Lord’s Day, Vol. 11 No. 25

Family Bible Camp 2023

Thank God for gathering His church for Church Camp 2023. There were 68 campers this year. The camp theme is “The Renewing of the Mind” (Romans 12:1-2).

Romans 12:1-2 (KJV) I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

There were six theme messages with three workshops to complement the messages.

The following is the outline of the six theme messages:

I. Why is Renewal of the Mind Needed?

(1) The Mind is the Battleground!

(2) What is Wrong with the World?

(3) Why is God’s Will Good, Acceptable and Perfect?

II. How can the Mind be Renewed?

(4) Consecration

(5) Separation

(6) Transformation

The three workshops were from the Book of Romans in chapters 12-15.

(1) A Living Sacrifice in the Church

(2) A Living Sacrifice in the World

(3) A Living Sacrifice in Our Priorities

There were three morning devotions:

(1) The Lord is in His Holy Temple

(2) The Lord Bless you and Keep you

(3) Gloria Patri and Doxology

Both workshops and morning devotions were presented by Lucas Lek.

Why is the renewing of the mind needed? Because the mind is the battleground! The battle between the world’s ideology versus the will of God. 

In the first message, the biblical understanding of the word “mind” was made. It is interesting that the first time the word “mind” is used in the OT in Leviticus 24:12, it is used in the phrase “the mind of the LORD”. Rightly so, for the LORD Himself is the Master Mind. The Author of the human mind is the LORD Himself. Truly, understanding the “mind” therefore begins with understanding the mind of the LORD who is the Maker of the mind. The word “LORD”, Jehovah, is the Name of God to identify Himself as distinguished from all the false gods of this world. The LORD only is the living and true God. This LORD Jehovah is God first revealed in Genesis 2:4 as the LORD God, the Creator of the heavens and of the earth.

Genesis 2:4 (KJV) These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,

And interestingly, this phrase “the mind of the LORD” is found only once in the Old Testament and twice in the New Testament, in Romans 11:34 the immediate context of  Romans 12:1-2 and in 1 Corinthians 2:16 links and shows us that the “mind of the Lord” is the “mind of Christ.” 

Romans 11:33-36 (KJV) O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counseller? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

For of Him (He is the Master Mind), and through Him (He is the Master Enactor) and to Him (He is the Ultimate Consummator) are all things for His glory.

Romans 11:33 speaks of the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God, the unfathomable “mind of the Lord”, that He is infinite, eternal and unchangeable in His wisdom – that the mind of the LORD infinitely great and infinitely good, and how unsearchable are His judgments, He is infinite, eternal and unchangeable in His judgments. He rules over the affairs of the universe both, the heavens and earth, none can stay His hand.

Psalm 103:19 (KJV) The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.

In the fullness of time, God came from heaven in the Person of His only begotten Son Jesus Christ, the second Person of the Godhead who entered human history and therefore “the mind of the LORD” finds its final revelation to man in the Person of Jesus Christ with a “human mind” 100%  human and yet “100% God in one Person, the “mind of Christ”.

1 Corinthians 2:16 (KJV) For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

What the Apostle Paul is saying here is that the mind of a spiritual person must be in harmony with God’s mind. When man is controlled by God’s Spirit, he desires to fulfil God’s law, to do God’s will, and to reflect God’s glory. [Simon J. Kistemaker, New Testament Commentary – 1 Corinthians, Baker Books, 1993, 93]

The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, will instruct believers to know the mind of the LORD, the mind of God, the mind of Christ – these are one! A united mind of the Godhead, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The sameness-mindedness of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is what is termed “the will of God”. And this is manifested in the Mind of the Spirit that prays for the saints according to the will of God. I hope we can see the link here.

Romans 8:26-27 (KJV) Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

Grand Object – To Reach Out to the Mind of Man Gone Astray

Man’s Mind has gone astray. And the result of it is eternal death, not just physical death but eternal separation from God which is the torment of the soul for all eternity. Because Man has gone astray, God in His infinite love came to reach out to man (John 17:1-4).

John 17:1-4 (KJV) … As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. …

The grand object is that God may impart to you eternal life and man may enjoy eternal fellowship with the Godhead. Amen..

Yours lovingly.

Pastor Lek Aik Wee