Sound Mind

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (2 Tim 1:7)

Sound Mind: The word in this verse that was translated in some as “sound mind” comes from the greek word “sophronismos” According to William Barclay the word sophronismos is one of those great Greek untranslatable words. Someone has defined it as “the sanity of saintliness.” Falconer defines it as “control of oneself in face of panic or of passion.” It is Christ alone Who can give us that self-mastery which will keep us alike from being swept away and from running away. No man can ever rule others unless he has first mastered himself. Sophronismos is that divinely given self-control which makes a man a great ruler of others because he is first of all the servant of Christ and the master of himself. (Barclay, W: The Daily Study Bible Series, Rev. ed. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press)

Barnes Notes on the Bible says that the Greek word denotes one of sober mind; a man of prudence and discretion. The state referred to here is that in which the mind is well balanced, and under right influences; in which it sees things in their just proportions and relations; in which it is not feverish and excited, but when everything is in its proper place. It was this state of mind which Timothy was exhorted to cultivate; this which Paul regarded as so necessary to the performance of the duties of his office. 

Other translations translate it as “self-control” or “self-discipline,” and in many ways a sound mind means having discipline.  We should be disciplined Christians rather than slaves to our emotions. We are all moved by our emotions. That is why people will send money to organizations that advertise with the picture of a poor, hungry, little orphan. But Christians are not to be motivated by their emotions. Our emotions are not to master us. We are to be disciplined. (McGee, J V: Thru the Bible Commentary:  Thomas Nelson)

Guy King wrote “How infinitely more effective is a horse when its wild freedom gives place to a proper control. What a wholly revolutionized thing, will that wide-spread, sluggish water become if it is confined within narrow banks – able now in its swiftly-running energy to do things, and to turn things. It is all the difference between waters dissipated, or disciplined, that is suggested by this quality of self-mastery.

Ray Stedman adds these practical thoughts regarding discipline (sound mind): It is not fanaticism; it is not talking constantly about dreams, visions, special revelations and wonderful experiences. It is talking about sober, realistic appraisals of a situation, deciding the right thing to do, and then, steadfastly, quietly, moving to do it. That is the spirit of sound judgment.”

The disciples weren’t able to change the world because they were eloquent or because they had a seminary education or because they had the right sales techniques down. They were uneducated and untrained men. But even the unbelieving leaders of Israel could look at these men and recognize that they had been with Jesus. The more I read about them, I recognize that while they were ordinary men, they were EXTRAordinary because of their holy boldness of power and spiritual discipline. Were they perfect? Absolutely not! They literally walked and talked with Jesus, and still failed. How much more so are we then susceptible to being tossed too and fro by the tug of the enemy, in which case we REALLY need to press in and have disciplines in place in our life.

Right now, my discipline is sitting down with him each morning and once again becoming consistent with that. It’s funny how many other things I can suddenly think of that need to be done when I sit down in the morning for my time in the Word, yet I have come to realize how much better my day is when I start it out right.

What is your current discipline you are working on? Let me know in the comments!