Allow the mind of Christ to be in you

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By Thomas Kibirige 

Apostle Paul, in the book of Philippians, teaches us to allow the mind of Christ to be in us.

Let this same attitude and purpose be in you which was 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, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of man. (Philippians 2:5).

He became a sacrifice for our Sins. Jesus’s attitude was clear, for he came on earth to redeem us from the curse of sin and law. Remember, Man fell short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23), and we lost that fellowship with God. Adam’s sin became contagious through the spiritual bloodline of God’s family tree of the first human race. It was until God regenerated the human race first by initiating a new covenant with Abraham, representing a prophetic figure of the universal salvation, who begot a new Hebrew race. 

We first need to know who Christ really is. Jesus, the Son of God, became the second Adam. So, it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being” [; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit (1Corithians 15:25). JESUS purchased Men for God with His blood, He purchased men for God. God sent His son to buy our freedom (Revelation 5:9). We need to have knowledge of His mind. To my observation, I have reflected on scriptures about Christ and discovered the following aspects of this attitude.

His humble Character

The first thing I want to mention about is Christ’s character of humility. Humility is a rare gift. It is easier to be anointed without humility.

And after He had appeared in a human form, He abased and humbled Himself and carried His obedience to the extreme of death, even the death of the cross (Philippians 5:8).

He hath showed thee o man, what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do good and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God?

Jesus was the example of humility at its best. If we want to be conformed to Christ’s mind, we should also be humble. That is what we learn from Luke 14:10

But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say, friend, go up higher. Then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.

Humility raises your Authority right. When we are humble, our value increases day by day. Christ’s mind of humanity caused Him to give respect to people. Jesus recognised protocol. His mind never despised humanity; although He was the long t-awaited Messiah, the King of kings. Humility produce authority because you earn respect to speak. Without humility make the proud irrelevant. “God gives the grace to the humble”.

Peaceful

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God
(Mathew 5:9).

The second aspect of Christ’s character is that Jesus was always at peace. The Mind of Christ was characterized by peace and he proclaimed peace (Greek: Shalom, which means Wholeness) everywhere he went. Rick warren says in his book “The Purpose Driven Life” peace making is not avoiding conflict. Running from a problem, pretending it does not exist. Jesus was never afraid of conflict. He often urged with law makers and religious Leaders and that is how he defended our faith and the truth of God’s word was preserved. We should differentiate cowardness and peace making. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffered violence, and the violent take it by force (John 11:12). True, spiritually we don’t wrestle against flesh and blood but when it comes to dominion on earth, we must know how to defend our territories. The posterity of your generation should be wisely protected by lawful means.

Jesus had a mission to see man transformed into a new personality with a renewed mind. He wanted minds changed from hopelessness to hope and from disappointment to appointment. This He set out to do by revealing to people the Will of God.

Be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

He focused on the kingdom of heaven. The word kingdom means the sovereignty of Dominion of the king. He is the everlasting king of kings.  And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Highest, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.  (Daniel 7:27).

He was particular on mission of his father and in his first sermon in Nazareth where He outlined His mission, He said He had been sent to:

1. Preach good tidings to the meek
2. Bind up the broken hearted (sick in mind, body and spirit)
3. Proclaim liberty to the captives
4. Open the prison to them that are bound
5. Proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord
6. Comfort all that mourn

And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come (Mathew 24:4).

Serving his father’s will.   There is nothing effectual as buying into the vision of your leader. We are in independent generation where by people don’t want to follow others or coexist within some one’s perimeters of leadership. If in one house every member is a father, then how will that house be led. Who will serve abetter example.? I have seen many companies and ministries befalling because of lack of accountability and proper leadership structures.  I and the father are one.” (John 10:30), and a kingdom divided cannot stand. The Lord has said, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation;” (Matthew 12:25). Therefore, when we are given an opportunity to serve or job to do, we need to buy into the mindset of our leaders or the vision God has put us to serve. Do you serve God’s will where he has positioned you or you are a duty master? Check your self-please.

