“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 2:5
To live the abundant life, we must align ourselves with the mind of Christ. The Apostle Paul’s letter to the Philippians teaches that putting on the mind of Christ means draping ourselves in the attitudes that embodied Jesus:
- Humility
- Servanthood
- Obedience
- Sacrifice
These attitudes reside deep within us and shape our purpose, mentality, and actions toward others. Putting on the mind of Christ requires a true faith-based acceptance of God’s grace along with a strong desire to follow Jesus’ command to love one another and make disciples.
The Mind of Christ Vs. the Mind of the World
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” – Romans 12:2
Mindfulness is a buzzword and trend in today’s self-focused society. It encourages us to focus all attention on self to live fully in the present moment, elevating our own thoughts and feelings in the now, with little thought for what is to come. But the mind of Christ is not the mentality of the world we live in. It requires a focus on eternity and kingdom priorities. This means investing our lives in the only two things that will last forever: the Word of God and the souls of men.
To have the mind of Christ, our mindfulness must be rooted in Scripture and focused on our relationship with God.
The mind of Christ gives us a spiritual perspective and calls us to live differently from the world. Living set apart makes our testimonies as Christians even stronger and more relevant to the culture. This is how we are ambassadors for Christ and living proof of a loving God to a watching world (2 Corinthians 5:20).
3 Attitudes of the Mind of Christ
Humility
Putting on the mind of Christ requires an attitude of humility. Jesus displayed the ultimate demonstration of humility when He came to earth in human form. He clearly modeled a humble mindset for us to imitate.
- “…but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” –Philippians 2:7-8
A humble servant builds unity within the church through oneness of mind. Without humility, insecurities can bring jealousy and rivalry, resulting in division. The Apostle Paul encouraged the Philippians believers to be likeminded and unified…
- “Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” –Philippians 2:1-4
Christ humbled Himself before God, and God exalted Him (Philippians 2:9-11). This is the example we are called to imitate.
Servanthood & Obedience
Putting on the mind of Christ means following Jesus’ example of servanthood and obedience. The gospels record Jesus' final message to His disciples shortly before ascending into heaven. The mission is clear, and it remains the same for believers today…
- “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen.” –Matthew 28:18-20
- “So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” –John 20:21
- “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” –Acts 1:8
Our purpose as believers is to live sent. For us to put on the mind of Christ, we must make our purpose our passion. Jesus wants to rewire our way of thinking so that we have a gospel-driven mentality rather than a consumeristic mentality.
Putting on the mind of Christ demands retraining our minds. We do this through praying, reading Scripture, and taking our thoughts captive to Christ (1 Corinthians 10:5). As a church, we practice renewing our minds through gathering for worship, community, and teaching from the Bible. Filling our minds with God’s Word equips us to live on mission.
Sacrifice
Putting on the mind of Christ means developing a willingness to sacrifice our comforts for the glory of God. A realization that there is something more valuable and more precious than this earthly life pushes us to live for the cause of Christ at any cost, even unto death. Jesus was a willing sacrifice. Living on mission means living selflessly for the sake of the gospel, and that is a life well-lived.
Jesus’ earthly journey demonstrates the reality of difficult times and suffering that are a part of the human experience. Many may ask, “If God is good, why do bad things happen?” But God never promised a life of ease.
A part of putting on the mind of Christ means allowing God to use our situations to grow us to be more like Him. He is a loving God who knows what is best, and sometimes He allows His children to suffer for our good and His glory (Romans 8:18, 28-29).
Paul understood what it means to trust God in the hard times. He chose to trust God and rejoice, even while suffering imprisonment and persecution. He writes in Acts 20:23-24, “… the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”
We can rejoice no matter what is happening because we have been redeemed.
- “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” –1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Take Away
Putting on the mind of Christ is a different way of thinking. It is a growth mentality that requires the believer to take personal responsibility for growing spiritually. You cannot live with the mind of Christ unless you are getting into the Word of God. When the Word of God gets into you, it shapes your thoughts and changes your heart so you look more like Christ.
Watch our sermon series, “Philippians: The A-Life Mentality,” to learn more about how to put on the mind of Christ.