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May 2023 Printable 182 KB .pdf

MOR-Bible, which is in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, peace to you and grace from God our Father, the Lord Jesus Christ, and us. Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and our Father, we are so grateful and thankful for your Word of life. Thank you, Father, for giving us an understanding of the riches of your Word to the end that we can be children that are well pleasing to you Father. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

We are tracing and tracking Greek words translated into our English words as documented in Romans 12:2:

And be not conformed [by the five senses information] to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind [to God's Word], that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. [Note: bold added for emphasis]

The objective of a Biblical word study is to ascertain the exact meaning of a word as God utilized it in the context of the verse(s). We will do a Biblical word study on the Greek word used in the New Testament as translated later into English to see its original Biblical usage and meaning. 2 Peter 1:12 reminds us:

Wherefore, I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.

In the January 2023 teaching, we traced and tracked the Greek word suschematizo which means "to fashion one's self according to; to fashion in same way" It is used for the English phrase "be conformed." Its root Greek word sun means "with, together with." The Greek word aion refers to "age, indefinite time, dispensation; a space of time, an age" and is used for our English word "world."

In the March 2023 teaching, we traced and tracked the Greek word nous translated to our English word "mind" as documented in Romans 12:2; it is defined as understanding, reason, or will. The mind is the way we receive God's thoughts through our believing. The word nous is sometimes employed to denote the total inner person, including their ability to distinguish between right and wrong.

In the April 2023 teaching, we traced and tracked, the Greek word kardia translated to our English word "heart." We learned the Greek word kardia (root word kar) means "heart." The English word "heart" is often used in the New Testament for our English word "mind" which is the Greek word nous. In the Bible, the heart is the repository and directive center of thought, will, feeling, and conscience. The Greek word kardia never refers to the actual physical heart that drives the blood. The word "heart" is only used metaphorically both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament. As the corporeal organ of the body the heart is seen as the seat of life, which chiefly and finally participates in all the body's movements. As the seat and center of a person's personal life, the heart is the distinctive character of the way human life manifests itself. Hence, the heart, in the Bible, is perceived as the starting point of the development and manifestations of personal life.

We have devoted three teachings regarding the "mind" or nous from God's Word. See 2023 teachings in January, March, and April teachings. The renewed mind (and heart) is the key to operating the power of God in our life! Our minds control our bodies and Christ within us the hope of glory! We must renew our minds to the truth and purity of God's rightly divided Word! We must control our thinking! We must be likeminded, in one accord, and have the same mind, heart, and thinking as God our Father and His son the Lord Jesus Christ!

In this month's teaching, we will trace, and track in God's Word the Greek word phroneo and its root phren. These verbs are the action component of our mind which is the Greek word nous. This month we will:

• Review the Greek word phroneo.
• More fully understand the root of the Greek word of phroneo which is phren.
  

As a reminder, the objective of a Biblical word study is to determine the exact meaning of a word as God utilized it in the particular context. We do a Biblical word study on the Greek word used in the New Testament (Hebrew for Old Testament) rather than the English word to see its original Biblical usage and meaning.

Note: The sources for all Greek-English words are Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, The Critical Lexicon and Concordance to the English and Greek New Testament (Bullinger), Young's Analytical Concordance to the Bible, The Word Study Concordance by George V. Wigram and Ralph D. Winter, and Harper's Bible Dictionary, Sixth Edition.

The Greek word phroneo means "to have understanding; to think." It is used 29 times in God's Word. It is translated as:

• Mind-related activities (total 23)
  o Think (5)
  o Mind (4)
  o Be minded (3)
  o Regard (3)
  o Be liked minded (2)
  o Be of the same mind (2)
  o Be of one mind (1)
  o Let this mind be (1)
  o Be of one mind (1)
  o Understand (1)
• Savour (2)
• Observe (1)
• Set one's affection on (or set one's mind on) (1)
• Care (1)
• Be careful (1)
  

The root Greek word of phroneo is phren which mean "the diaphragm, midriff; heart, mind, thought, hence, as the supposed seat of all mental emotions and facilities, the mind, including the intellect, disposition, feeling, etc. understanding." Phren is the root of the English word "diaphragm" which regulates breathing. In other words, our understanding and thinking regulate our soul or breath life!

Genesis 6:5 says:

And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

What your thoughts are in your heart is what you will manifest! That is why we want a heart or mind with thoughts of love for God and His Word!

There are only two usages of the Greek word phren in God's Word. It is translated to our English word "understanding" two (2) times. We will trace and track the root Greek word phren first to see from where the Greek word phroneo originated. Please read the context of each usage for better understanding.

The first usage of phren is found in 1 Corinthians 14 where the context focused on the manifestation of speaking in tongues and prophesying and how these were operated inside the church of the body. The English word for the Greek word phren will be bolded in the scriptures for emphasis. 1 Corinthians 14:20:

Brethren, be not children in understanding [phren]: howbeit in malice [evil intentions] be ye children, but [in contrast] in understanding [phren] be men.

In the church of the body, we are to be not children in understanding in the speaking in tongues and prophesying. Why? 1 Corinthians 14: 2-3 gives us the answer:

For he that speaks in an unknown tongue speaks not unto men, but unto God: for no man understands him; howbeit in the spirit he speaks mysteries [divine secrets].

But [in contrast] he that prophesied speaks unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.

Simply put, we do not speak in tongues in the church of the body without interpretation. We are to interpret the tongues so the church of the body can be edified! Our understanding and thinking controls our bodies and the Christ within us the hope of glory (see Colossians 1:27)!

Now let us review some usages of the Greek word phroneo which means "to have understanding, to think." Please read the context of each usages for richer understanding.

