How to Recognize Wrong Thinking: What the Bible Says Romans 12:2-3
Light on Life Podcast cover art for “How to Recognize Wrong Thinking: What the Bible Says.” A glowing pathway leads from an open Bible through a brain-shaped maze toward a tangled red knot, symbolizing how God’s Word helps identify wrong thinking.
The way we think has a lot to do with the way we live. Our thoughts influence our decisions, our actions, and even the direction our lives take. But here's something worth considering—what happens when your thinking is wrong and you don't even know it? I mean, you can be absolutely convinced you're right and still be completely wrong. The Bible gives us plenty of examples of people who had wrong thinking—Abraham, King Saul, Naaman, and even Jesus' own disciples. Fear, pride, greed, and faulty reasoning all played a part. So how do you recognize wrong thinking, and what does the Bible say about renewing your mind? That's what we're looking at today so grab your Bibles as we explore How to Recognize Wrong Thinking: What the Bible Says all on this week’s Light On Life.
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This Week: We're looking at how to recognize wrong thinking, renew your mind according to Romans 12:2–3, and learn to think God's thoughts after Him.
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Accept the Challenge
Examine Your Heart. Capture Your Thoughts.
Jesus knew what the scribes were thinking before they ever spoke a word. Their thoughts were contrary to the truth standing right in front of them.
Here's your challenge this week: Examine the thoughts you're allowing to occupy your heart. When a thought contradicts God's Word, don't entertain it. Go back to the Scripture, take that thought captive, and refuse to let doubt move you away from what God has said.
Cast it down. Stand your ground.
Scripture:
Matthew 9:2–4 (KJV)
2 And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.
3 And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth.
4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?
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Each week's podcast also contains a question designed to encourage testimony. Testimony is vital to a believers life. We overcome by it (Rev. 12:11).
This week's question:
Join This Conversation
Question:
Have you ever been absolutely convinced that you were right about something, only to find out later that your thinking was completely wrong?
Share:
What helped you recognize it? Was it something you read in the Word of God? Something the Holy Spirit showed you? Or did someone speak some plain words that helped you get your thinking straight? I'd like to hear about it.
Remember:
Just because something makes sense to you doesn't mean it agrees with God. Your thoughts or God's thoughts—which ones are you thinking?
About Emery and Sharon
For nearly five decades, Emery has devoted his life to helping people grow in Christ through the power of the Word and the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Together with his wife, Sharon — his partner in life and ministry for 44 years — he equipped believers to live Spirit-filled, practical lives of faith.
At the heart of the mission is this: helping believers apply God's words so faith becomes active and unstoppable.
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Podcast Notes:
Well again, welcome.
Let’s pray.
Father God, thank you for your Holy written Word today. Grant unto us a spirit of wisdom and of revelation that we might know you better. Help us with our thinking, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
When Your Thinking Is Wrong
Last week, we spent some time looking at the thought life.
We saw that ‘what you think’ is a serious matter.
Jesus showed us that thoughts come from the heart.
By the Spirit of God, Paul showed us that we are to bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.
We looked at the three words ‘imaginations,’ ‘high things,’ and thoughts in 2 Corinthians 10:5—that unholy mental trinity that rises up against the knowledge of God.
And we learned that thoughts contrary to God’s Word must be cast down.
Remember what we said—Cast it down. Stand your ground.
Now, here’s the question.
What happens when your thinking is wrong, but you don’t know it’s wrong?
Think about that for a moment.
Is it possible to be absolutely convinced that you’re right and still be completely wrong?
Of course it is.
People do it all the time.
And here’s another idea worth considering.
Just because something makes sense to you doesn’t mean it agrees with God.
Your reasoning may sound perfectly logical.
Your conclusions may seem airtight.
But if those conclusions contradict God’s Word, you’ve got a problem.
You see, the issue is not whether you think you’re right.
The issue is whether God says you’re right.
So let’s look at several examples from the Word of God where people thought they were right but they weren’t.
And as we examine these passages, ask yourself this question—Am I thinking God’s thoughts, or am I just thinking my own?
