Many ministers spend a lot of time teaching and preaching on how one is to believe with the heart (spirit). This is very important. How to believe with the heart must be taught.
However, I believe that very little has been said on how to develop a right mental attitude. The mind, or the soulish part of man, plays an important part in the Christian’s life.
That is the reason that the Bible says:
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. 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.
(Rom. 12:1-2)
There are some things that need to be done where the soul of man is concerned. In the following Scripture passage, the Apostle Paul is admonishing Titus to preach sound doctrine. We read in Titus:
But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: that the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, patience.
The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviors becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; that they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.
In all things strewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine strewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.
Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again; not purloining, but strewing all good fidelity; that they may Adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.
For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should five soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; who gave Himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.
(Titus 2:1-15)
You will notice that Paul covered every person that one can think of in these scriptures: men, women, husbands, wives, children, and servants. He emphasizes the fact that the older men are to be temperate and sound in faith.
The aged women are to behave as becomes holiness. In other words, they are to live a holy life. They are to be teachers of good things, to exhort the young women to be sober minded, and to have sound speech that cannot be condemned.
You may adorn your body. You wear nice clothes and you look good. You comb your hair and make yourself attractive. You want to look good and presentable. There is nothing wrong I with that.
You may drive a nice automobile, and there is nothing wrong with your having a nice automobile. You may keep your house adorned; and when people come to see you, they are impressed because your house looks attractive and nice.
The point I am making is this: Many Christians do much about adorning their bodies their automobiles, or their homes, but they do not even attempt to follow Paul’s instruction that will adorn the Gospel of Christ. Paul wants Christians to make the Gospel of Jesus Christ attractive to the world.
You Can Beautify the Gospel
It’s no wonder that the world has not wanted to be like most Christians. They look at many Christians and think, “Oh, they look so sad and beggarly.” This is because they do not see Christians living in victory. But, thank God, there is a better way. If you will start acting on the Word, you will not live in defeat.
Jesus said, “If a man love me, he will keep my words; and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him” (John 14:23). I want you to know that when Jesus of Nazareth moves in with you, He will start making things better around where you live. He will teach you how to get out of poverty, and He will teach you how to enjoy prosperity.
The reason that the world has not wanted to have anything to do with Christians is because we have not made the Gospel beautiful. We have made it look like something dreadful. To many observers, the only difference between us and them is that we claim to be going to heaven while declaring they are going to hell.
Just going to heaven is not what beautifies the Gospel. That is a part of it, but that is not all of it. There is much more to Christianity than just escaping hell. I encourage you to escape hell, but let’s enjoy ALL that was paid for at Calvary.
Be Sober Minded
The center cross reference in my Bible says that to be sober minded is “to be discreet.” I have spent some time studying this subject in other translations of the Bible, and I believe that Paul is saying that to be sober minded is to have a right mental attitude. He is saying that a right mental attitude is one of the things that adorns the Gospel.
Failing to have a right mental attitude is another reason that the world hasn’t wanted to have anything to do with Christians. Most Christians’ mental attitude about life has been negative. They have had such a poor, low mental attitude about life that sinners can see nothing in them that is desirable.
Many Christians portray this idea: “If I just bear up under these problems like a good little trooper, that will impress somebody.” That doesn’t impress anybody! It is when you become a “good little trooper” and overcome the circumstances that come against you that it is impressive.
Sinners bear up under circumstances. I know some very strong-willed sinners. They have learned how to become strong-willed where their businesses are concerned. They couldn’t care less if you are just bearing up under the problem.
And if you say, “One of these days it will be worth it all, it will be better on the other side.” That does not impress the sinner. If the Gospel doesn’t work against problems that people encounter today, then they are not interested in it.
Yes, I am excited about going to heaven, but that is not all the Gospel provides. I still have to live on the earth in this lifetime. And if the Gospel cannot provide a way to live above the beggarly elements of the world and a way to live: above the trials and problems that man experiences, then I am not really too interested in the sweet by and by.
When a sinner can look at a Christian and see that he has a right mental attitude about life, about adversity, about circumstances, about trials, and about lack and shortages; then the Gospel will look attractive to him.
Excerpt permission granted by Jerry Savelle Ministries
Dr. Jerry Savelle was an average, blue-collar man who was struggling and needed God's help. While he considered himself a "nobody," when he became a believer God told him not to worry about it because He was a master at making champions out of nobodies. God has since taken Dr. Savelle from being a constant quitter to a man who knows how to stand on the Word of God until victory is experienced. Because of the life-changing combination of God's faithfulness and Dr. Savelle's "no quit" attitude, his life is totally different than it was thirty-eight years ago.
Since 1969, Dr. Savelle traveled the world teaching people how to win in life. Dr. Savelle ministered in more than three thousand churches and in twenty-six nations, and has overseas offices in the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada.
God used Dr. Savelle to impact people who are burned out on religion and who have backslidden in their walk with God, as well as Christians who have a need to hear the Word of God presented in terms applicable to their lives, dreams, and destinies. He hosted the Jerry Savelle Ministries television broadcast which airs in two hundred countries worldwide.
Dr. Savelle authored more than forty books, including his bestsellers, If Satan Can't Steal Your Joy, He Can't Keep Your Goods and You're Somebody Special to God. He served as one of the founding Pastors of Heritage of Faith Christian Center in Crowley, Texas.
Jerry J. Savelle, 77, went home to be with the Lord on April 15, 2024. He spent his last day on earth fulfilling his purpose teaching people the Word of God