The apostle says, "We have the mind of Christ." It is an extraordinary statement. It has such wide-ranging consequences that it could change everything.
The phrase clearly refers to our experience of the indwelling Christ, "Christ in me, the hope of glory." We are earthly creatures filled with the divine, having "treasure in earthen vessels," as the apostle describes it.
At our spiritual rebirth, we die and the Spirit is born within us. Our bodies become vessels of God, temples of the Spirit, parts of the body of Christ. Our spirits are indwelled by God's Spirit. Our minds are indwelled by Christ's mind. We have the mind of Christ.
I still have my own mind, but I am now of two minds. I have a mind to do what I want, and I have a mind to do what God wants. Two natures - redeemed and fallen - live in this body of flesh. When I am in the mind of Christ, I am in my right mind. Otherwise I am mindless of the things of God.
The solution to this double-mindedness is to practice dwelling in the indwelling mind of Christ. This is my daily practice now. I kneel before my Lord and follow the apostle's instruction, "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus."
It is a beautiful mind. It is not far away. I do not need to ascend into heaven to bring Christ down, or descend into an abyss to bring Christ up. He is near me, in my heart and in my mouth. He is here. Where else could he be?
It is just a matter of resting in the One who rests in me. Setting aside my restless thoughts and resting in Christ's thoughts. Thinking his thoughts - or rather being aware of his thoughts thinking in me. Seeing the Creation through the mind of the Creator. Seeing all things through the eyes of him who made all things. "All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made."
I am not out of my mind to say such things - or maybe I am. Out of my mind and in the mind of Christ. I can't think of a better place to be.
Artwork is "The Mind of Christ" by Merdis Bethel, acrylic on canvas.
The phrase clearly refers to our experience of the indwelling Christ, "Christ in me, the hope of glory." We are earthly creatures filled with the divine, having "treasure in earthen vessels," as the apostle describes it.
At our spiritual rebirth, we die and the Spirit is born within us. Our bodies become vessels of God, temples of the Spirit, parts of the body of Christ. Our spirits are indwelled by God's Spirit. Our minds are indwelled by Christ's mind. We have the mind of Christ.
I still have my own mind, but I am now of two minds. I have a mind to do what I want, and I have a mind to do what God wants. Two natures - redeemed and fallen - live in this body of flesh. When I am in the mind of Christ, I am in my right mind. Otherwise I am mindless of the things of God.
The solution to this double-mindedness is to practice dwelling in the indwelling mind of Christ. This is my daily practice now. I kneel before my Lord and follow the apostle's instruction, "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus."
It is a beautiful mind. It is not far away. I do not need to ascend into heaven to bring Christ down, or descend into an abyss to bring Christ up. He is near me, in my heart and in my mouth. He is here. Where else could he be?
It is just a matter of resting in the One who rests in me. Setting aside my restless thoughts and resting in Christ's thoughts. Thinking his thoughts - or rather being aware of his thoughts thinking in me. Seeing the Creation through the mind of the Creator. Seeing all things through the eyes of him who made all things. "All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made."
I am not out of my mind to say such things - or maybe I am. Out of my mind and in the mind of Christ. I can't think of a better place to be.
Artwork is "The Mind of Christ" by Merdis Bethel, acrylic on canvas.
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