When God’s People Get Their Thinking Wrong
First, before we start out, understand that there is a ton of Bible characters who had wrong thoughts.
I’ll give you several to consider in both the Old and New Testaments.
And from this, you’ll be encouraged because you will realize that you are not the only one who suffers in this area.
We all suffer from wrong thinking.
And these Bible accounts are going to help us see it.
So, let’s take a look at some of what passes through the minds of godly men.
Abraham
I have headline news for you today—the father of faith had, at times, some messed up thinking.
Genesis 20:1–2 (KJV) — 1 And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar. 2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.
So, Abraham basically told this king, “Sarah is not my wife, she is my sister.”
The result of that action?
The king said, ‘Wow, she’s good looking,” and he took her.’
Now, she was around 90 years old at that time.
What does it mean, that the king took her?
Took her means, King Abimelech took Sarah as his wife or put her into his harem.
Now, what do you think about that?
Is that stinking thinking or what?
In this prime time moment, Abraham would not stand up and say, ‘This is my sweetheart.’
Why did Abraham do this?
Genesis 20:11 (KJV) — 11 And Abraham said, Because I thought, [There it is—wrong thinking] Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife’s sake.
So, the father of faith put his wife’s integrity at risk to keep his skin alive.
And what was this decision based on?—assumption.
Abraham assumed there was no fear of God in Gerar.
How did he know?
Did he do a Google search on it?
I mean, how DID HE KNOW?
Maybe Abraham didn’t know and he was hedging his bets.
Now, here was his thinking pattern.
Genesis 20:12 (KJV) — 12 And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.
Sarah was Abraham’s half-sister.
So instead of saying that and testifying that Sarah was his full sweetheart, he went off and told a whole lie.
Not a half lie—there’s no such thing—a complete lie.
Now the Lord stepped in and corrected the situation Abraham had created with his fearful thinking.
He visited Abimelech in a dream and told him to give Abraham back his wife or else.
God called Sara his wife.
He didn’t say anything about her being his sister— that’s inverse seven.
Now here’s something amazing: this wasn’t the first time that Abraham did this.
This was the second time.
In Genesis 12, God told Abraham (he wasn’t Abraham then—he was Abram) to leave his father’s house.
He and Sarah ended up in Egypt.
The same thing happened—Pharaoh set his eyes on Sarah and took her into his house.
Sarah must have been some kind of good-looking.
Just like my wife Sharon—I mean good looking.
It seems like everybody wanted Sarah.
So, he told the same lie to Pharaoh as he did to Abimelech.
Pharaoh paid him richly in livestock and he took the money.
If you read the full account, you will see that God got involved and straightened this thought out as well.
Two times Abraham put his wife integrity in jeopardy—talk about broken thinking.
So, let’s talk about the big gorilla in the room—fear.
Abraham’s fear contaminated his thinking.
In between these two account accounts, the Lord visited him and cut a Blood Covenant with him—all in rather dramatic fashion.
Protection was one of the vows each covenant partner would make.
They would say, “My enemies are your enemies.”
That’s Blood Covenant language.
The point here is that if Abraham had even thought that Abimelech was a potential enemy, he should have leaned on his Blood Covenant partner, God, for protection.
Now ask yourself this question: are you trusting your Blood Covenant partner, Jesus?
Jesus said.
1 Corinthians 11:23–25 (KJV) — 23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: 24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
Every New Testament promise is sealed with Jesus’ blood.
Are you allowing fear to drive you from the place of faith and into reasonings?
You see, a fearful faith is no faith at all.
When you allow fear into your thinking, it pollutes the faith you have.
Your thoughts or God’s thoughts—which ones are you thinking?
Now here are some other Old Testament examples of wrong thoughts and reasonings.
King Saul
Wrong thinking cost Saul his throne as King of Israel.
You can read this account in 1 Samuel thirteen.
The verse you want to focus on is verse 12.
1 Samuel 13:12 (NASB 2020) — 12 I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not asked the favor of the LORD.’ So I worked up the courage and offered the burnt offering.”
Samuel had told Saul to wait for him until he got to Gilgal on a certain day.
When Samuel was delayed in coming on that set day, Saul began his trip down ‘reasoning lane.’
