Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5). Why this emphatic statement about having the mind of Christ? Since the mind is the seat of intellect, the control center for our thoughts and actions, can we really have the mind of Christ? After all, Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is the member of the Godhead who as the “Word” or spokesman created all things (John 1:1–3). “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist” (Colossians 1:16–17).
The pre-incarnate Christ, as the “Word” of God, created all things, including mankind whom He created in the image of God. Then He was willing to empty or divest Himself of all His glory and power to become Jesus Christ—the Messiah—the Savior of mankind. So, can we really have the mind of Christ? Can we think, reason, act, or react as Christ would or does? The answer is yes! However, while we are still human we can never do it perfectly. Yet we must always strive for that perfection. Why? It is because of the awesome purpose for which we were born and our calling to be among the firstfruits.
Mankind was created to become members of the family of God—created first as human beings, clay models— but with the incredible potential to be born into God’s very family! Since this is the main reason or purpose for human beings, it is obvious that we must have the mind of Christ if we are to enter that family. Therefore, the ability to think like Christ is essential to our salvation. We are reminded of this in Romans 12:2: “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (See also Ephesians 4:23). And “if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His” (Romans 8:9). From this, we understand that having God’s Spirit and having the mind of Christ go hand-in-hand.
Having God’s Spirit is essential and God plainly tells us the process through which we receive it. We repent, are baptized in Christ’s name for the remission of our sins and He gives us the gift of his Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). After this, we are reminded that the inward man is renewed day-by-day (2 Corinthians 4:16). That is, we must be thankful for God’s Spirit, use it and ask God for more of it daily. In Luke 11:9–10 Christ confirms we will have a continual supply.
After we have God’s Spirit, how can we know that we have the mind of Christ? How can we know that the way we think or act reflects His mind? We can know by comparing our life the way we live, think and act—to His life. What did Jesus do? What were His qualities?
The world in general does not keep the commandments. The evidence of this is all around us. War, crimes, broken homes, lying and stealing are generating ongoing misery and problems. In our modern world, God’s law has been presented by many as oppressive (bondage), unnecessary or done away. This is the opposite of the mind of Christ. He states that the commandments are a “perfect law of liberty” (James 1:25). Knowing the mindset of a deceived world, Christ said that He would “magnify the law and make it honorable” (Isaiah 42:21, KJV). He did this abundantly, as recorded in Matthew 5:17–48.
His statements are bold and plain as He declares that He did not come to destroy the law and that not the smallest thing would pass from it, even the dotting of an “i” or the crossing of a “t.” He says anyone who transgresses the law and teaches others to break the commandments will be least, or nothing, in His kingdom! But those who do and teach them will be called great in His kingdom (vv. 17–19).
Christ kept the commandments in their magnified state: “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (vv. 27–28). When He was asked what good thing an individual could do to receive eternal life He replied: “But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments” (Matthew 19:17). We are called to follow the example of Jesus Christ—He kept the law both in the letter and spirit. If we are to have this mind in us, we must keep the commandments.
Thankful
Today, thankfulness is a character trait in short supply, but Christ was thankful. He thanked God for His approach to calling people into truth (Matthew 11:25), and for the necessities of life such as food (Matthew 15:36). Also, He was thankful that His prayers were answered (John 11:41). Not being thankful causes people to lose sight of the true God and to follow foolish ideas of men. This is made clear in Romans 1:21–22: “because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools.” So, we are admonished to “in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Our daily approach to God must be one of thankfulness—thankful for life, truth, our calling, abundant blessings, the work of God and the awesome future ahead of us. The mind of Christ is a thankful mind.
Peacemaking
Jesus Christ is a peacemaker! He is called the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). When His kingdom is established, peace will spring forth abundantly and flow like a river around the earth. Then: “He shall judge between many peoples, and rebuke strong nations afar off; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. But everyone shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid; for the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken” (Micah 4:3–4). War done away! What an amazing statement—and impossible for men to accomplish in this current evil world. However, the Prince of Peace will accomplish it when He returns.
Christ tells us “Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5). His approach was one of humbleness and consideration. However, we are not to confuse meekness with weakness, for Christ is not weak! He will return, with great power, and rule the world as Lord of lords and King of kings. Yet, His desire is to promote peace, not generate conflict.
Christ and His disciples were on their way to Jerusalem and attempted to spend the night in a Samaritan village. However, they were refused lodging because they were Jews. When this occurred, James and John became angry and said: “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did? But He turned and rebuked them, and said, ‘You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.’ And they went to another village” (Luke 9:54–56).
The mind of Christ reflects the attitude of a peacemaker, and this must be our attitude. Also, one of the key fruits of God’s spirit is peace. So, our approach to others must be to promote peace and not strife. Because: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God” (Matthew 5:9).
