THE MIND OF CHRIST

Psa. 1:27

Morning Meditation 5/10/2013

"Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;"

THE POWER OF HIS MIND

He had the power to be steadfast. Paul says, "That ye stand fast in one spirit with one mind."

If we have the power of His mind in us we will be steadfast. Satan wants to steal our minds. Have you noticed that the products that advertised on TV most of the time it is done with a beautiful unclothed woman. What in the world does a naked woman have to do with brushing your teeth?

2 Timothy 1:7 says, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

The words, "Hath given" is an aorist tense verb. Paul is speaking to Christians who have had a past experience of salvation. He did it once and for all. We have the mind of Christ: 1 Corinthians 2:16, "For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ."

John Gill says of this, "but we have the mind of Christ; the same with "the mind of the Lord" which proves that Christ is the Lord, or Jehovah, and so truly and properly God; and which is to be understood, not only of the apostles and ministers of the Gospel, but of all true believers; and therefore want no instruction, as they can have none from the natural man; though chiefly of the former, whereby they were abundantly qualified for the further instruction even of spiritual men." --John Gill in his exposition of Scripture

Barnes Notes says, "Ministers of the gospel should not be too anxious to be distinguished for excellency of speech or language, 1Cor 2:1. Their aim should be to speak the simple truth, in language pure and intelligible to all. Let it be remembered, that if there ever was any place where it would be proper to seek such graces of eloquence, it was Corinth. If in any city now, or in any refined and genteel society, it would be proper, it would have been proper in Corinth. Let this thought rebuke those who, when they preach to a happy and fashionable auditory, seek to fill their sermons with ornament rather than with solid thought; with the tinsel of rhetoric, rather than with pure language. Paul was right in his course, and was wise. True taste abhors meretricious ornaments, as much as the gospel does.. And the man who is called to preach in a rich and fashionable congregation should remember that he is stationed there not to please the ear, but to save the soul; that his object is not to display his talent or his eloquence, but to rescue his hearers from ruin. This purpose will make the mere ornaments of rhetoric appear small. It will give seriousness to his discourse; gravity to his diction; unction to his eloquence; heart to his arguments; and success to his ministry. "

"If Paul trembled at Corinth in view of dangers and difficulties; if he was conscious of his own weakness and feebleness, then we should learn also to be humble. He is not much in danger of erring who imitates the example of this great apostle. And if he who had received a direct commission from the great Head of the church, and who was endowed with such mighty powers, was modest, unassuming, and diffident, then it becomes ministers of the gospel now, and all others, to be humble also. We should not, indeed, be afraid of men; but we should be modest, humble, and lowly; much impressed, as if conscious of our mighty charge; and anxious to deliver just such a message as God will approve and bless.

"Would I describe a preacher, such as Paul.

Were he on earth, would hear, approve, and own,

Paul should himself direct me. I would trace

His master-strokest and draw from his design.

I would express him simple, grave, sincere;

In doctrine uncorrupt; in language plain:

And plain in manner; decent, solemn, chaste,

And natural in gesture; much impress'd

Himself, as conscious of his awful charge;

And anxious mainly that the flock he feeds

May feel it too. Affectionate in look,

And tender in address, as well becomes

A messenger of grace to guilty men."--Cowper's Task, b. ii

Our aim should be to commend our message to every man's conscience; and to do it with humility towards God, and deep solicitude; with boldness towards our fellow-men--respectfully towards them--but still resolved to tell the truth, #1Co 2:3.

(4.) The faith of Christians does not stand in the wisdom of man. Every Christian has evidence in his own heart, in his experience, and in the transformation of his character, that none but God could have wrought the change on his soul. His hopes, his joys, his peace, is sanctification, his love of prayer, of the Bible, of Christians, of God, and of Christ, are all such as nothing could have produced but the mighty power of God. All these bear marks of their high origin. They are the work of God on the soul.. And as the Christian is fully conscious that these are not the native feelings of his heart-- that if left to himself he would never have had them--so he has the fullest demonstration that they are to be traced to a Divine Source. And can he be mistaken about their existence? Can a man doubt whether he has joy, and peace, and happiness? Is the infidel to tell him coolly that he must be mistaken in regard to the existence of these emotions, and that it is all delusion? Can a child doubt whether it loves a parent; a husband whether he loves his wife; a friend, a friend; a man, his country? And can he doubt whether this emotion produces joy? And can a man doubt whether he loves God. Whether he has different views from what he once had? Whether he has peace and joy in view of the character of God and the hope of heaven? And by what right shall the infidel tell him that he is mistaken, and that all this is delusion? How can he enter into the soul, and pronounce the man who professes to have these feelings mistaken? What should we think of the man who should tell a wife that she did not love her husband; or a father that he did not love his children? How can he know this? And, in like manner, how can an infidel and a scoffer say to a Christian, that all his hopes and joys, his love and peace, are delusion and fanaticism? The truth is, that the great mass of Christians are just as well satisfied of the truth of religion, as they are of their own existence; and that a Christian will die for his love to the Saviour, just as he will die for his wife, and children, and country. Martyrdom in the one case is on the same principle as martyrdom in the other. Martyrdom in either is noble and honorable, and evinces the highest qualities and principles of the human mind. --Barnes Notes

THE PRINCIPLE BY WHICH JESUS ACTED

Philippians 2:2 says, "Fulfill ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind."

One of the basic principles by which Jesus trained the early Church was to love one another. When Jesus was about to lay aside His garments of earth, and He was preparing His disciples to be servants we find in John 13:1-5, "Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him; Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded."

When you operate according to principle, you do not have to think about what to do. Paul says, "Fulfill ye my joy." The words, "to make complete in every particular, to render perfect." It also means to fill, like a water in a bucket" so full that one more drop would cause it to spill out. This word is commonly used by Paul to illustrate a goal accomplished. to make complete in every particular, to render perfect." Colossians 4:17 says, "And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfill it." This means to finish your course. Don't drop out. The greed of competition will cause many to drop out. However, God does not see as man sees. God gives us goals that's right because He knows in advance what we are able to do. Or, maybe He knows we will fail, but He calls us to the task anyway. Our calling and what God has in mind for us is perfectly illustrated with this thought. When God calls and we feel completely inadequate there will be a sense of His power holding us up, comforting us when we need it, and doing with us much more that we were able to do. God says, "That's great. He obeyed me and WE won the battle."

2 Thessalonians 1:11 says, "Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:" This is the principle by which we walk. If our spiritual vision is correct, we know we are doing more than we can do!!!

My prayer is, "O God please give me more to do than I can do!!!" When this happens it is an opportunity to humbly praise Him. He that called you was with you all the way.

Paul says, God says, to be of one accord. That is possible. Every Christian who is willing to die to self, will have no problem in reaching the goal that God has in mind for you.

My the Lord bless these words to our hearts.

In Christ

Bro. White