Christlike Attitudes

Christlike Attitudes

Attitudes are flexible mental and emotional outlooks; alterable dispositions based on how you think and feel about something or someone.

They can be good or bad and will produce either good or bad fruit.

They can be changed.

Your attitudes, thinking and feeling are based in your convictions, ambitions and values.

Ex. You will think and feel strongly about what you are convinced of and treasure.

You aren’t who you used to be!!!

Read Eph.4:20-5:1

Our attitudes must be conformed to His.

You are in a lifelong battle and a daily fight.

Read 1 Peter 4:3-13 describes God’s will for each of us in this life.

Now go back a bit, to 1 Peter 4:1-2 to see how we get there.

Having Christlike attitudes will enable me to win the battle every single day.

Arm yourself with His attitudes.

So how do I get Christlike attitudes?

Life convictions are the foundation for Christlike attitudes.

Life convictions will be the focus of this talk but 1st it is important to mention the daily process also.

A daily connection enables a lifestyle of Christlike attitudes.

Quiet Times or else!!!

Walking daily in the power of the Holy Spirit empowers a lifestyle of Christlike attitudes.

2 Cor.3:18 - The Holy Spirit is transforming us into Christ’s Likeness.

The Holy Spirit indwells all believers from salvation on (Jn.7:37-39, Eph.1:13, 1 Cor.3:16 and 6:19).

The Holy Spirit fills and empowers you as you allow Him to.

Ask Him to fill you with His Spirit (Lk.11:13, 1 Jn.5:14-15).

Believe He will fill you by faith (James 1:6-7).

Confess all known sin (1 Jn.1:9).

Desire Christlikeness (Mt.5:6).

Surrender control to Christ - throne checks (Rom.12:1-3).

Constant Throne checks are vital for Christlike attitudes.

On to the life convictions: Phil.2:5 says, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.”

We don’t naturally have His attitude.

God tells us in Is.55:8-9 - “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways...As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

If you want to have a Christlike attitude, you first have to have Christ’s core values, convictions and ambitions.

Rom.12:1-3 tells us “I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will. For by the grace given me, I say to everyone of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgement, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.”

Rom.12:1-3 has 1 don’t and 3 do’s:

Rom.12:1-3 says don’t conform to the world.

Having the same attitude as Christ requires saying no to the world and its influences.

Rom.12:1-3 says do renew your mind in God’s Word.

Having the same attitude as Christ requires renewing your mind and thinking.

A Christlike worldview is necessary for Christlike attitudes! (Summit):

Christian: Worldview - values (and attitudes) - actions

World: Actions - values (and attitudes) - worldview.

Developing a Christian worldview requires reading, studying, memorizing, meditating on and applying God’s Word.

Note: James 1:22 - Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

You will never develop a Christian worldview until you apply God’s Word.

Think like Jesus and you’ll act like Jesus.

Rom.12:1-3 says do live a life of sacrifice.

This is one of the key aspects of Phil.2:5 also, so we’ll get into that more in a minute.

Rom.12:1-3 says do live a life of humility.

This is one of the key aspects of Phil.2:5 also, so we’ll get into that more in a minute.

Basically, Rom.12:1-2 tells us we will experience transformation and Christlikeness as we 1 learn to say no to the world and its influences, 2 as we grow in God’s Word, 3 as we live lives of sacrifice and 4 as we live in humility.

So what are the attitudes Christ had that we should emulate?

Loud and bold, throw some ideas out: Generally, what are Christ’s attitudes (either described in Phil.2 or elsewhere)?

EXCELLENT!!! - ex. Fruit of the Spirit (Gal.5:22-23) - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, etc.

All those are great examples of Christlike attitudes that we should follow.