That trip—that piece of disobedience—was also motivated by fear.
1 Samuel 13:11 (KJV) — 11 And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash
The people scattered from Saul means Saul was feeling exposed.
Couple that with the arrival of the Philistines and we have full-blown disobedience to the word from the man of God.
Let’s move on to Naaman.
Naaman
Wrong thinking almost cost Naaman the Syrian his opportunity to be healed from a contagious, incurable disease.
Naaman was a great man but he was also a leper.
Through the encouragement of a young Israelite girl who told him about Elisha’s healing ministry, Naaman decided to pay Elisha a visit.
2 Kings 5:9–12 (NASB) — 9 So Naaman came with his horses and his chariots, and stood at the doorway of Elisha’s house. 10 And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh will be restored to you and you will be clean.” 11 But Naaman was furious and went away, and he said, “Behold, I thought, ‘He will certainly come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the site and cure the leprosy.’ 12 Are Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, not better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage.
Can you see Naaman’s wrong thinking?
God gave Elisha the exact way to minister to Naaman so that he could receive his healing from an incurable condition.
He exposed his pride.
Naaman thought otherwise.
His thinking was contaminated by the pride of his heart.
But then he received another thought from his servants.
In this moment, Naaman is trapped by his thinking.
2 Kings 5:13 (KJV) — 13 And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?
So Naaman humbled himself and guess what happened?
He received his healing—2 Kings 5:14.
But, it only happened when Naaman’s thoughts became God’s thoughts.
Your thoughts or God’s thoughts—which ones are you thinking?
Now if you drop down a little bit to verse twenty, you will see that in this incident, Naaman wasn’t the only one with wrong reasonings.
Gehazi
Gehazi’s entire ministry was ruined because of wrong thinking.
2 Kings 5:20 (KJV) — 20 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, thought, “Behold, my master has spared this Naaman the Aramean, by not accepting from his hand what he brought. As the LORD lives, I will run after him and take something from him.”
Naaman wanted to give Elisha a financial blessing for having healed him.
This is more wrong thinking.
You can’t pay for God‘s healing power.
Elisha—correctly refused to merchandise the things of God.
Gehazi, though, had other thoughts.
He didn’t want to see a good dollar go out the door.
So he ran after Naaman and lied to him for money’s sake.
When he did that, the leprosy that had been on Naaman came on Gehazi instead.
The lesson we should learn?—greed thoughts are not good thoughts.
Merchandising God‘s power is the wrong way to acquire finances.
It pays to keep your thinking honest, clean and pure in all areas.
And that’s what the admonition in Philippians is.
Philippians 4:8 (NASB 2020) — 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Now, did you notice something about these four men?
They all had thoughts that needed correcting.
Different people—Different circumstances—But the same problem—wrong thinking.
But here’s the thing—this problem of wrong thinking didn’t disappear when we crossed over into the New Testament.
Men have been thinking wrong ever since they got out of fellowship with God in the Garden of Eden.
if you are not in fellowship with God consistently, I guarantee you you’re thinking will be wrong.
When Jesus Followers Get Their Thinking Wrong
The Disciples
Now you might believe that the hand-picked disciples of Jesus should have had a leg up in this area of thinking like God thinks.
I mean they walked with Jesus, the Son of God, for 3 1/2 years.
If you heard someone speak for years on end, wouldn’t you pick up on some things?
Naturally you would.
But even though the disciples had a ring-side seat for Jesus’ teaching ministry, there were many things that they didn’t get.
It’s just like your walk today.
Do you know everything you need to know even though you have the Great Revealer of truth, the Holy Spirit of God in you?
No, we are in the process of knowing—the Holy Spirit is helping us to see and understand.
This process of gaining understanding is a fulfilling journey.
But, there’s still much of our thinking that needs adjusting.
The Bible calls this process the renewing of the mind—Romans 12:2.
Now we know that Jesus spoke the Word of God—or we could say the Words that came directly from God.
Those words are God’s thoughts.
John 8:38 (NASB 2020) — 38 I speak of the things which I have seen with My Father; therefore you also do the things which you heard from your father.”
