Bible explains six kinds of mind

 1.The Unrenewed/Fleshly Mind: This is the natural human mind, which is at enmity with God and cannot submit to His law.

a) Romans 8:7: "For the mind set on the flesh is enmity against God, for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for neither indeed can it be".

b) 2 Corinthians 4:4: The "god of this age has blinded the thoughts of the unbelievers".

2.The Renewed/Spiritual Mind: The mind of a believer that is transformed and focused on the things of the Spirit, resulting in life and peace.

c) Romans 12:2: "But be transformed by the renewing of the mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect".

d) Romans 8:6: "For the mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace".

e) Ephesians 4:23: "And that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind".

3.The Corrupted/Defiled Mind: A mind that has been tainted by sin and can give ground to evil spirits.

f) Titus 1:15: "Their mind and their conscience are defiled".

g) 1 Timothy 6:5: "Perpetual wranglings of men corrupted in mind".

4.The Mind of Christ: Believers have the potential to know the Lord's intentions through their spirit and a proper mind.

h) 1 Corinthians 2:16: "For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ."

5.The Sound Mind: A mind that is delivered, rescued, and protected from illogical thoughts.

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

6.The Single Mind (or having a "mind to suffer"): A willingness to endure hardship for the Lord's work, a decisive factor in spiritual service.

j) 1 Peter 4:1: 

"Forasmuch then as Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind...".

The two people, two ways , two destinations.

 Psalm 1 presents a clear contrast between 

1.  Two people (the righteous and the wicked), 

2.Two ways (God's path of delighting in His law vs. the path of sin), and 

3.Two destinations (flourishing life vs. perishing/destruction), emphasizing that a choice between these leads to vastly different outcomes: the blessed, prosperous life of the godly or the fleeting, fruitless existence of the ungodly, like chaff blown away by the wind. 

1.  The Two People

The Righteous/Blessed: Delights in God's law, meditates on it day and night, and avoids the counsel/company of the wicked.

The Wicked/Sinners/Scoffers: Follows the advice of the wicked, stands with sinners, and sits in the seat of mockers, moving progressively away from God. 

2.  The Two Ways

The Righteous Path (God's Way): Following God's instructions, which leads to flourishing and stability, like a tree planted by streams of water.

The Wicked Path (World's Way): A life influenced by worldly, sinful advice, leading to restlessness and instability. 

3.The Two Destinations

For the Righteous: Prosperity, enduring life, and standing firm, as they are "planted well" and blessed by God.

For the Wicked: Fruitlessness and perishing, like chaff that the wind drives away, ultimately not enduring God's judgment. 

The Core Message

The Psalm serves as an introduction to the entire Book of Psalms, setting up a fundamental choice for all humanity: aligning your life with God's wisdom or rejecting it for worldly ways, with eternal consequences determining one's ultimate "happiness" or "destruction

The Fleshly or Carnal Believer

All believers could, like Paul, be filled with the Holy Spirit at the moment of belief and baptism (cf. Acts 9:17–18; Acts 2:38; Acts 10:44–46). Scripture affirms that the Spirit is given to every true believer (cf. Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 12:13). Unfortunately, many still are controlled by the flesh as though not dead and raised up again (Romans 6:6–8; Colossians 2:12). These have not truly believed in the accomplished fact of Christ’s death and resurrection for them, nor have they sincerely acted upon the call of the Holy Spirit to follow the principle of death and resurrection (Luke 9:23; Romans 6:11; Galatians 2:20).

According to the finished work of Christ they have died and have been resurrected already (Romans 6:4–5; Ephesians 2:5–6); according to their responsibility as believers they should die to self and live to God (Romans 6:12–13; 2 Corinthians 5:15); but in actual practice they do not do so (Romans 7:18–19). These believers may be considered abnormal. This abnormality is not to be understood as being limited only to our day, however. Long ago this same condition confronted the Apostle Paul. The Christians at Corinth were one example.

