1 Corinthians 2 (6)

Pray Psalm 40.4, 5.
Blessed is that man who makes the LORD his trust,
And does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
Many, O LORD my God, are Your wonderful works
Which You have done;
And Your thoughts toward us
Cannot be recounted to You in order;
If I would declare and speak of them,
They are more than can be numbered.

Sing Psalm 40.4, 5.
(Dix: For the Beauty of the Earth)
Blessed are all who trust in You, turning both from lies and pride.
Countless wonders, LORD, You do, and Your thoughts with us abide.
LORD, Your worth who can declare? None with You can e’er compare.

Read 1 Corinthians 2.1-16; meditate on verse 16.

Prepare
1. What question does Paul ask the Corinthians?

2. What do we have, according to Paul?

Meditation
In chapter 3 Paul will stop speaking “slant” to the Corinthians and will get right in their faces about their problems and need. Here, he’s still leading them to reflect on their divided state compared with what God has done and intended for them, and to consider the implications of their condition.

It was never the intention of Jesus’ mind that His Church should be anything other than one Body in Him (Jn.17.11, 20-23). Or that a competition of “who’s the greatest” should be engaged among His followers (Mk. 10.41-45). Or that His people should look to anyone more than Him to carry out their calling in His Kingdom (Jn. 14.6).

The Corinthians, because they were vaunting men and dividing the Body of Christ, were saying, in effect, that they knew better than God how all this was supposed to work. But does anyone dare to instruct God? Isn’t it the height of hubris to know what God requires and to set that aside for what we prefer?

Paul insisted that they stop thinking like natural men and start thinking with the mind of Christ. If they would look at their divided condition as Jesus does, they would be ashamed and startled, perhaps enough to find their way back to a unified focus on Jesus Christ, and Him crucified and exalted. “Stop thinking like mere men!” Paul says. “You have the mind of Christ; use it!”

Precious and sound advice for churches in every age.

Treasures Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162.
“Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?
It is He who sits above the circle of the earth…”

“‘To whom then will you liken Me,
Or to whom shall I be equal?’
says the Holy One.
‘Lift up your eyes on high, and see
Who has created these things, (Gen. 1.1)
Who brings out their host by number;
He calls them all by name, (Ps. 19.1)
By the greatness of His might and the strength of His power;
Not one is missing” (Is. 40.21, 22,25, 26).

We have been given the “mind of Christ” (1 Cor. 2.16) not to instruct Him—truly how could we?—but
to learn of Him, with the intention of being like Him.

“Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God” (1 Pet. 4.1, 2). Possible only through the power of the Holy Spirit.

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Phil. 2.5-8). Possible only through saturating our minds and hearts with His Word and power.

Any time we find ourselves straying from the way, truth, and life (Jn. 14.6) of Scripture, we are not thinking with the mind of Christ.

Are we breaking any of the Law of God? Are we worshiping in our own fashion and not in the way prescribed by God? Are we surreptitiously avoiding the Word of God? Yep, that’s a pretty sure sign that we have crept back into our hearts and begun to squeeze out the space previously occupied by the Holy Spirit.

And that is no way to live. Not if we long to have the mind of Christ, to become more like Him daily.

For reflection
1. What does it mean to you to have the mind of Christ?

2. How do you use the mind of Christ each day? What can you do to improve in this?

3. What would be the opposite of the mind of Christ? How can we know when we’re drifting into that?

In the Holy Scriptures, the mind of Christ, and the mind of God in Christ, are fully made known to us. It is the great privilege of Christians, that they have the mind of Christ revealed to them by his Spirit. Matthew Henry (1662-1714), Commentary on 1 Corinthians 2.10-16

Pray Psalm 40.1-3, 6-10.
Thank God that He has saved, adopted, and called you to His Kingdom and glory! Preview your day in prayer, and commit to delighting in God and His Word in all you do.

Sing Psalm 40.1-3, 6-10.
(Dix: For the Beauty of the Earth)
I waited patiently for God; He inclined and heard my cry,
lifted me up above the sod, set me on a Rock on high!
New songs in my mouth He gave; may He through me many save.

Off’rings You do not require – open now my ears, O LORD!
What from me do You desire? Firm delight to do Your Word.
Take my life in ev’ry part; write Your Law upon my heart.

LORD, Your truth will I proclaim to Your people gathered ‘round,
nor will I my lips restrain – let Your precious ways resound!
Of Your saving grace and Word I would speak, most loving LORD.

T. M. and Susie Moore

The Church in Corinth was in need of revival. But there was much to be done before that would happen. The Church today is in need of revival, and the same is true for us. Our book, Revived!, can help us to discern our need for revival and lead us in getting there. Order your copy by clicking here.

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter, available free by clicking here.