The first usage is documented is in Matthew 16:21-23:

From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

Then Peter took him [Jesus], and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.

But [in contrast] he [Jesus] turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest [phroneo - have understanding, to think] not the things that be of God, but [in contrast] those that be of men.

In these verses, Jesus rebuked Peter because his understanding and thinking was not on the things that were of God! Peter's thoughts were on the things that were of men.

Ask yourself, "Is your understanding and thinking on the Word of God?" If you answer that question honestly, you will know why you are where you are at this point in your life!

Romans 12:16 instructs us:

Be of the same mind [phroneo - minding the same] one toward another. Mind [phroneo] not high things but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

Romans 15:4-7 explains:

For whatsoever things were written aforetime [before Acts 2:4] were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded [phroneo] one toward another according to Christ Jesus:

That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.

2 Corinthians 13:11:

Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind [phroneo - mind ye the same], live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.

Philippians 1:6-7:

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.

Even as it is meet for me to think [phroneo] this of you all, because I have you in my heart [kardia]; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.

These verses tell us that we are to have an understanding and to think of the good works God our Father has begun and will perform until the day of Jesus Christ's (the humble one now glorified) return. We are to have our brothers and sisters in the body of Christ in our hearts and minds. We are to act with one mind and one body as God instructs us. Philippians 2:2 exhorts us to:

Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded [phroneo], having the same love, being of one accord of one mind [phroneo - minding the one thing].

Philippians 2:5 continues to say:

Let this mind [phroneo - understanding and thinking] be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:13-14:

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting [declaring them null and void] those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

If we are going to walk for God our Father and do the works of Jesus Christ (see John 14:12), we must forget those things in the past as they are null and void. We must press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:15 gives us this great promise:

Let us therefore, as many as be perfect [mature], be thus minded [phroneo]: and if in anything ye be otherwise minded [phroneo], God shall reveal even this unto you.

If in anything you be otherwise minded, who shall reveal even this to you? God!

Philippians 3:16:

Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind [phroneo] the same thing.

Philippians 3:18-20:

(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ.

Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind [phroneo] earthly things.)

For our conversation [citizenship] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Philippians 3:18-19 are in parenthesis. This is so that you read verse 16 and then read verse 20 in order to have the reasons why we have already attained or why we walk by the same rule. You can better understand and think why we are to have the same mind! Bless your heart, we love you! Philippians 4:2 emphasizes this:

I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind [phroneo] in the Lord.

Paul begged and pleaded for Euodias and Syntyche to be of the same mind where? In the Lord!

The last usage of phroneo is documented in Colossians 3:2:

Set your affection on [phroneo - understanding, thinking on] things above, not on things on the earth.

The first usage of phroneo was in Matthew 16:23 where Jesus confronted Peter about his understanding and thinking which were not on the things that were of God; they were on the things that were of men. In the last usage in Colossians 3:2, we are told in God's Word to set our thinking and understanding on things above and not on things on this earth! Look at the beauty and symmetry of God's Word! God's Word is perfect (see Psalms 19:7), and pure (see Psalms 12:6)! I will worship God my Father in the spirit and in truth (see John 4:24) for His loving kindness and the truth of His Word for He has magnified His Word above all His name! (see Psalm 138:2).

From our understanding of the Greek words phren and phroneo, we have learned that we are to understand God's Word, be of the same mind, be likeminded, and let this mind be in us which was also in Christ Jesus. We are to set our minds on things above, not on things on the earth!

In this month's teaching, we traced, and tracked in God's Word the Greek word phroneo and its root phren. These verbs are the action component of our mind which is the Greek word nous.

We learned the Greek word phroneo means "to have understanding, to think." We learned it is used 29 times in God's Word. We also learned the Greek root word of phroneo is phren which means "the diaphragm, midriff; hence, as the supposed seat of all mental emotions and facilities, the mind, including the intellect, disposition, feeling, etc. understanding." The Greek word phren is the root of the English term "diaphragm." As we now understand physiology, the diaphragm regulates our breathing. In other words, our understanding and thinking regulate our life!

We learned we are to be:

• Not children in understanding but in contrast, in understanding be men (1 Corinthians 14:20).
• Be of the same mind [phroneo - minding the same] one toward another. Mind [phroneo] not high things but condescend to men of low estate (Romans 12:16).
• Llikeminded [phroneo] one toward another according to Christ Jesus (Romans 15:5).
• Be of one mind [phroneo - mind ye the same] (2 Corinthians 13:11).
• To think [phroneo] (Philippians 1:7).
• That ye be likeminded [phroneo], having the same love (Philippians 2:2).
• Let this mind [phroneo] be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:5).
• Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind [phroneo] the same thing (Philippians 3:16).
• Be of the same mind [phroneo] in the Lord (Philippians 4:2).
• Set your affection on [phroneo] things above (Colossians 3:2).
  

We also learned in Philippians 3, verses 18 and 19 are in a parenthesis. This tells us to read verse 16 and then verse 20 to understand the reasons why we have already attained, why we walk by the same rule, and why we mind or phroneo the same thing!

I thank God our Father that we can be of the same mind when it comes to His Word so that we can be likeminded. I thank God our Father that we can let this mind be in us, which was also in Christ Jesus, His only begotten son, and that we can set our affection on things above and not on things on the earth. Let us walk in the flesh on this earth but not war after the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds. Let us cast down imaginations, and every high thing that exalted itself against the knowledge of God and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ (see 2 Corinthians 10:3-5). So, that we may stand perfect and complete in all your Will Father. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

Bless your hearts and minds, we love you.

In the Lord,

Ministry of Reconciliation
Son of God through Jesus Christ
Ambassador for Christ

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