Divine Viewpoint Thinking

And do not be conformed to this world, 

but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,  

so that you may prove what the will of God is, 

that which is good and acceptable and perfect. 

Romans 12:2

What does it mean to have Divine Viewpoint Thinking?

The first step is to be transformed by the renewing of your mind. 
This can only be accomplished through God's Truth by the power of the Holy Spirit. 

We must also come to grips with the fact that we all approach the actions and affairs of our life, 
either from a human viewpoint or a divine viewpoint.

This includes those who see themselves as living a Christian or spiritual life. 
The first question that we must all ask ourselves is ...
Which viewpoint best describes me?

Paul clarifies these viewpoints with his explanation of the difference between Christ-like love and the loving ways of mere men.  “but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.”  1 Corinthians 13:10-11

According to the Apostle Paul, our thinking before Christ is comparable to that of a child and after we become born again and controlled by the love of Christ, we are to become mature men or women and do away with childish things. But Paul also explains earlier that many who have trusted their eternal life to Christ are still following their feelings, pride, and lust … and living not as mature men; but rather the immature children feeding on milk only, and unable to yet eat solid food. 

“And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ.  I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men? 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 

The milk he refers to here represents those biblical teachings that are easy to receive and understand. The milk of the Word are those things that often do not test our character. They are easier to receive, like a baby drinks milk. For example, I believed "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" to be true long, before I became a Christian. Milk is often things which we have already accepted to be true. The solid food represents the eternal Truth teachings of God’s Word that in our human nature we do not want to hear, or just do not understand. God's Truth is often contrary to the teachings of the world. The Truth of God often goes against the grain of our feelings, worldly education, and human logic. 

But we are to test all things and our beliefs up against God’s eternal Truth, in order to have the Mind of Christ. Human Viewpoint Thinking does the opposite.

As Christians, Jesus is the foundation of our belief system and understanding. We are to hold our beliefs and ways of thinking accountable to His eternal truth and this results in authentic Christianity. Otherwise; the result is hypocrisy at best. The belief in creation or evolution is a prime example of divine versus human viewpoint thinking. It is not possible to have the mind of Christ and believe that men evolved from a slug. God could have done it that way, but if He did, then He lied to us ... and it is impossible for our perfect God to lie. 

Evolution is man’s atheistic explanation as to why there is no God. How can men believe in God and reject him at the same time? When one chooses evolution, he may as well trust his personal feelings or logic on all other decisions as well. Let's face it ... God's Word is filled with promises, miracles, and biblical absolutes that make NO sense to one's logic and feelings. 

This decision for evolution in actuality renders a person to be his own personal god in and of himself.  Jesus makes it clear how he views Christians who are still following human viewpoint thinking when he says:  “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.” Revelation 3:15-16

The Apostle Peter is God's example for us of both viewpoints. Peter was walking daily with Jesus, the God of all things; and yet he continually fell back into his old ways of thinking. That's human nature. Jesus deals harshly with Peter in response to his habit of stumbling backwards into his human viewpoint thinking. When Peter contradicted Christ, while following his personal feelings and logic, Jesus would have none of it.

“From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day. Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You.” But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.” Matthew 16:21-23

We have heard that “old habits die hard” and that "we can be sincere, but sincerely wrong." Even Peter’s denial of Christ, and his forgiveness by Christ did not cure him of these old habits. That was apparent when later Paul needed to once again rebuke Peter for his false, self-centered ... human viewpoint thinking. 

“But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in the presence of all, “If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews? “We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles; nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.” Galatians 2:14-16

But by God's grace, Peter was finally transformed by the renewing of his mind and gained Divine Viewpoint Thinking … and he clearly demonstrates this fact over and over again throughout 1st and 2nd Peter. He was able to develop the blessed Divine Viewpoint Thinking that Jesus Christ has promised and provided for each one of us as well.

Here is one of many examples of Peter's Divine Viewpoint Thinking: “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.”  2 Peter 1:2-11

There you have it … “we may become partakers of the divine nature”

And contrary to popular opinion … God’s eternal Truth is not that difficult to understand.

God bless you my friends, Bob