Everyone has a philosophy, and each philosophy brings forth fruit, whether good or bad. Because we live in the world, it is impossible to avoid contact with the many philosophies that are popular today. However, we must examine the origins of each of these ideas and values, and pay attention to where these beliefs came from. The values and beliefs we accept will ultimately control how we respond to situations, whether it is a right or wrong response. As Christians, we need a philosophy modeled after Jesus.
It is important to be aware of the thoughts that enter into our mind, and the conclusions we draw from them.
We should not let the world’s philosophies confuse or mislead us. Spiritually, we should be at war with worldly beliefs and values (Colossians 2:8, AMP).
We must be on guard not to the let the devil steal what Jesus has already given us through the shedding of His blood.
The philosophy that says we must work to earn God’s blessing is widespread today.
In God’s eyes, the world’s philosophies are idle fancies, nonsense, and vain deceit.
How we think determines what is in our heart (Proverbs 23:7).
Our thoughts affect who we are, what we do, and how we live.
In the book of Genesis, God created Adam like Himself, complete with His philosophy. The devil introduced his own philosophy, causing Adam and Eve to see themselves through another lens that stripped away what God gave them.
We must be careful what we let into our heart, because what we allow to take root and grow in it impacts our entire life (Proverbs 4:23).
Physically, we should make sure that everything we do is for the glory of God. Mentally, we must let the Word transform and renew our minds (Romans 12:1,2).
In other words, we should change our mind and embrace the philosophy of Grace.
Scripture References
Colossians 2:8, AMP
Proverbs 23:7
Proverbs 4:23
Romans 12:1, 2
Now, more than any other time in history, it is important to understand why things are happening the way they are in today’s society. We are not to judge what is occurring in the world, but rather we should continually refer to God’s Word to put current events into context. The word “philosophy” means more than just a class we take in college—it refers to our entire value system through which we view the world and everything taking place in it. Our philosophy is simply the lens though which we filter all that we experience, but if we use the wrong lens, what we see will be distorted. If the lens is not from the Word, it is wrong.
What we think determines not only our spiritual health, but also our earthly life.
We are warned against letting ourselves be swayed by worldly philosophy and vanity, as opposed to standing according to God’s philosophy (Colossians 2:8, AMP).
Just like in physical warfare, we should be at war and on guard against the world’s point of view.
The devil will use the world’s philosophies to steal from us what God has already given us.
The world’s ways of thinking are based on human tradition rather than on the spiritual realm. They disregard God’s Word.
In the Garden of Eden, the serpent was sneaky and distorted God’s Word when he encountered Eve. He questioned what God said and introduced the element of doubt (Genesis 3:1-5).
The devil slipped in his own philosophy, designed to rob Adam and Eve of what they already had.
What we think in our mind filters into our heart, and influences how we are (Proverbs 23:7).
We must guard our heart against the invasion of worldly philosophies. What enters into it affects the quality of our life (Proverbs 4:23).
When we use God’s Word to filter how we view life, we can handle trouble without distress, face challenges without falling into despair, and handle persecution without being destroyed (2 Corinthians 4:8, 9).
Anything that happens in our life will turn out right.
The battle we fight is not in the flesh, but in the spirit. The Word helps us overthrow and defeat the world’s philosophies (2 Corinthians 10:4).
Scripture References
Colossians 2:8, AMP
Proverbs 4:23
Genesis 3:1-5
2 Corinthians 4:8, 9
Proverbs 23:7
2 Corinthians 10:4
Everyone has a philosophy, which is simply a set of values and beliefs through which we view the world. With that in mind, when we examine how philosophies are formed, we must ask ourselves how and where these ideas came from. As Believers, how we look at an issue is based on God’s Word, which we see as the final authority. Every philosophy produces fruit, and if that philosophy is not derived from the Word, it is a wrong philosophy which will lead to wrong conclusions.
What goes on in our head is important.
We must beware of the way the world’s philosophy affects our way of thinking (Colossians 2:8).
We should not let the devil steal what we already have.
God has already given us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3).
We already have prosperity, healing, and deliverance.
The Scriptures warn us against letting ourselves be carried off as spoil by accepting philosophies contrary to Christ’s teachings (Colossians 2:8, AMP).
In the Old Testament, we see the devil getting an early start to try and set himself up against God.
In the beginning, God took man and put him into the Garden of Eden. He told Adam to eat from every tree in the garden except the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, or else he would die (Genesis 2:15-17).
At this time, man still had his coat of glory because he was like God.
The serpent came to Eve and introduced doubt into her mind as to whether or not God spoke the truth (Genesis 3:1-5).
Because Eve wasn’t present when Adam received his instructions firsthand from God, she was more vulnerable to the devil’s philosophies.
She added on to God’s warning, and spoke something that God did not originally say. The serpent took that opportunity to add his own twist to what God had commanded.
Scripture References
Colossians 2:8
Genesis 2:15-17
Colossians 2:8 , AMP
Genesis 3:1-5
2 Peter 1:3
When we study the word “philosophy” and put it into a biblical context, remember that the ideas and values from the world, which is ruled by the devil, diametrically oppose God’s values. We should guard against letting the devil rob us of what God has already given us, namely, all the things we need to live a godly life. The enemy commits that robbery by using his philosophy as a weapon to infect our thoughts, causing us to change our mind about God’s Word. He convinces us to put worldly traditions over God’s truths, and twists what the Scriptures actually say into a completely different message. He also tries to infect the entire concept of repentance.
The philosophy we accept has everything to do with what enters our mind, and what is in our mind eventually enters into our heart.
