What does the Bible teach us about having the mind of Christ?
What does the Bible teach us about having the mind of Christ? As this year began, I was reading 1 Corinthians chapter two, where Paul talks about how spiritual truths are revealed to God’s children but seem to be foolishness to the “natural man” 1 Corinthians 2:13-16.
We have the mind of Christ
At the end of the chapter, the apostle makes a somewhat startling statement: “But we have the mind of Christ.” As Christians, we have the mind of Christ, because His Spirit dwells in us. I admit to often feeling like I needed to “work myself up” to a place of having the mind of Christ. But the Scripture is teaching us here that we already have His mind in us…we just need to live in obedience to the Spirit in order to enjoy the blessings that are already ours.
Let this mind be in you
Around the same time as I was reading 1 Corinthians 2, I was reminded of a beautiful old hymn, May the Mind of Christ My Savior, by Kate B. Wilkinson. I encourage you to look up the words and read them slowly, imagining what it would be like to dwell in that sweet space of surrender, unselfishness, and obedience to the mind of Christ. I certainly found it a challenge! I think the author probably had in mind Philippians 2:5-8 (“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus…”) when she penned the song. But when I considered the challenge of Philippians 2 together with the statement of 1 Corinthians 2, I came to this conclusion: It is already in me as a believer; I now have the choice as to whether or not I will walk in obedience and surrender to Him.
His Beauty
The last verse of the song has stayed with me the longest. It says:
May His beauty rest upon me,
As I seek the lost to win.
And may they forget the channel,
Seeing only Him.
Beauty. When am I the most beautiful? When I look the most like Him. I was made to reflect my Lord’s stunning beauty. To the extent that I do so, I will be fulfilled, satisfied, and happy. That’s what a channel does. It doesn’t really produce anything of its own; it merely allows things to flow through it. I want to walk in His beauty this year, allowing His life to flow through me and bless others. May I have the mind of Christ and may I choose daily to surrender to His sweet Holy Spirit, so that His love may touch those in darkness all around me.