Compassionate
Christ was always mindful of the needs of others, sympathizing with their need or distress and responding with compassion. Whether the need was physical or spiritual, his desire was to help. “Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd” (Matthew 9:35–36). Christ’s compassion was evident in His reaction both to the needs of multitudes or individuals. “And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her. When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, ‘Do not weep’” (Luke 7:12–13). Then He raised the young man from the dead and delivered him back to his mother.
On other occasions, Jesus provided food for multitudes that numbered 15 to 20 thousand people. “Now Jesus called His disciples to Himself and said, ‘I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat. And I do not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way’” (Matthew 15:32). He then took a few loaves of bread, a few fish, gave thanks and fed everyone abundantly.
To see someone with a severe affliction, such as being blind or crippled, is a touching scene for many. Certainly it touched the heart of Jesus Christ. One day He was passing by two blind men and they called to Him for help. They asked for mercy and that their sight be restored. “So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him” (Matthew 20:34).
We are called to be kings and priests in the coming kingdom of God—an awesome responsibility—to help a world that is starving physically and spiritually. A world where many will be sick, crippled or blind, in need of healing—a spiritually blind world that must have the veil of darkness removed. To help them we must have the compassion, the mind of Jesus Christ.
Merciful
We live in a world where “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23) and a time when mercy, or a genuine concern for others, is in short supply. Many find it easy to condemn and judge, but not to show mercy. But we are admonished: “For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:13). Mercy is reflected in the mind and actions of Christ. He stated that mercy is one of the “weightier matters of the law” (Matthew 23:23). He showed mercy by not condemning for past mistakes or sins, forgiving them and focusing on the present and the future. He illustrated this when He told the woman who was taken in adultery, that He did not condemn her, but “go and sin no more” (John 8:10–11). He desired that nations and individuals learn the easy way! That is, they should learn through obedience to God, not through human trial and error. He thought of Jerusalem and said: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!” (Matthew 23:37). To ancient Israel he said: “Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!” (Deuteronomy 5:29).
A day of mercy is coming when Christ returns. Satan will be bound and rebellion crushed. Then, great mercy will be shown to mankind—mercy given by God, through Christ, the King of kings and the saints who will rule with him. Truly: “Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7).
Committed to the Will of God
The mind of Christ was always committed to doing the will—the work, the ongoing purpose—of God. King David was inspired to write about Christ and His first coming, when he said: “Then I said, ‘Behold, I come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me. I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart’” (Psalm 40:7–8). God inspired the repeating of this statement in Hebrews 10:7.
From His youth, the focus of Jesus was on doing the work, the job, He had been given to do. When He was 12 years old, He traveled to Jerusalem with His family for the Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread. After the feast period, Joseph and Mary started the return trip thinking Jesus was among the family group. When they discovered He was missing, they returned to Jerusalem and found Him in the temple talking to the doctors (teachers) of the law, both listening to them, asking questions and answering their questions. Then His mother said to Him: “‘Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.’ And He said to them, ‘Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?’” (Luke 2:48–49).
Food is a basic need for human beings. It is the source of nourishment for our bodies—and without it, for an extended period, we would die. Yet, Christ likened doing the work to food. Once when His disciples had been away buying food they returned and urged Him to eat: “But He said to them, ‘I have food to eat of which you do not know.’ Therefore the disciples said to one another, ‘Has anyone brought Him anything to eat?’ Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work’” (John 4:32–34). His commitment to the work and doing the will of His Father never faltered. Even with death awaiting Him in Jerusalem: “Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51). And, on the very night that He was taken to be beaten and then crucified, He said to His heavenly father as He prayed “I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do” (John 17:4).
Christ continues to work, but now as our Savior, High Priest and soon-coming Lord of lords and King of kings. If we have His mind, we will be doing the work He has given us (Mathew 28:19–20). A key sign of His coming is that “this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14). We are admonished to continue doing the Work to the very end—preaching the gospel, providing godly meat (food) in due season. “Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing” (Matthew 24:46).
Among the many acts of mercy and compassion of Jesus Christ, none are more poignant, more touching, than His healing of a leper: “Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, ‘If You are willing, You can make me clean.’ Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, ‘I am willing; be cleansed’” (Mark 1:40–41). This is a marvelous example of the mind of Christ in action: instantly concerned, compassionate, and desiring to help. Do you have His mind—His approach? Remember: “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps” (1 Peter 2:21).
It is God’s will and desire that we have the mind of Christ. It is necessary if we are to be in His family and kingdom; if we are to be among the firstfruits to help with the restoration of all things! For there is a world waiting to be made clean—waiting to be healed. We have the opportunity to help it—if we will!