We must beware of the influence the world’s philosophy and vain deceit can have on us. We should seek Christ over the world (Colossians 2:8).
After John was put in jail, Jesus preached the Word, warning the people to repent and believe (Mark 1:14, 15, AMP).
Real repentance is not just a change in behavior. It comes from inside of us, and it is triggered by a change of heart. Changed behavior is actually the fruit of repentance.
Repentance and belief are linked. They go together.
In order to have a change of heart, we must have a change of mind first.
We believe with our heart, and then verbally confess what is in our heart (Romans 10:10).
The thoughts we have in our mind determines what is in our heart. This, in turn, determines our actions and who we are (Proverbs 23:7).
What is in our heart affects our entire life. Therefore, we must be careful what we let enter into it (Proverbs 4:23).
God’s goodness leads to true repentance (Romans 2:4, AMP).
To repent is to change our mind and our inner person, so as to agree with His will.
We must give our mind and heart to God.
The devil has blinded the minds of those who do not believe the Gospel, so that they cannot transform or renew the way the Scriptures instruct us (2 Corinthians 4:4).
To serve God and be pleasing to Him, we must first change our mind, which is the first step to seeking true repentance (Romans 12:1, 2, AMP).
We can let God renew our mind and lift us above the world’s external, superficial customs. We must adopt a new attitude.
Real repentance involves changing the philosophy of our mind, aligning it with the Word.
Renewing the mind is a continuous lifetime process. It is constant, not static.
When we get born again, Christ Himself moves into us. Jesus is the One Who perfects us (Colossians 1:27, 28).
This makes us more than just an ordinary human being, although the devil will try to get us to think otherwise.
God’s will is for us to live in perpetual thanksgiving (1 Thessalonians 5:18, AMP).
Regardless of the circumstances, we are to give thanks, because we are now in Jesus and He is in us.
As Christians, we are partakers of the inheritance God has reserved for His children (Colossians 1:12, AMP).
We can give thanks that God has qualified us and made us worthy to share in the inheritance He has for His people.
We communicate our faith when we acknowledge all the good things in us because Jesus lives in us (Philemon 1:6, AMP).
Sharing our faith with others promotes a greater understanding of the good things Jesus establishes in us.
Scripture References
Colossians 2:8
2 Corinthians 4:4
Mark 1:14, 15, AMP
Romans 12:1, 2, AMP
Romans 10:10
Colossians 1: 27, 28
Proverbs 23:7
1 Thessalonians 5:18, AMP
Proverbs 4:23
Colossians 1:12, AMP
Romans 2:4, AMP
Philemon 1:6, AMP
The philosophies that we hold are basically a set of opinions and values affecting how we view everything in life. Because we live in the world, we are constantly being bombarded with the world’s philosophies. However, as Christians, our philosophy should come from God’s Word. If not, we are at risk of constantly being swayed in one direction or another, according to popular opinion. We must get our information directly from the Bible, not the world.
The world’s philosophies will poison our mind, and there is a connection between our mind and our heart.
We are to beware and guard against the world’s philosophy (Colossians 2:8).
Following the world’s traditions nullifies the Word of God in our lives (Mark 7:13).
Whatever thoughts we harbor in our mind determines the way we become in our heart. Our heart is the sum total of what we think (Proverbs 23:7).
We change our life by first changing the way we think.
We must guard our heart carefully, because it determines our entire life (Proverbs 4:23).
The lost will not understand the Word. The devil has blinded the minds of those who do not believe the Truth (2 Corinthians 4:3, 4).
The enemy does not want people to see the light of the Gospel.
The Gospel is the actual power of God leading to salvation for all who believe, no matter who they are (Romans 1:16).
Power is the ability to get results over the devil.
We find grace and unchanging truth in God’s philosophy.
Paul wrote that nothing—not even his own life—was as important to him as finishing the course God had laid out for him, and preaching the Gospel of grace (Acts 20:24).
The gospel is the good news of His unmerited, unearned, undeserved favor.
Paul also wrote to the Galatians that he was amazed that some of them fell away from the Gospel of grace so quickly. They succumbed to the influence of worldly philosophy, which was a perversion of the truth (Galatians 1:6, 7).
We are prosperous, healed, saved, and delivered by grace.
God extends grace to us. We must keep uppermost in our mind that this gift is given to us because of Who He is, not because of anything we have done.
If something is received by grace, it is not of works anymore. Conversely, whatever is gained or earned through works is not by grace (Romans 11:6).
Grace operates under the concept of receiving something for nothing.
We need to protect our mind, and we must not lose hope. Jesus brings us grace. We must stay sober-minded and not let the world’s philosophies infect our mind (1 Peter 1:13, AMP).
We are instructed to be morally alert, and set our mind on God’s divine favor.
We are to present our body as a sacrifice to God by letting the Gospel transform our mind. We are again reminded to think soberly, and not let the world conform our mind to its way of thinking (Romans 12:1-3, AMP).
We should not let our mind be fashioned after the world’s external, superficial customs, but instead pattern our ideals and attitudes after God’s Word.
We are warned not to have an exaggerated opinion of our own importance. We should rate our abilities soberly, according to the faith God has given us.
The Scriptures tell us to be renewed in the spirit of our mind (Ephesians 4:23).
When we meditate long enough on the Word, our response to God is automatic. We do not even have to think consciously about how to respond.
Scripture References
Colossians 2:8
Acts 20:24
Mark 7:13
Galatians 1:6, 7
Proverbs 23:7
Romans 11:6
Proverbs 4:23
1 Peter 1:13, AMP
2 Corinthians 4:3, 4
Romans 12:1-3, AMP
Romans 1:16
Ephesians 4:23
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