Sons, Slaves & the Mind of Christ
[...our cells, even outside of our body, will still respond to our emotions.]
The news lately has been full of stories about protesters, statues, free speech, slavery and racism. Sadly, the scenario is not uncommon throughout history, including the church. And, like nearly every other challenge the Christian faces, the first battlefield is in the thought life of the mind. The mind is powerful. It controls perceptions of God, self and others, which in turn dictates how “self” interacts with God and others. The mind also controls the body. According to NaturalNews.com, One of the key principles in psychoneuroimmunology (mind/body medicine) is the interrelatedness of the mind and the body. It used to be believed that the mind and body were separate entities, but current research is proving otherwise. "The mind steadfastly refuses to behave locally, as contemporary scientific evidence is beginning to show. We now know, for example, that brain-like tissue is found throughout the body... So, even from the conservative perspective of modern neurochemistry, it is difficult if not impossible to follow a strictly local view of the brain." - Larry Dossey, M.D. The following experiment is phenomenal. In 1993, under the direction of the United States Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM), scientists conducted an experiment that demonstrated that our cells, even outside of our body, will still respond to our emotions. "White blood cells (leukocytes) scraped from the mouth of a volunteer were centrifuged and placed in a test tube. A probe from a recording polygraph –- a lie (or emotion) detector -– was then inserted into the tube. The donor of the cheek cells was seated in a room separate from his donated cells and shown a television program with many violent scenes. Then the volunteer watched scenes of fighting and killing. The probe from the polygraph detected extreme excitation in the mouth cells even though they were in a room down the hall. Subsequent repeats of this test experiment with donor and cells separated up to fifty miles and up to two days after donation of the cells showed the same results. The donated cells remained energetically and non-locally connected with their donor and seemed to 'remember' where they came from."1 Modern science, once again, confirms what the Bible has already told us—that we have physical, mental and spiritual components and that the physical component is controlled by the mental (soul) and/or spiritual. The Bible states that your health is determined by your mind2; Godly knowledge gives life3; the physical body responds to the mind’s beliefs4. Our mind also controls our relationship with God. If you see God as ‘harsh’ or His ways as unjust and pointless5, you will get exactly what you believe from Him6. On the other hand, if you believe He is a loving Father who would do anything for you, that is likewise exactly what you get7. The perspective of a servant or slave is not that of the friend or heir. This is one of the most powerful truths of the Bible – our view of God determines how He relates to us8. Jesus said He no longer calls His followers servants, but friends9; not slaves but sons of God10 and joint heirs11. The slave has to beg for favor, plead for access and benefits, justify the request; the heir understands the family authority and corresponding responsibility. Their prayers will be different as will be the response. The INSCOM experiment also shows that there is a connection between the body’s millions of cells that transcends physical connection. It demonstrates the perfection of the “body” as the analogy to the “church” in that the members (cells) are spiritually connected to each other and to God, and should relate to each other without regard to proximity or function12. Once the relationship with God is understood, the heirs can realize their position in the family, and their relationship with each other becomes easier and more gracious. The cells are loyal: in the experiment, when visual cells were impacted, oral cells responded; all the cells are impacted when any group is stimulated. The response is united, coordinated, appropriate and efficient. Cells that are dis-loyal are cancerous and must be removed. This is the picture of the body of Christ, the ideal church operating in unity through the Holy Spirit. When the church’s members’ prayers focus on becoming loyal heirs (having the mind of Christ13) unified with God through Jesus’ spirit, they are willing to be wronged14, allowing the Head to settle the accounts15; they no longer have to defend themselves16 or be oppressed17; they see that unity makes them conquerors instead of victims18. The members discover love that transcends difference and understanding19. The transforming and renewing of their minds individually unifies them into a cohesive force that even the gates of hell cannot withstand20! When Christ is exalted through His unity in the church, the unsaved world will be drawn to Him and the church’s ministry of love and reconciliation21. This is the only truly meaningful and healing change, and it starts with prayer. 1. www.naturalnews.com/023088_stress_body_emotion.html 2. 3 John 1:2 3. Proverbs 10:21, Hosea 4:6 4. Proverbs 23:7, Matthew 8:13, 9:29, Mark 10:52 5. Matthew 25:24, Malachi 3:14, Isaiah 58:3, Jeremiah 18:12 6. Deuteronomy 14:28, Matthew 25:26-30 7. Matthew 9:21-22, 1 Samuel 14:45-47, Daniel 3:17, Hebrews 11:6 8. Deuteronomy 14, Matthew 25 9. John 15:15 10. Romans 8:14-15, Romans 9:26, Galatians 3:26 11. Galatians 4:7, Romans 8:17. 12. John 17:21, 1 Corinthians 12:26 13. 1 Corinthians 2:16 14. 1 Corinthians 6:7 15. Hebrews 10:30 16. Isaiah 54:17 17. Deuteronomy 28:13 18. Romans 8:37 19. 1 John 4:20, 1 Corinthians 12:20-22. 20. Romans 12:2, Matthew 16:18-19 21. John 12:32, 2 Corinthians 5:19
