📖 Biblical Definition
The mind is the Christian's rational faculty, commanded to be renewed: "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind" (Rom 12:2). The mind can be "hostile to God" (Rom 8:7) or have "the mind of Christ" (1 Cor 2:16). Jesus expanded the greatest commandment to include the mind: "love the Lord your God... with all your mind" (Matt 22:37). Peter: "gird up the loins of your mind" (1 Pet 1:13 KJV) — get the intellect ready for action. The Christian mind is not optional; Scripture commands loving God with it and renewing it daily through the Word.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
MIND, n.
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MIND, n. [Sax. gemynd.] The intellectual power of the human soul; the faculty of understanding, knowing, and willing. In Scripture, the mind is a battlefield and a vocation: the natural mind is hostile to God; the renewed mind discerns His will; the mind of Christ is the Christian's inheritance; and the greatest commandment specifically includes loving God with all the mind. Anti-intellectual Christianity is unbiblical.
📖 Key Scripture
Romans 12:2 — "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
Matthew 22:37 — "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind."
1 Corinthians 2:16 — "For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ."
Philippians 4:8 — "Whatever is true, whatever is honorable... think about these things."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
American evangelicalism often undervalues the life of the mind. Scripture commands loving God with it.
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"Anti-intellectual Christianity" is not biblical Christianity. Jesus included the mind in the greatest commandment. Paul commands renewal of the mind. Peter says gird up the loins of your mind. Christians are to think rigorously, study Scripture deeply, engage ideas courageously. Piety without study produces shallow Christianity; study without piety produces dead orthodoxy; Scripture commands both.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
G3563 — nous.
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G3563 — nous (νοῦς) — mind, understanding, intellect.
G1271 — dianoia (διάνοια) — the faculty of thinking; deep thought.
Usage
"Love the LORD with all your mind. Christianity that does not think is not fully Christianity."
"Be transformed by the renewal of your mind. The renovation is ongoing; do the reading."