Is Your Thinking Sound?
"For God has not given us a spirit of fear,
but of power and of love and of a sound mind."
2 Timothy 1:7
It is helpful to have several good translations of the Bible to
compare with each other. Doing so adds insight, for the same
Hebrew and Greek words can have varying shades of definition.
For example, in a New King James Version, 2 Timothy 1:7 says
God has given us the spirit “of
power and of love and of a sound
mind.” But the New International
Version says, “power, love and
self-discipline.”
Both ideas are true. The original Greek word conveys
the idea of having a mind that is wise and capable of
sound thinking because it is disciplined and sober.
A same theme is conveyed in Romans 8:5: “For those who live
according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh,
but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.”
The Holy Spirit is the caretaker of the believer’s mind. He longs
to develop within us the mind of Christ. Is your mind sound
and
self-disciplined? Is it under the Spirit’s management?
This old hymn says,
“May the mind of Christ, my Savior live in
me from day to day.” May that be our prayer
