In this session on biblical anthropology, we turn to the concept of the mind (Greek nous) and its role within the human person. Building on the previous study of the heart as the meeting point of body, soul, and spirit, this lesson distinguishes the mind from the flesh, the heart, the body, and the human spirit, using key New Testament passages to define its function.
We examine how Scripture presents the mind as the point where soul and spirit come together in the process of thinking, understanding, and internal dialogue. Using Luke 16, we note that human consciousness and rational interaction continue even after physical death, showing that the brain is a physical organ, but not the source of immaterial thought. We then contrast the mind of the unsaved—reprobate, blinded, and futile (Romans 1; 2 Corinthians 4; Ephesians 4)—with the renewed mind of the believer, who can now discern and approve the will of God (Romans 12; Ephesians 4; 1 Corinthians 2).
The study also introduces the distinction between soulish, spiritual, and carnal believers, and explores the believer’s “frame of mind” (phroneō) in Romans 8 and Colossians 3, emphasizing the call to set the mind on things above, not on things on the earth. This lesson lays important groundwork for upcoming studies on the conscience and the will, providing essential building blocks for understanding how Scripture describes human thinking and spiritual growth.
Key Themes and Passages Covered
Distinction between mind, flesh, body, heart, and spirit
Consciousness after death (Luke 16)
The reprobate / unapproved mind of the unsaved (Romans 1:28)
Satan blinding the thoughts of unbelievers (2 Corinthians 4:3–4)
Futility and darkening of the Gentile mind (Ephesians 4:17–19)
Renewal in the spirit of the mind (Ephesians 4:22–24)
Transformation by the renewing of the mind (Romans 12:1–2)
The believer’s capacity to discern God’s will and share equality of the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2)
Soulish vs. spiritual vs. carnal believers and their orientation
The “frame of mind” set on flesh or Spirit (Romans 8:4–8; Colossians 3:1–4)
