Having The Mind of Christ

 

DEVOTION

THE 1^ST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

HAVING THE MIND OF CHRIST

1 Cor 2:13-16

13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.   14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment: 16 "For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.

NIV

This is the rest of the story, the rest of this thought of Paul’s regarding wisdom. He has compared the wisdom of the world and the wisdom of God. Although in reality, there is no comparison as the so-called wisdom of the world is nothing but foolishness to God. Paul, although being an intelligent man, having been a Hebrew of Hebrews, a Pharisee, which meant he was learned in the Law, says that he has set aside any of this world's wisdom and speaks as inspired by the Spirit, speaking spiritual things, the wisdom of God. Paul also makes it clear that unless we have the Spirit of God dwelling within, we cannot understand nor accept the spiritual truths that come from the wisdom of God. This would mean, that if we do have the Spirit dwelling within, we can accept these spiritual truths. The other interesting fact is that being a spiritual person, we can make a judgement about all things. There is some debate among our scholars as to the exact meaning here, especially in light of the rest of that statement, saying that we are not subject to any man’s judgment. We can judge, or scrutinize or examine and make judgments about every animal, or carnal man, in regard to their error and vice. That is we can see the errors in their lifestyle, their choices, their sinful ways. This does in no way, mean that we do not love them, for if we have the mind of Christ, then, just as Jesus loved the whole world that he died for all mankind, then we too should love everyone. This is taught to us by Jesus himself when he tells the greatest of all commands is to love the Lord with our whole being, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. We are also taught that we should not think more highly of ourselves as we should, for we are but sinners saved by grace. All Paul is saying is that because we have the Spirit, we can discern the sin in the world, whereas those without the Spirit do not know they are living in sin. They are void of the things of God, but we are not, we know the wisdom from God, we have the spiritual truth. Those of the world do not have the mind of Christ and therefore they cannot instruct us. However, we having the mind of Christ, can and should instruct them. That is really an awesome thought, that we have the mind of Christ. We think the same way Jesus thinks, or we agree with the mind of Christ. Jesus has endowed us with the same disposition, being born again by His Spirit; therefore we are capable of knowing His mind and receiving the teachings of His Spirit. Having received these teachings we are therefore well qualified to convey them to others. This is having the mind of Christ.