The Mind Of Christ

Oh, how today's cruel and corrupt cultures need those who think like Christ. The world is crying out for those who not only think like Christ, but talk and walk like Christ. The world is crying out for genuine Christians who

will not only talk the talk but walk the walk. How often in our compromising world do we hear people saying of those who call themselves Christians, "I can't hear what you a say because of what you do." It is clear we need to heed the challenge Paul issued here to the Philippians, "That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; " (Verse 15)

A few years ago I was asked by a sincere young Christian lady who had not been saved very long and who really did have a burden for souls, would it be acceptable for her to go to the disco dances she had previously frequented and socialize with her previous friends in order to try to share Christ with them. In explaining to her the difficulties involved in that sort of reasoning, I simply asked her what did she think Jesus would think of such activity and would she feel comfortable participating in such activity with Jesus at her side. A few months later, she expressed some chagrin about asking me such a question. What had happened in the meantime? Through the study of God's Word and the leadership of the Holy Spirit her mind had developed to a superior spiritual level.

The love of God is the key expression of the superior spiritual mind of Christ. God's kind of love possessed the mind of Christ. He came to do the Father's will. This kind of superior love found its full expression on the cross of Christ. "And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." (Verse 8) We see the love of the eternal Christ leading Him to abandon His Kingly and Priestly privileges to come to this sin cursed earth and taste the bitter cup of eternal death for every man. "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man." (Heb. 2:9)

His followers who are spiritual minded will emulate His love. In fact, God's Word makes it clear that the primary fruit of the Spirit is love. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love. . ." (Gal. 5:22a) This clearly indicates that those who allow the superior spiritual mind of Christ to dominate them will somehow love as He loved. Jesus confirmed the primacy of such superior spiritual love when He said to His followers, "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another." (John 13:34-35)

Such love is meaningless if it is not practically expressed. (See Verses 1-4) As the old verse says, "To see love placed into action is what everybody needs," Our words are vain and empty unless matched by our deeds. How often do relationships fail in our egocentric and selfish culture because when push comes to shove real love fails to find a practical expression in the lives of the people involved? When such personal tragedies occur we even hear such cynical expressions as, "I guess the honeymoon ended."