Tuesday, July 16, 2024

The Mind of Christ

This past week (two Sundays ago), I spoke from the pulpit about the mind of Christ and what it means for us as Christians. I mentioned that Paul spoke of the mind of Christ in the context of that attitude serving as the ultimate example for us to follow. What is the mind of Christ? We would ask. We are, thankfully, not left to wonder just what Christ's mind and attitude really are.

First of all, Paul explains, to have the mind of Christ is to give up your privileges in order to serve others. Notice what Paul says first, "who being in the form of God, did not think it robbery to be equal with God." Christ, Paul tells us, was God in the flesh. He did not have to aspire to being God, as Satan tempted Eve in the garden. He is, in fact, God. But Paul goes on, "took the form of a man and humbled Himself." Jesus was willing to set aside the fact that no one can call Him to account, that all must give and account to Him, and that He was the creator and therefore the absolute ruler of all of creation in order to sacrifice for the creature.

And what was the sacrifice? "Becoming obedient unto death, and even the death of the cross." Paul goes on to specify that Jesus was willing to sacrifice Himself for the creature. The sinless and perfect One, for the sinful, wretched creature. The Holy One of Israel, for the miserable sinner who had no hope. That, my friends, is the ultimate in sacrifice. That is what having the mind of Christ, in the context of Philippians 2, means: sacrifice, obedience, deference. 

There is, however, another way in which we can have the mind of Christ. The only way that we can have the mind of Christ the way that Philippians 2 speaks of, is to have the mind of Christ in the way that 1 Corinthians 2 speaks of. There, Paul tells us that the natural man cannot understand the things of the Spirit of God. That is, the man who is in sin and has not had his mind and heart regenerated, cannot understand the things that come from God, the things that can only make sense to the one whose mind has been cleared of all the clutter and garbage that the fleshly mind is littered with. The spiritual man, however, can judge all things, yet he himself is not judged. In other words, it is the believer who have the Spirit of Christ who alone can truly interpret the truth for what it is. 

As we survey the social media landscape in the wake of the attempt on Donald Trump's life, as the most glaring recent example, we see a plethora of posts by people who not only are not regretful that such an attempt took place, but who are actually full of glee that it did. Not only are they full of glee at the attempt itself, but are sorry that it did not succeed (witness Jack Black saying during a concert in Australia that the next shooter should not miss Trump). How is it possible, any right thinking person asks himself, that people would have such depraved thoughts? And even if they do have such thoughts, why in the world would they voice them?

My intent is not to defend Trump, his policies, or his personality. There is plenty negative to say about all those issues as it relates to the former president. My point, however, is that when we witness such depravity as the above, the only answer is that the sinful mind is depraved and just cannot understand the truth. The prophet once asked "can a leopard changed his spots"? When a mind cannot understand the mortal danger its soul is in, anything short of that will make no difference. If someone cannot understand that hell is their destiny if they continue in their sin, then how can they understand that shooting at someone in such a fashion is wrong? 

In the final analysis, as we contemplate the meaning of these actions and reactions we need to be firmly planted on the side of truth. "Sanctify them in the truth, Your word is Truth" (John 17:17). If we do not hold to the truth found in Scripture, then we too will be running around spouting all kinds of nonsensical stuff, even going to the extreme of saying that Trump staged the shooting (talk about insane!). We must all take heed to all that is taking place because that is the world we live in and if we're not careful, we will slide right into all the sinfulness and depravity that is all around us. We should not think ourselves immune. We should, on the contrary, be humbled by the fact that God has spared us such depraved and idiotic thoughts and seek to shine the light we have been given all the brighter. We should battle evil, not compromise with it. We should live holy and blameless, not apathetic lives. Live and let live is not our motto; "Be not overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good" is (Romans 12:21).




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