BEING OF THE SAME MIND
(Philippians 3:15 - 4:9)
INTRODUCTORY QUESTIONS TO CHEW
What do I know about the mind of Christ?
Am I "thus minded" or am I "otherwise minded"?
Practically, what must I do to attain more of His "same mind"?
LIKEMINDED!
Philippians 2:2 declares the wish that we be likeminded -- "Fulfil ye
my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one
accord, of one mind." I suspect this refers back to 1:27 -- "Only let
your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that . . . ye
stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith
of the gospel." So we must share this similar sentiment and
ambition: Our lives will be consistent with the Gospel. On that we
will stand fast, for that we will work together. We will know no
lesser purpose.
This kind of likemindedness loudly, clearly, and insistently calls us
to be of the same mind in our humble consideration of each other, in
our humiliation for another's benefit, in our unflinching commitment
to the Gospel, and in our desire to put Jesus absolutely first.
OF
As in "Of one mind" (2 Corinthians 13:11; Philippians 2:2; 1 Peter
3:8) and "of the same mind" (Romans 12:16; Philippians 4:2).
How shall we understand that two-letter word, that tiny little
preposition, that strange arrangement whose sound does not at all
match its appearance?
*Of* could be understood as "possessing" -- *having* one mind,
*having* the same mind.
*Of* also could be understood as "possessed by" -- *belonging to*
one Mind, *belonging to* the same Mind.
Now let's apply that to verse two in today's text, making some other
adjustments as well.
"I beseech [Euodias and Syntyche, Mark and Delbert, Jake and Lyle,
Joe and Ron, you and him, you and her]*, that they *[have]* the
same mind in the Lord."*
"I beseech [Euodias and Syntyche, Mark and Delbert, Jake and Lyle,
Joe and Ron, you and him, you and her]*, that they *[belong to]*
the same mind in the Lord."*
Gulp! I wonder how I'm supposed to implement *that*!!
Or maybe we're actually doing pretty good at that...but don't realize
it because we are so focused on some of our less significance
differences and disagreements!
GLIMPSES INTO THE MIND OF CHRIST
"I am meek and lowly in heart" (Matthew 11:29).
"neither was guile found in his mouth" (1 Peter 2:22).
"When he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he
threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth
righteously" (1 Peter 2:23).
"the meekness and gentleness of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:1).
"not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them" (Luke 9:56).
"A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not
quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth" (Isaiah 42:3).
"made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a
servant" (Philippians 2:7).
"I am among you as he that serveth" (Luke 22:27).
"ye should do as I have done to you" (John 13:15).
"for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might
be rich" (2 Corinthians 8:9).
"came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life
a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28).
"My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his
work" (John 4:34).
"for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the
shame" (Hebrews 12:2).
"Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless
not my will, but thine, be done" (Luke 22:42).
4 comments:
This is very sobering, to consider how much of the mind of Christ do I possess? I like the way you brought out those many verses that illustrate the Lord's mind. He was humble, patient, willing to silently bear reproach, submissive to His Father's will. I haven't yet fully attained His mind, and sometimes I fail completely! Thank you for sharing your thinking on this, and I've been helped by the way you opened up the Word on this subject.
Yes, something to chew on...
Thank you for posting these verses. It was edifying for me to read, and to roominate over. I also appreciate your willingness to throw it out there for us. This isn't any easy journey, and many many days I stumble every step I take. Oh how my prayers are that the Lord conform me more towards His image.
Peace, Kris
These aren't my comments....it's a study I receive periodically, Anabaptist in nature. I enjoy them because I certainly don't get anything of a deep study really through our church, and goodness...sometimes meat is so much better than milk, kwim?
I just threw it out there as something to think over in our on lives. On a list I visit, they are discussing more proper, appropriate/true names for God and Christ right now. Not something I'd share here considering the aftermath of that Christmas and tree topic I tossed out. I can already hear the remarks, just reading what I have so far, were I to put it here.
It's an interesting thought, though, and one I am definitely going to study into. Yahweh, Yeshua and so on...
Blessings,
Deanna
Thank you for sharing these wonderful verses and all the other inspiring posts.
Post a Comment