We Who Have the Mind of Christ

All glory to God! Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus Philippians 2:5. How gracious of God Almighty that He should grant His redeemed ones the mind of the Lord. Whenever I’m asked to give the difference between what it is Bible Christians believe verses those of other religious people, my response is, we have the mind of Christ – “God’s own mind in fact!” 1 Corinthians 2:16. Some people scoff at that answer, others get angry, but then there’s the odd one every so often who gives no outward response, but it is discernible that he or she is giving serious contemplation to what they’ve just heard.

So what do we mean when we say we have the mind of Christ? Do we mean we know everything Christ knows? Not at all. But it does mean we can know everything Christ wants us to know. Where do we find the mind of Christ? In the Bible only. Jesus has nothing to say to anyone outside of that book. So that means when we hear Christless minds telling us that which conflicts with the mind of Christ, we know what we’re up against. Better still, we know who we are up against: principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of the this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places Ephesians 6:12. That’s right; we’re up against the mind of Satan the devil and his cohorts.

If the mind of Christ doesn’t captivate a person, the mind of the devil does. And the greater the denial of that reality, the stronger the captivity. That’s why the apostle Paul urges us to bring our every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ….. 2 Corinthians 10:5. When the mind of Christ captivates us we can be sure we are captivated by Christ Himself. Again, how gracious of God that through the Holy Spirit we are able to bring every thought into captivity, not just some thoughts. All those silly, dangerous, useless, foolish notions and thoughts we get bombarded with every moment of every day – all of them can be banished from our mind because of our possession of the mind of Christ.

How does that work out in a practical sense? someone asks. Do we make it our business to “think nice thoughts” and “say nice things”? That depends on how we interpret “nice” because even Christless minds do that. But when all looks like it’s going to fall over, so do they! To the Christless mind same-sex marriage is a nice thought. Allowing refugees into one’s country without proper background checks is a nice thought. Paying billions of dollars in carbon taxes is a nice thought. Mandating transgender bathrooms in schools Universities, businesses and shopping centers is a nice thought. The killing of babies and selling baby parts is a nice thought. The Socialist idea of everyone being made equal is a nice thought. Nice thoughts for most, except for those possessing the mind of Christ.

We who have the mind of Christ fix our mind on whatever things are true. Because if true, they’re noble. If noble, they’re just. If just, they’re pure. If pure, they’re lovely. If lovely, they’re of good report. If of good report, they’re of virtue. If of virtue they’re praiseworthy Philippians 4:8. “These, Paul would say, are the fruit and the food of the mind that is guarded by the peace of God. When we put these good things into our mind, they stay in our mind and then come forth from us.” – David Guzik. Amen! “The peace of God,” he says. The Christless mind is not guarded and can never be guarded as long as it remains Christless no matter how religious or non-religious it might be. You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You Isaiah 26:3.

When taking a serious look at those 8 attributes in the above paragraph, we who have the mind of Christ will declare the same about the Scriptures of the Bible. So when the devil’s word comes to bombard us, we fortify our mind with the Scriptures. Man-made climate change? Not according to God! While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease Genesis 8:22. Same-sex marriage? Not according to God! Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:5; Ephesians 5:31. Born in the wrong body? Not according to God! Male and female He created them Genesis 1:27; Matthew 19:4.

Okay to kill babies in the womb? Not according to God! Before you were formed in the womb I knew you Jeremiah 1:4. You shall not murder Exodus 20:13. Two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict the answer to peace? Not according to God! And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it Zechariah 12:2-3. One-world Government leader the answer to global religious, economic and terror problems? Not according to God! And the government shall be upon His (Jesus’) shoulder, …………….. Of the increase of His government there shall be no end………… Isaiah 9:6-7.

Now how about the church? Does every member of the church have the mind of Christ? No, only those who confess to God, The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever Psalm 119:160. Again, it is only those who agree with God that, Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him Proverbs 30:5. When Jesus told Satan, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God Matthew 4:4, that’s exactly what He meant. When Apostle Paul declared, All Scripture is given by inspiration of God…. 2 Timothy 3:16, he left no room for anyone to interpret that as “Some Scripture…..” Multitudes in the church willingly overlook all those declarations.

This explains why church leaders can stand in their pulpit advocating for those things mentioned earlier which are not according to God! and not get a meaningful protest from anyone. But it also explains why Jesus said, Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. Matthew 7:13-14. Said theologian Albert Barnes: “Few go there. Here and there one may be seen – traveling in solitude and singularity. The way to death, on the other hand, is broad. Multitudes are in it. It is the great highway in which people go. They fall into it easily and without effort, and go without thought.” Horrific!

Now the good news. God is merciful! If He were not, I would be one of those walking the broad road to destruction and so says every other possessor of the mind of Christ. It is not that people don’t hear the voice of the Lord while walking the broad road, it is that they don’t heed His voice. That’s the difference. The call to repent goes out to all. He is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance 2 Peter 3:9.  Jesus willingly gave Himself to be ripped and torn to shreds and then slaughtered on a cross for all. That’s the price He paid for our sins. Every last drop of His blood was shed there for the sins of all humanity. How utterly suicidal it is for a person to stick with a Christless mind when repentance promises the mind of Christ.

Do we who have the mind of Christ ever cut across the wisdom given from His mind in favor of the “wisdom” of our own mind? Yes we do. Too often! The moment we receive the Lord we’re in possession of His mind; that’s it from a legal stance, but in experience it’s a very different story. We have to learn to discern the Lord’s mind and getting it wrong often, is part of the process. It will be till the day we die or are removed. But here’s the good news from my perspective: the more I get it wrong, the more I desire the Lord’s mind. Self-will is a killer! “Not my will, but Thy will be done,” eventually becomes the cry of all who have the mind of Christ because it’s the only mind that promises them peace, plans, purposes and stability in life.

We’ve been warned. Jesus said, Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven,……. Matthew 7:21-23. He then speaks of preachers, teachers, prophets and miracle workers, all doing ministry in His name, yet they’re all on their way to hell! Why? He doesn’t know them. Why not? They don’t have the mind of Christ. Not only do they not have it, they don’t want it! Imagine that. They are glory seekers, money fleecers, sex perverts, deceivers and liars. Yet here they are masquerading as angels of light, doing it all “in Jeeeeeesus’ name, Hallelujah!” We who have the mind of Christ should avoid those devils like the plague! Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ 1 Peter 1:13.