REANIMATION - PART 9

THURSDAY 27 MARCH 2025

REANIMATION - PART 9

Reference: 2nd Corinthians 4:16 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

"Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer person is decaying, yet our inner person is being renewed day by day."

Every single day, our inner person is getting renewed; so it is not an observatory event that takes place on a monthly basis, or "once in year" kind of renewal, meaning that the cost of our reanimation is paid, day by day. As we get renewed on a daily basis, we keep conforming to the mind and image of Christ. To that effect, Pauline epistolary expression reads, "For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren" (Romans 8:29 NIV).

The mind of Christ is the imaginative image of Christ. It is out of the ordinary, and very delightful in inventiveness. It is the mind that was instrumental in creating heaven and earth. So when you hear, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth", it is as good as saying, "God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth - with the mind of Christ." This truth allows us to comprehend that nothing was created, and no creature occurred on earth - without a thought from mind of Christ.

This profoundly-timeless revelation is clearly stated in Colossians 1:15 which reads:

"Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through Him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can't see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through Him and for Him" (NLT).

For further exegesis, in Genesis chapter one, the Bible says, "And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep." What did God do? He began to create with the mind of Christ and the enduring results powered by this mind are apparently magnificent till today.

Why did God ask Job about 64 creative questions from Job chapter 38-41? Job required restorative miracle which is a branch of the creative mind of Christ. Just like it was stated in Genesis 1:2, Job's world was without form and void at a particular time, and therefore, a set of questions with a related purpose of reconditioning his human mind to accept the restorative power of change coming soon, served as a mobilising interface between God and Job - through the standpoint of interactive dialogue, and it was only the mind of Christ that could have answered all those creative questions from God - in an accurate manner.

The creative mind of Christ is the topmost level of a renewed mind, and that is the mind God used to create the entire world. It is the highest in authoritative status and estimable importance, and it is the mind that works creative miraculous wonders, and sustains all of creation. To that effect, Pauline epistolary expression reads, "The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word" (Hebrews 1:3 NIV).

The second level of mind of Christ is fruitfulness and multiplication, while the third level is absolute dominion and a reigning grace. We see both levels take effect, after the creative level of Christ's mind was exerted during creation. On account of this verity, the book of Genesis said, "Then God blessed them and said, 'Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground'" (Genesis 1:28 NLT).

The second level of this mind, namely, fruitfulness and multiplication, is that "frame of mind" which Christ exerted when He multiplied five loaves and the two fish. On account of this level, Luke 9:16 reads, "And having taken the five loaves and the two fish, having looked up to heaven, He blessed and broke them, and He kept giving them to the disciples to set before the crowd" (NLT).

The fourth level of this mind is perfect "rest of mind" characterized by an ineffaceable peaceful satisfaction and unperturbed disposition. This is clearly noted in Genesis 2:2 which reads, "By the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on the seventh day He rested from all His work" (NIV). To function at this level of mind through the exertion of our spiritual understanding, Isaiah 26:3 (ESV) reads, "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you." (See also Philippians 4:6-7).

I could go on and on, but their structural expository knowledge can never be contained in this particular article because of the vastness of this mind.  However, the last level of the mind of Christ is redemption and forgiveness of sins, which were an actualised divine plan exerted on earth through His atoning sacrifice on the cross. To that effect, Pauline epistolary expression numbered as Ephesians 1:7 reads, "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace" (NLT).

Furthermore, although it is the last level, it is not the least, because it was the level that activated His exalted and glorified status (See Philippians 2:5-10 NIV). In accordance with this verity, Hebrews 1:3 stated that after He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven (NIV). Why did I have to share these levels of growing in the reanimating interest regarding the mind of Christ? Many a teaching approach and method in Christendom tend to focus more on the basic level of Christ's teaching - concerning this mind, which is ONLY of fundamental importance.

To instantiate this verity, Hebraic awakening indication numbered as Hebrews 6:1 reads, "Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God..." (NIV). In other words, there is more to this exceptional mind than just laying the foundation of repentance. Therefore, let us proceed further to other glorious effects of Christ's perfection in our mind renewal [or reanimation]. Stay tuned for part 10 in relation to being renewed by the Spirit. Shalom!

Scripture Reading - 1 Corinthians 2:16; Romans 12:2; Philippians 4:7; Philippians 2:5.

Exuberant Declaration:

For who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him? But I have the mind of Christ, which is daily reanimated to continually conform to His image. Hallelujah!