Isaiah 55:8 English Standard Version (ESV) For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.

1 Corinthians 2:16 English Standard Version (ESV) “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

Do not be misled by the thoughts that come along with “We have the mind of Christ”. The previous words should make the distinction between our thoughts and His thoughts. We are to receive instructions from the Lord.

Now to deal with our thoughts and in this we must be very careful to identify our own thoughts verses those thoughts that come to us by way of faith with instruction.

John 7:16 English Standard Version (ESV) So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me.”

We are to disciple others and this verse tells us that we are to share His thoughts and not our own.

Acts 17:18 English Standard Version (ESV) Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said, “What does this babbler wish to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities”—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection.

It is expected that the teachings of Jesus, His thoughts and His ways, are to be seen by the unbelieving world as the rambling thoughts of a deranged mind. They do not know Christ, they do not have access to His mind.

We who believe have access to His thoughts but that does not give us license to use our thoughts as a replacement for the instructions we have received from the Lord. Our confidence needs to remain in our Lord and not in our knowledge.

1 Corinthians 8:1b English Standard Version (ESV) This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up.

Romans 1:4-6 English Standard Version

⁴ and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, ⁵ through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, ⁶ including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,

Romans 16:25-27 English Standard Version

Doxology

²⁵ Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages ²⁶ but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— ²⁷ to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.

Let us see obedience of faith through our spiritual eyes.

He brought about faith for His names sake. His name sake is Jesus Christ.

The gospel, revelation of mysteries, prophetic writings, and our spiritual knowledge is for God’s glory through Jesus Christ.

Keep this spiritual insight in the forefront of our minds so that pride does not overwhelm us in our pursuit of godliness.

2 Timothy 3:2-6 English Standard Version

² For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³ heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, ⁴ treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵ having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. ⁶ For among them are those who creep into households and capture ^the weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions,

Galatians 3:28 English Standard Version (ESV) There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.