Nov 22 2008
THE MIND OF CHRIST (PHILIPPIANS 2:5-8)
We really need to understand the Mind of Christ as described in Philippians 2:5-8. One of the key words in this passage is the very small word: “LET”. What does this little word have to do with developing the Mind of Christ? EVERYTHING!
Philippians2:5-8 (NKJV) 5. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6. who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7. but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
The very first word in this passage is Let. The word let means to allow, to make room for , to cause, to give opportunity to or to fail to prevent. So what it is saying is that we must allow this mind to operate in us. We must stop preventing the mind of Christ from being formed in us. When you look at the way the passage reads, it is stated in the form of a command. This is something that we must do.
A few years ago a new saying was circulating everywhere. WWJD? This was What Would Jesus Do. Basically it was a simplification of the whole gospel but it really applies well to these verses. The mind of Christ was that of a servant. He served God first and foremost. Everything that He did was based on the Will of the Father in His life.
Jesus did not have to do this because He was God. He could do anything that He chose. What He chose was to show us how we are to be, how to love as the Father loves by placing others above ourselves. Jesus was totally obedient in every way, even to death on the cross.
By transforming our mind through the Word of God and allowing the Holy Spirit to teach us we can develop the mind of Christ. We must allow this passage in Philippians to be a part of our everyday life. One thing we need to do differently is consider how we think of ourselves. Do we think more highly of our selves than we should?
Do I think a bit too much of myself?
Romans 12:3 (NKJV) 3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.We need to examine ourselves to see how we think and then filter that through the Word of God to line it up with the way Jesus thinks. That is the way to develop the mind of Christ
So many times I myself am guilty of this. The way I look seems to make stop and think.
We are all guilty at times. i say that I do not care what people think about how I look and that is pretty true but don’t let them criticize what I say. that is when I almost always think more of myself than I should. you would think that someone who writes these posts would be more in control of their own emotions. I will not say it is a process but I will say that I am making an effort to allow God to place the Mind of Christ in me. Saying it is a process or “God understands” is just our way of justifying our own disobedience. At least that is what I am learning, As you know from reading my testimony on this site, i am an expert at justifying my behavior.
Robin, I really appreciate your contributions to my site and heading over to your place to reciprocate.
Much Love