Seeking the Mind of Christ

One of the clearest purpose passages in Scripture for a believer is Romans 8:29. It tells us about God's plan for each person who comes to Him. It says, "for whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son. (NKJV)" That's what God wants for us. He wants us to become like His Son. Not wanting to get into any of the sticky arguments about God's foreknowledge and predestination now, what I find fascinating is that God plans on us becoming like his Son, Jesus.

But how can we be like Jesus? We can't be deity like He is. We can't inhabit His human body. We can't do the miracles He did repeatedly on earth. How can we be conformed to His image? The answer is, we can think like He does. We can have His mind.

This is exactly what we are told to have in Philippians 2:5-8, we are told to have the mind of Christ. Let me quote this passage to you,

"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 the appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. (NKJV)"

If we wonder what this mind of Christ is that we are supposed to have, it seems pretty clear that it is a mind of obedient humility leading to sacrificial service. That doesn't sound like much fun, does it? Who wants to be humble? Who wants to be a servant? Wouldn't it be better to have people serve us? Why would Jesus give up heaven to come to earth to serve people, even to the point of dying on the cross for them?

The answer comes in the book of Hebrews where we are told,

"Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2 (NKJV)

Jesus didn't go to the cross because He was a masochist. He didn't go because He had nothing better to do. He went because He was obedient to His Father (Who knew that was the only way to provide salvation for us), and because He could look beyond the cross to see the glory that awaited Him on the other side.

This has to be our motivation too. Servanthood is hard work. It is required in every one of our human relationships, but especially in the roles of husband or wife and that of parent. There isn't a lot of glory in taking care of small children - in changing diapers and cleaning up messes. Were it not for the long term benefits, few would find the effort worthwhile. But that is precisely the point.

We are told this in Romans 2:7-9:

"Eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for
glory, honor, and immortality, but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness - indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil." (NKJV)

Humble servanthood doesn't make sense unless it is conceived in the light of eternity. Giving up immediate pleasures and rewards makes sense only when we look at the long picture. There is another life. Eternity is forever. And God will reward us for faithfulness now. Serving a wife for a few decades, even in a difficult marriage, is short in comparison to the glory we will receive in heaven for doing our job right now. Raising children for a couple of decades with the all the labor that involves is but a blink compared to the glory of eternity. Why would anyone throw all that away for the quick pleasures we might see from self grtification?

Having the mind of Christ allows us to live with eternity in mind. Having the mind of Christ is what pleases God. Having the mind of Christ is God's purpose for us. That is why I will continually seek the mind of Christ. What about you?