The Mind of Christ (7)

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus… Philippians 2.5

More beautiful and powerful
A strong soul requires a sound mind, and God has provided this for all who believe in and receive His Son (2 Tim. 1.7). We have the mind of Christ, a resource more beautiful and more powerful than all the computers in the world, and one which is pre-set with an abundance of high-powered spiritual software to enable us to serve God and others, for His glory and their salvation, in building up the Church in unity and maturity as the Body of Christ.

We have the mind of Christ. It remains to be seen whether we will use that mind as He Who gave it intends.

Paul tells us that, while we have this mind as a gift of the Lord Jesus, we must nonetheless nurture the mind of Christ as a deliberate and ongoing act of maturing in the Lord. We must let the mind of Christ be the mind of Christ in us, and not just continue thinking, planning, setting goals, and looking on our lives from the vantage point of our old mind.

Just like we must work to learn all the possibilities and powers of a computer over the years, and of the vast potential of the Internet, so believers must apply themselves to developing and giving full rein to the mind of Christ that is in them. We must strive for maturity in our thinking, so that we are no longer living like naïve children or uninformed dolts. If this is not our interest, if we prefer not to work out our salvation for a greater realization of the mind of Christ, then we must at least realize that such thinking is not Christ-thinking, for it denies apostolic mandates to put on the Lord Jesus, learn Him, and grow in His grace and knowledge (Eph. 4.17-24; 2 Pet. 3.18). We are called to yield the entirety of our minds to Jesus, that our every thought may be taken captive to His perspectives, purposes, plans, and power (2 Cor. 10.3-5).

So how do we do this? How do we nurture and refine the mind of Christ so that His mind being in us, we can fulfill the purpose for which He gave us His mind? A few suggestions.

The Word and prayer
First, make sure you are pursuing a good course of spiritual disciplines, especially time in the Word of God and prayer. We keep coming back to these over and over, but they are so important that we must guard against ever taking them for granted. Without these – to discern and reflect on the mind of Christ – we won’t make any progress in nurturing that mind for maximum use. Daily reading and meditation in Scripture, coupled with patient and persistent prayer, is the starting point for appropriating and growing in the mind of Christ.

Prayer and Scripture are the foundations of a life of learning to become a true disciple of the Lord. Make sure there’s plenty of each of these in your life, and that you are continuously improving your use of these disciplines for maturing in the mind of Christ.

Second, chart a course of ongoing study in areas that will equip you to serve others. Think about the places you go and the people you see each day – your Personal Mission Field. How can you improve your understanding of the various social and cultural arenas in which you travel? And what about the people you encounter there? You may want to read in areas of interest to the people you deal with each day, so that you can talk with them about their interests and concerns.

The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it (Ps. 24.1). The goodness of the Lord is in all the earth (Ps. 33.5). All of creation and everything in it continuously bears witness to the existence, attributes, and works of God (Rom. 1.18-20). It makes sense that we who have the mind of Christ would want to embrace, understand, enjoy, and share as much as possible of the glory of God which can be gained through a regimen of reading, study, and talking with others. Yes, it’s hard work. But the rewards of growing in the mind of Christ are well worth the effort.

Along with reading and study, perhaps you need to consider ways of becoming a better conversationalist, or improving in your ability to share the Good News of Christ. Maybe some more consistent input from Christian websites would help to equip your mind for more effective service and Kingdom living. What opportunities exist at your church for you to become better equipped in using the mind of Christ? Remember, as disciples of the Lord one of our primary callings is to learn. We should seek to learn as much as we can to better fit us for serving others, building Christ’s Church, and glorifying our God.

Third, find a soul friend or study partner to share in this adventure with you. As you sharpen and encourage one another, you’ll find that your minds not only grow stronger but grow together in love as well. Learning to use the mind of Christ is challenging, and we’ll be more likely to stay the course in this challenge if we have some friends alongside studying and growing with us.

Finally, look for new ways of putting your mind to use in the service of Christ. Teach a Bible study. Write a blog for a website. Learn a skill to allow you to serve in a ministry in your church. Start a reading group. Study to become a more caring and thoughtful person, and more adept at encouraging others with your words. Whatever you do, work to nurture the mind of Christ in you, so that, increasingly, He may guide your thinking, outlook, and life.

A life-long calling
Nurturing the mind of Christ is a life-long endeavor, but it must begin somewhere. Let the mind of Christ in you flourish, so that you become more Christ-like in your thinking, and you’ll find that growing in the mind of Christ can be one of the greatest adventures of your life. If you will invest in nurturing the mind of Christ which you have by His grace, you will have more joy in everyday activities, a greater appreciation for the beauty and mystery of creation, keener interest in culture matters, and a richer and more continuous life of prayer.

There is room for improvement in each of us, so let’s not waste any time on this challenge. Grow in the mind of Christ, press on toward maturity in your thinking, and watch how the mind of Christ grows in you.

For reflection
1.  What are some areas of your life where you could begin to let the mind of Christ be in you more consistently and fruitfully?

2.  How can you improve the time and effort you are presently making to let the mind of Christ flourish in you?

3.  Whom can you enlist as a prayer partner or soul friend to help you in this effort to let the mind of Christ be in you?

Next steps: Set up a personal plan for growing in the mind of Christ over the coming year. What goals will you set? How will you approach the challenge of growing in the mind of Christ? How do you hope that growing in the mind of Christ will benefit the people you see each day? Share your plan with a few Christian friends, and challenge them to do the same.

T. M. Moore

We are called to serve the people who are in our Personal Mission Field. Watch this brief video (click here) to learn more, then download the worksheet, and map out your Personal Mission Field. Our book, Understanding the Times, can help you in working your Personal Mission Field with the mind of Christ. Order your free copy by clicking here.

All the installments in this “Strong Souls” series are available in PDF by clicking here. Check out our newest feature, Readings from the Celtic Revival (click here).

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.