THE MIND OF CHRIST
By A. Gene Veal

But to know God is not an intellectual accomplishment.  Someone said, “Knowing God is revelation not perspiration.”  The Bible says, “Of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.”  When Jesus invites us who “labour and are heavy laden” to “learn of Him,” He says, “My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”  How can this be?

If I wanted to play tennis like Andre Agassi, you might tell me to “dream on.”  But if somehow Andre could live inside of me and exert his mind and power through me, you might be shocked to see what I could do on the tennis court, or to be more correct: what Agassi could do IN ME.

Living the Christian life is not hard.  Living the Christian life is IMPOSSIBLE.  You and I will never teach “the flesh” to be “like Jesus.”  Attempting to teach our natural selves creates a “roller coaster” experience of ups and downs in the average Christian’s life.  If you are going to live a Christian life, you must live from the life of Christ IN YOU.  “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

We can live the Christian life successfully because He has put the “Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus” in us.  As Christians, we have His Spirit within us and, thus, “we have THE MIND OF CHRIST.”  Paul tells us quite clearly, “Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.”  And Paul tells us in 1Corinthians 2:16, “For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.”

How can a mere man know the mind of the Lord?  How can any natural man communicate that knowledge which he has never acquired, and which is foolishness to him? (v.14 “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”)  That knowledge is spiritual, and the natural man is of the flesh? 

“But we have the mind of Christ.”  He has endowed us as Christians with the same disposition, being born again by His Spirit; therefore we are capable of knowing His mind and receiving the teachings of His Spirit.  These teachings we do receive, and therefore are well qualified to convey them to others.

The words, “that he may instruct Him”, should be translated: “that he may teach IT.”  That is, teach the mind of God; not instruct God, but teach His mind to others.  And this interpretation the Hebrew will also bear out.

To understand this text, we must look at the context: (vs.9-16)

“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.  For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.  Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.  But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. {judgeth: or, discerneth} {judged: or, discerned}

“For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.”

This chapter might be considered a good model for a Christian to regulate his conduct by, or his public ministry; because it points out the mode of preaching used by Paul and the apostles in general.  This great apostle came not to the people with excellency of speech and of wisdom (v.1 - “And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.”), when he declared unto them the counsel of God. 

You and I know little, either of the spirit of Paul or the design of the Gospel, when we make the chief excellence of our teaching and preaching to consist in the eloquence of language, or depth of human reasoning.  The enticing words of man's wisdom are seldom accompanied by the demonstration and power of the Holy Spirit.  When we try to be clever in our teaching we rob the Gospel of its power.  Paul’s determination was “to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.”

That which the Holy Spirit alone can discover, He alone can explain.  Let no man dare to speak of God in any other way than as God speaks of Himself in His Word.  Since we “have the MIND OF CHRIST” then “If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God.” (1Peter 4:11)

Regarding 1Corinthians 2:16, Barnes tells us, “This passage is quoted from Isaiah 40:13. The interrogative form is a strong mode of denying that any one has ever known the mind of the Lord. The argument of Paul is this: "No one can understand God. No one can fully comprehend His plans, His feelings, His views, His designs. No one by nature, under the influence of sense and passion, is either disposed to investigate His truths, or loves them when they are revealed. But the Christian is influenced by God.  He has His Spirit. He has the mind of Christ, who has the mind of God.  He sympathizes with Christ; he has His feelings, desires, purposes, and plans.  And as no one can fully understand God by nature, so neither can he understand him who is influenced by God, and is like Him; and it is not to be wondered at that he regards the Christian religion as folly, and the Christian as a fool.”

When we have “the mind of Christ” we have His views, His feelings, and His temperament and we are influenced by His Spirit.

Jesus tells us, “Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.”

And Jesus said, “Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will shew you things to come.  He shall glorify Me: for He shall receive of Mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are Mine: therefore said I, that He shall take of Mine, and shall shew it unto you.”

When we read His Word we gain a fuller knowledge by the revelation of the Spirit into the mysteries of God in Christ Jesus.  Paul said, “How that by revelation He made known unto me the mystery.”   We do not study the Word to gain intellectual knowledge, but that the Spirit will give us true illumination and revelation of Who Christ is and who we are in Him so that “Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ.”

Whose mind do you use...yours or God's? There is quite a difference in the two. Our mind is limited, but God's mind is unlimited (Ps. 147:5 “Great is our Lord, and of great power: His understanding is infinite.”). God wants us to use His wisdom and His knowledge because it is so vast.  We need to rely on the mind of Christ, which Paul says we have.

We cannot depend on our natural senses to understand what God wants us to do. We shouldn't rely on what we see, hear, or think. We need to walk by faith, not by sight. We need to be led by the Spirit at all times.  “The Spirit of God searches all things, even the deep things of God.”  God will show us great and mighty things that we do not know (Jer. 33:3 “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”).

The Holy Spirit knows the very thoughts of God. The Spirit is like a phone line from Heaven that connects us to God. All we have to do is listen. Jesus made this powerful line of communication with heaven possible when He sent us the Holy Spirit.

We have “the mind of Christ” because we have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us. The Holy Spirit teaches us all things, even the deep things of God. God will reveal Himself to us in mighty ways. Let us be sensitive to the Holy Spirit's voice. We will be filled to overflowing with the Holy Spirit and we will have access to the unlimited, all-knowing, eternal mind of Christ.

MAY THE MIND OF CHRIST MY SAVIOR
Kate Wilkinson, 1925

May the mind of Christ my Sav-ior
   Live in me from day to day,
By His love and power con-trol-ling
   All I do and say.

May the Word of God dwell rich-ly
   In my heart from hour to hour,
So that all may see I tri-umph
   On-ly through His power.

May the peace of God my Father
   Rule my life in ev-ery-thing,
That I may be calm to com-fort
   Sick and sor-row-ing.

May the love of Je-sus fill me
   As the wa-ters fill the sea;
Him ex-alt-ing, self a-bas-ing,
   This is vic-to-ry.

May His beau-ty rest up-on me
   As I seek the lost to win,
And may they for-get the chan-nel,
   See-ing on-ly Him.

PAGE 644 in the Trinity Hymnal  (to hear the tune go to link below)

http://www.planetkc.com/puritan/Hymns/mtmocms.htm

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