement of the whole
world of mankind, and the general need for sympathy and
aid for correction. As he learns to rectify the deficiencies
and inequalities of his own mind, he sympathizes the more
with others who are without this regulating principle, this
Spirit of a sound mind, and who are hindered from accepting
it by reason of the opposition of the Adversary, "the god
of this world," who blinds the minds of them that believe
not, lest the glorious light of divine goodness, in the face of
Jesus Christ, should shine into their hearts, and should
bring to them the Spirit of a sound mind. 2 Cor. 4:4
In proportion as he develops in this holy Spirit of his
adoption, a "new creature in Christ Jesus," he becomes,
through its operation, gradually more patient, more sympathetic,
more generous, more loving--more Godlike. And
these benevolences of character will affect not only the outward
acts of his life, but also his words and his thoughts. In
proportion as his holy Spirit discountenances a dishonorable
or dishonest action, in the same proportion it
discountenances a dishonorable or a dishonest word, in respect
to friend or neighbor or enemy; and similarly it discountenances
the slightest injustice or unkindness of
thought to any of these.
The Spirit of a sound mind will therefore gradually but
surely make the husband a better husband, the father a better
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father, the son a better son, the wife a better wife, the
mother a better mother, the daughter a better daughter. It
will do this, because the basis of thought and word and conduct
has changed from selfishness to love. The one possessed
of this Spirit of a sound mind, the holy Spirit, the
Spirit of love, will, in proportion as he comes into possession
of it, be less touchy in respect to his own rights, privileges,
preferments, and more considerate for the rights and feelings
and preferences of others. The will of the Lord must, of
course, stand first, but next to pleasing the Lord he will take
pleasure in pleasing others with whom he may come in contact,
especially those of his own family: and in harmony
with this desire to serve and to please the Lord first, and
then the Lord's family, and all men as he may have opportunity,
his thoughts will operate, his words be guided
and regulated, and his conduct shape itself.
It does not follow that the man or woman who has received
the Spirit of a sound mind will therefore be the best
husband, the best wife, the best brother, the best sister, the
best father, the best mother, in every particular; because, as
we have already suggested, the mission of the gospel of
Christ, in its effect upon the civilized world, is to take hold
of the mean things of this world, and the things that are not
[of value], and to uplift these in proportion as they come
into consecration to the Lord, and receive the Spirit of a
sound mind. On the contrary, some were better born, on a
higher plane, are more inclined to self-righteousness, and to
decline the assistance which the Lord offers. These may be
noble husbands, noble wives, noble children, noble parents,
by reason of being of more noble birth, by reason of inheriting
through Christian parents minds of better poise and
greater wisdom. But unless such accept the Savior, and the
offer of the new mind, they are very sure to degenerate, and
their kindness, gentleness, etc., to become more of a matter
of outward form, covering an inward selfishness, which
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soon or later will crop out in their posterity, bringing them
in turn to a lower plane.
The thought we wish to impress is that on whatever
plane of mental decrepitude, immorality or unwisdom the
truth and grace of God shall reach a man or woman it will
lift him up and make him or her the nobler, the purer, the
kinder, the gentler, the more considerate of others--in proportion
as he or she receives this new mind, the Spirit of a
sound mind.
The unsoundness of the human mind in general is illustrated
in the matter of the reckless propagation of the human
race. It progresses almost without regard to the laws of
health, and almost without provision for the proper sustenance
of the offspring, and in utter violation of the laws of
nature, recognized in breeding of lower animals, cattle,
sheep, horses, dogs. No wonder the Apostle enjoins upon
the believers the exercise of a sound mind in the use of
man's highest natural power, procreation, saying, "Husbands,
deal with your wives according to knowledge." (1 Pet. 3:7)
If this advice were followed, if the Spirit of a sound
mind prevailed, how much more consideration would be
shown for delicate and overburdened wives, by husbands
who truly love them--dealing with them according to
knowledge.
But only the servants and handmaids of the Lord have
yet received this holy Spirit of God--this Spirit of a sound
mind. Thank God the time is near when through the ministries
of these servants and handmaids, glorified and empowered
with the King of glory, all the world shall be
blessed and the Lord shall pour out his holy Spirit, the
Spirit of a sound mind "upon all flesh."
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