Jesus received God thoughts and passed them to the disciples in His teaching and in His everyday conversations.
But the disciples just didn’t tap in.
As we will see, they came up short at Lazarus’ tomb.
Lazarus was Jesus’ friend.
But, along the way, he died.
What we know from the way Jesus operated is that He received direction from His Father to raise Lazarus back to life.
This direction Jesus passed to the twelve disciples.
John 11:11–14 (KJV) — 11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. 12 Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. 13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. 14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.
The disciples didn’t grasp the meaning of the word ‘sleep.’
When a child of God departs from this world, he doesn’t die— he sleeps.
Now, this was not a new concept to the disciples.
If it was, you could give them a break here.
But this was not the first time the disciples encountered this term.
They heard it when Jesus raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead.
Matthew 9:23–24 (KJV) — 23 And when Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise, 24 He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.
The disciples were there when Jairus’ daughter arose ‘from sleep’ by the power of God.
Having witnessed this most dramatic miracle should have made an impression on the disciples’ thinking.
Instead they thought Lazarus was getting some shut-eye.
Why disturb the man if he’s taking a restful nap?
Jesus had to correct the reasoning of the disciples.
He told them plainly, Lazarus is dead.
The Greek word plainly [parrēsia] means to speak directly and clearly, so that the intended meaning cannot be misunderstood.
Many times plain talk brings the greatest result.
Let’s look into the book of Acts now at a person named Simon.
Simon
Simon was a sorcerer.
That is until he ran into Philip and saw the miracle-working power of God flowing through his life.
Acts 8:13 (KJV) — 13 Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.
But just because he came to faith didn’t mean his thinking was right.
No more than your thinking was right when you came to Jesus.
Simon had some wrong thinking about how the Holy Spirit operates His gifts.
Acts 8:18–23 (KJV) — 18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, 19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. 20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. 21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. 22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. 23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.
Simon thought that money spoke in all realms.
Nope—there’s that stinking thinking again.
Faith is the rate of exchange in the realm of the Holy Spirit not dollars, denarii, or any other form of money.
When Simon heard the words of Peter—plain words spoken boldly—he immediately repented.
Acts 8:24 (KJV) — 24 Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.
Being brought to the point of judgment changed Simon’s thinking.
A lesson for all of us to know.
Once again: Your thoughts or God’s thoughts—which ones are you thinking?
The Wrong Thinking Behind World Religions
Now Simon had wrong thinking about the power of God.
But wrong thinking isn’t limited to single individuals.
Entire religious systems can be built around thoughts about God that are simply not the truth.
And that brings us to the last area of wrong thinking I want to look at—world religions.
Christianity, you know, is not a religion—it’s a relationship with the Godhead.
World religions, as a whole, have some messed up thinking.
Look at Acts 17:29.
I’m going to read out of the NASB.
Acts 17:29 (NASB 2020) — 29 Therefore, since we are the descendants of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by human skill and thought.
Many of the religions of the world have images, idols, statues—however you want to say it—that represent their little g-god.
I’m not saying this in a demeaning fashion but in a factual one.
It’s just the truth.
And with that thought, here is the Illustration of the Day.
Here are some stats, for example, on Hinduism readily available on the internet.
Hinduism is full of deities.
These deities have hundreds and thousands of different forms and manifestations.
The number of statues and images representing these deities worldwide?—potentially millions.
Thirty-three principal deities are identified in ancient Hindu writings.
We’re talking tons of statues and images in peoples homes and places of worship.
Here’s the truth—we ought NOT TO THINK that God is like any image no matter how precious the material is to depict it.
The Value of Renewing Your Thinking
Now, with all of this, know that we are all in the same boat.
All of us have thinking patterns that are not in line with God’s way of thinking.
And that’s what all these Bible accounts have been showing us.
You can be sincere in what you think and still be wrong.
So, how do we get our thinking straight?
That’s where renewing your mind comes in.
And that’s what Paul addresses in Romans chapter twelve.
Since we know that God is perfect and that He never has a faulty thought, wouldn’t it be wise to sit at His feet and learn how we should think?
