“But we
have the mind of Christ.” (1Cor. 2:16b) “Let this mind be in you, which was
also in Christ Jesus.” (Philip. 2:5)
“I just don’t think he (she) has any spiritual
perception at all.” This was said about someone the speaker and I both knew.
“Oh, no,” I countered, “I think there’s definite evidence of spiritual
perception; it just isn’t being utilized.” I may have been wrong about this
particular person, but I don’t think the concept is farfetched. As a matter of
fact, the two verses cited above seem to bear this out.
The verse in First Corinthians is comparing the
“natural” (unsaved) man and the one who has been granted “spiritual”
discernment (the saved man or woman). In the case of the latter, Paul says we
can be sure that this person has the mind of Christ. This incomparable
advantage is part of the salvation “package,” if you will. Yet in Philippians,
the same writer admonishes us as believers to let the mind of Christ live in us. The key word here is “let,”
indicating a choice.
“Christ-mindedness,” seeing all of life as Christ sees
it, is not inevitable for the child
of God; but it is available.
The natural man “receiveth not the things of the
Spirit of God,” but the spiritual man does. He or she “gets it”; they just
don’t always do anything with it. And if you’re familiar at all with what the
Bible says about rejecting light, you recognize that this is very dangerous,
because, as the saying goes, “Light rejected brings greater darkness. The
brightest light is of no use to you if your eyes are closed. It’s possible to
end up being like the children of Israel, who boasted of having been given the
Law, while at the same time refusing to keep it (Rom. 2).
You and I, as New Testament believers, have been given
the mind of Christ. It’s up to us, however, whether or not we choose to let this
Mind think, live, and breathe through our daily lives. Believe me, this brings
even greater significance to the popular adage, “A mind is a terrible thing
to waste.” Yes, it is, especially when it’s the mind of Christ.
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