The Mind of Christ

“But we have the mind of Christ.” ~ 1 Corinthians 2:16b

I was reading in 1 Corinthians the last couple of days and this line haunted me. It really stuck in my head and won’t leave me alone. What does it mean to have the mind of Christ?

My mind is a tricky place. It is the place where the worst acts are played out and committed and it is also where some great things happen and are thought about. If I were honest, I would have to say that more time is spent on the worst than on the good. And if I were extremely honest, which can be painful, I would have to say that my mind is one of the darkest places in the world. It is where evil lurks, it is where sin lingers, it is where dark fantasies come to life, and it is a constant battleground. It is a battleground between the things of God and the things of my flesh.

The human mind is a fantastic thing, as it should be being based and modeled after the mind of God. The mind is part of the image of God that all humans share. It is one aspect that separates us from animals and one way in which we are similar to God. We can look at the mind and ponder how it came to be and the only real answer is that is was made by a mind, the mind of God. It is in this fantastic thing that the great ideas that have changed the world have come about. It is in this playground of intellect where the course of history is changed and where the most despicable evil is planned. I don’t want to sound too humanistic in that the human mind can conquer all, but there is truth that the mind is powerful. Through the use of our minds we can influence other people by how we speak and present ideas. Through the use of our mind we see the lines of thought that guide people’s actions.

Think for a moment about how powerful a mind is. If you have ever been talking with a very smart person that can unravel your arguments and really lay out certain truth logically, then you know what I am talking about. People who employ their minds influence other people. The great thinkers of the day (just that phrase or title says it all) are people that have employed their minds.

And realizing the importance, if you do now, of your mind, how often do we employ it and center it on Christ? Maybe one of the most powerful things at our disposal, the mind, and we are too lazy to put it to work for the one that made it and gave it to us. We are content to sit back and let others do our thinking for us. We are fine with being told the truth, we are okay with being led everywhere and being shown everything. But this is not how it is supposed to be. We are supposed to employ all that God has given us for his glory. This means every aspect of our lives. This means all of who we are. And I want to say that even if you don’t think you are great thinker, you still have a powerful tool in your head. For your mind is designed to think, it is designed to process, it is designed after the greatest mind, the mind of God. Use it!

To have the mind of Christ, what does it mean? It means using your mind for Christ and God. That is true. But it also means focusing on what Christ focuses on. It means that our mind need to be like the mind of Christ. Christ looked to his Father and his Father’s will and plan. We should do the same. We should look to God and think about what God wants from us and for us. Christ looked at others and thought about how he could help them and love them. We should do the same. We should look around us and think about how we can help and love the people around us. Not just when it is shoved into our faces, but all the time. We should be walking through our lives with this attitude of loving other people so much that it becomes a part of who we are. And if this were to happen, if we could look to the Father, seeking to serve him and please him, and then look to other people, seeking to serve and love them, then we would be that much closer to living out our faith.

Let’s all strive for the mind of Christ. Let’s all use what God has given us to seek him. Lets all model how we think after the one that gave himself for us.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” Matthew 22:37

“Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.” Luke 24:45

“Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of a sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace.” Romans 8:5-6

“Do not be conformed any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Romans 12:2

“Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things.” Colossians 3:2

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…” Hebrews 12:2