Listen to what he said of them: 

                                                                                                                                                                         “But I, brethren, could not address you as spiritual men, but as men of the flesh, as babes in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food; for you were not ready for it; and even yet you are not ready, for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh, and behaving like ordinary men? (1 Corinthians 3:1–3)

                                                                                                                                                                        Here the Apostle divides all Christians into two classes: the spiritual and the fleshly (cf. Romans 8:5–8; Galatians 5:16–17). The spiritual Christians are not extraordinary; they are simply normal (1 Corinthians 2:15; Romans 8:14). It is the fleshly who are abnormal. Those at Corinth were truly Christians (1 Corinthians 1:2; 6:11), but they were fleshly, not spiritual.

Biblical regeneration is a birth in which the innermost spirit of man is renewed and indwelt by the Spirit of God (John 3:5–6; Titus 3:5; 2 Corinthians 5:17). Yet it requires time for the power of this new life to reach outward into conduct (Proverbs 4:23; Romans 12:2). Hence, we cannot expect the maturity of “young men” or “fathers” in a spiritual infant (1 John 2:12–14; Hebrews 5:12–14).

                                                                                                                                                                     A newly born believer may love the Lord deeply and show zeal (Revelation 2:4; Romans 10:2), yet still walk largely by feelings and thoughts (2 Corinthians 5:7), not yet refined by trial (1 Peter 1:6–7; James 1:2–4). A newborn Christian cannot help being fleshly at first. Though filled with the Spirit, he does not yet recognize the flesh (Romans 7:21–23). How can one be freed from the works of the flesh without discerning their source? (Galatians 5:19–21)

                                                                                                                                                                      The Bible does not expect instant maturity (1 Peter 2:2). But if believers remain babes for many years, their condition becomes grievous (Hebrews 5:12; Ephesians 4:14). Paul reminds the Corinthians that while they were once babes, by the time of his writing they should have matured (1 Corinthians 13:11). Instead, they remained fleshly.

                                                                                                                                                                      Transformation from fleshly to spiritual does not require decades. The Corinthians emerged from paganism (1 Corinthians 6:9–11), yet Paul expected growth within a few years. Christ’s redemption removes every barrier to the Spirit’s rule (Romans 8:3–4; Hebrews 9:14). As a sinner can be regenerated, so a fleshly believer can become spiritual (2 Corinthians 3:18).

How tragic that many Christians today stagnate for decades (Revelation 3:1–2), astonished when others grow normally. Yet such growth is God’s design (Ephesians 4:13–15). We must not remain aged babes, grieving the Spirit (Ephesians 4:30) and suffering loss (1 Corinthians 3:12–15).

                                                                                                                                                                      Why do believers fail to grow? 

First, neglect by leaders /Pastors who emphasize position without experience (2 Timothy 3:5). Preach what they like and not what the Church body needs. Holy Spirit would give discernment who in the body of Church is sick needs cure.

Second, lack of spiritual hunger among believers themselves (Matthew 5:6; Amos 8:11), or unwillingness to pay the price (Luke 14:27–33). Thus, the church becomes filled with “big babes.”

                                                                                                                                                                        Characteristics of the Fleshly

 1.Prolonged Babyhood: - Believers should know they are crucified with Christ (Romans 6:6; Galatians 2:20) so that the Spirit may free them from the flesh (Romans 8:2).

     2.Inability to Receive Solid Teaching: - “Milk” rather than “solid food” (Hebrews 5:13–14). Knowledge without obedience produces pride, not power (1 Corinthians 8:1; James 1:22).

True spiritual knowledge comes through obedience and experience (John 7:17; Philippians 3:10), not intellect alone (Colossians 2:20–23). Increased teaching without surrender only strengthens carnality (2 Timothy 3:7).

3.Jealousy, Strife, and Division: -These are clear marks of the flesh (Galatians 5:20; James 3:14–16). Sectarian pride—even in Christ’s name—is still carnal, Pride I know the Gospel and others are not at par so no desire to listen to them. (Philippians 1:15–16).

To be fleshly is to behave “like ordinary men” (1 Corinthians 3:3). Worldliness, temper, selfishness, pride, and lack of love expose carnality (Galatians 5:15; 1 John 2:15–16).

                                                                                                                                                                       Let us not argue over labels. If we are not governed by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:14; Galatians 5:25), the title “spiritual” profits nothing. This is a matter of life, not name (John 6:63).

                                                                                                                                                                      God bless your

Pr. Ramesh C. Koundal