Serving the interest of others.  Remember on this earth we are on mission to transform lives. Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness (Mathew 4:23). We are called to serve God with our “s.h.a.p.e”. Jesus served with his spiritual gift, heart desire to teach, preach and heal the sick, the ability to use his body and strength to reach the vulnerable society using his personality of love with a smile full of authority. Please don’t say because you are not like Jesus that nothing you can do. Yes, you can do something in your ability. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me’(Mathew 25:36). What an attitude? There people who have more than enough in their ability they can clothe those who are struggling, sponsor children to school, construct hospitals. feed them or even do more. God has blessed you that you become a blessing to others. We should use every gift we have to encourage others. For the kingdom cannot stand if people are suffering. Do something to transform your community.

He was kind to sinners. Many Christians who were born in Converted families reach a time and develop a holy at thou attitude against those brethren who struggle with sin either in Church or in the world. Remember that a real fellowship is made up of sinners who come for help and after they are transformed by the word; The Pharisee and scribes had this mentality,

“The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.  In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?”  They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger.  When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”  Again, he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

 “No one, sir,” she said.

“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
(John 8:3-11).

Prayer was a priority thing in his life

When we pray, we are entering a court room. Daniel 7:10 tells us that there are books or scrolls in Heaven that must be opened before the court of Heaven goes into session (Psalm 139:16). Prayer is an activity that takes place in the courtroom of Heaven. There are petitions, accusations, arguments, and evidence presented in courts of Heaven just as there are courts on Earth.

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.  And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him (1John 5:14-15). Prayer is a conflict that involves you and the Devil. Paul speaks in 1Corithians 9:26 about “shadow boxing” he gives an example about one who beats the air but does not land the blows. Therefore, when we pray let us target our prayer arrows directly to the devil. Jesus prayed every day and he gave us a model for prayer in Mathew 6 and Luke:11, Luke 18:1-8). Christ has put up a throne of grace. It is a court of prayer which all believers can be accessible. ‘Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need’ (Hebrews 4:16).

Loving attitude. The Bible says, “everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God, because God is love’ (1John 4:7b-8). If we can’t love the people sitting next top us in Church then how can we claim to love God who is in heaven? We love God when we see each other the way God see us. That means we stop judging each other according to appearance and start viewing them from a heavenly perspective (2Corithians 5:16).

Love is a sacrifice. By sacrificing to each other, whatever it cost to enrich the lives of others on behalf of Christ, Paul considered it a worthwhile sacrifice (Philippians 3:7). Jesus took the status of a slave (Phil.2:7). According to 1John 2:4-6, the Bible says we should show love whenever we have the opportunity (Gal.6:10, using every chance we get (Ephesian 5:2) and so ‘Never tell your neighbours to wait until tomorrow if you can help now” (Proverbs 3:28).

Transformation must begin in our minds. Our mind is a gift from God, but we can abuse it if we allow it to be influenced by human reasoning.

END NOTES

• Philippians 2:5
• Romans 2:2
• Isaiah 61
• Micah 6:8
• Romans 2:14 – 15

Finally, the power of a renewed mind changes our behaviour.

The things of God are foolish to worldly minds that have not been renewed. but to a renewed mind, God’s way is the best. A renewed mind cannot tolerate guilt and fear because they are worldly. When the mind is renewed, the conscience gets enlightened. The conscience of a person whose mind is renewed becomes a safe guide as to what is right and wrong. Repeated violation of the conscience leads to guilt and the fear of punishment.

For when Gentiles who do not have the Law by nature do the things in the law, these although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness and between themselves. Their thoughts accusing or else excusing them.

Paul speaks of the conscience of Christians and that of the unsaved. The conscience is the faculty of moral judgement. The Greek word translated conscience is “suneidesis”, which means knowledge shared with oneself. Man has to be conscious of his own conduct and his own conscious of his own conduct and of his judgement as to whether it is right or wrong conscience, well redefined, is that inner voice or feeling that tells us what is right or wrong.

 The writer is the lead pastor of New Mind International Ministries