How should we view people?
Well, God wrote us a letter via His servant John and He told us.
That letter is called First John.
How should we understand the mess we all get ourselves in at times?
Well, God inspired certain authors to catalog the messes people got themselves into so that we can read those accounts and adjust our thinking accordingly.
I mean who wants to get driven out of Garden, have the ground split open underneath us because of pride, or then wander around in the desert for 40 years because we wouldn’t believe?
I mean forget that.
That’s one reason those accounts are recorded for you so that you don’t think in those same channels and get yourself in trouble.
The ultimate in wrong thinking is about why Jesus came to planet Earth.
He came to take your place as a substitute— paying the penalty for your sins.
Make sure that your thought patterns are correct about Jesus’, death, burial, and resurrection.
If you mess up you’re thinking here, it’s a one-way ticket to the nether region.
Matthew 16:26 (KJV) — 26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Is it worth having the wrong thoughts about Jesus?
Decidedly not—we need to get our thinking straight.
And so we close with this admonition from the book of Romans—we’ve already referenced it earlier.
Romans 12:2–3 (KJV) — 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
Think soberly.
What does that mean?
I’m glad you asked.
And with that thought, here is the Definition of the Day.
The words think soberly [sōphroneō] carry the idea of being wise or sound in judgment, especially where self-control is concerned.
Note, Paul uses the same Greek word for thinking in different forms four times in verse three.
You don’t see the four occurrences in the King James translation.
But it’s brought out in other translations— for example Young’s translation.
** Romans 12:3 — Young’s Literal Translation (YLT)—3 For I say, through the grace that was given to me, to every one who is among you, not to think above what it behoveth to think; but to think so as to think wisely, as to each God did deal a measure of faith.
Basically, “don’t think high-mindedly above that which you ought to think, but to so think as to have wise or sober-thinking.”
Once again, the word think is mentioned four times in this same passage that references renewing the mind.
So, now the question for you today is this—are you going to think God’s thoughts after Him?
That’s the straight path to a prosperous life.
Accept the Challenge: Get Your Thinking in Line with God’s Word
Now here’s your challenge this week.
Take a good look at your thought life.
Are there areas where your thinking is not in line with God’s way of thinking?
How are you going to know?
Well, you’re not going to know what His thoughts are without looking into your Bible.
The Bible contains God’s thoughts.
Abraham allowed fear to contaminate his thinking.
Naaman almost missed his healing because of pride.
Gehazi allowed greed to ruin his ministry.
And what about Jesus' own disciples?
They walked with Him for 3 1/2 years and still had areas where their thinking needed adjusting.
Simon believed and was baptized, but he had some messed up thinking about the power of the Holy Spirit.
So, what makes us think that we have everything figured out with our brains?
Your thoughts or God’s thoughts—which ones are you thinking?
I mean, we all have areas where our thinking needs adjusting.
So, how do you recognize wrong thinking when you don’t know it’s wrong?
You get into the Word of God with a willingness to have your thinking corrected.
And when you discover that what you’ve been thinking doesn’t agree with what God has said, make the adjustment.
While you’re reading, ask yourself—have I been thinking something that doesn’t agree with what God has said?
Don’t be like Naaman and argue with what God.
Remember, just because something makes sense to you doesn’t mean it agrees with God.
Romans 12:2 tells us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.
Four times the Greek word for think appears in Romans 12:3.
Think God’s thoughts after Him.
Remember, the issue is not whether you think you’re right.
The issue is whether God says you’re right.
Your thoughts or God’s thoughts—which ones are you thinking?
That’s the straight path to a propsperous life.
If this podcast helped you, consider sharing it with others.
You’ll find the Companion Study Guide and Teacher’s Guide for this episode on the Episode Resources page at emeryhorvath.com, as well.
Use those resources to go back through the Scriptures we covered today and get these truths down in your heart.
And remember the title of today’s podcast: “How to Renew Your Mind: What the Bible Says.”
And join me next week as we continue to focus on the powerful realm of the thought life and how it intersects with your prayer life.
So tune in next time.
You guys have a great God week, and we will see you next time for another edition of Light on Life.
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