Like Christ!

Like Christ!

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Philippians 2:5 KJV

Context and Charge:

Paul, the writer here, was addressing the church in Philippi, and one of the things he emphasized was the state of mind and heart of all who claim allegiance to Christ. It is very important that I sort out my ownership, allegiance, oath, service and commitment. Do I know the people Paul speaks to here: people whose lives are in Christ, whose love comforts them, who have fellowship with the Spirit of God, and are able to share kindness and compassion, which are parts of the fruit of the Spirit, with other people of like minds.

This is very important: I may not be able to move forward until I have sorted out my mind. Who would I follow? Who would I submit to? Who defines my life's pursuits and priorities? Who is the Lord and Master of my life? Well, no matter what my response is, what my life produces is a reflection of my mind's focus and pursuit. What I spend time on becomes the fruit of my life. What goes in will always find a way to flow out at some point in the future. Is Christ the focus, or are there other competing interests? 

Conviction and Conclusion:

As God has given me the power of freewill, I get to choose what my response will be. Today's extract places the power right on me: it tells me to LET the mind of Christ to be in me. I have to allow Him work in me, so that my walk can be like Him. Men may not first see Christ in the flesh, but when they see, hear or interact with me, they see Christ in the flesh and seek to know more about Him from me. Think of the church in Laodicea that locked the Lord of the church out, and He had to knock to catch their attention. 

That makes it clear that I can't take my response for granted; I must make sure it is the right one. There are a lot of examples of the expressions of the mind of Christ that follow on from this verse, but it must be emphasized that you can't go near these expressions without first sorting out your identity. All that Christ is has been made available for all of us, but only those who surrender control of their lives can access what is available. Now that I know what is expected, how do I plead? God's time of favour is here.