In the intricate dance of life, where circumstances swirl around us like leaves in the wind, the quest to maintain the mind of Christ is both our challenge and our calling. This quest is not merely about adopting a set of beliefs but about embodying a way of being that mirrors Christ in thought, word, and deed. The New Testament provides us with a roadmap for this journey, offering profound insights into how we can cultivate a mindset that reflects our divine-made God-image-perspective, irrespective of the trials we face.
The Foundation: Proverbs 23:7
“For as he thinks in his heart, so is he“: this ancient proverb underscores the transformative power of our thoughts. Our inner life, the silent conversations we have with ourselves, shapes our identity and our actions more than we might realize.
To maintain the mind of Christ, we must begin with the “garden” of our thoughts: tending it with care, ensuring that what we plant is in alignment with the righteousness and holiness of God. “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” (Proverbs 4:23). Like a gardener, we need to protect the garden of our minds from all kinds of parasitic ideas and weeds that pollute and disrupt the beauty of the mind of Christ. “But we have the mind of Christ.” (1 Cor 2:16). Parasites like: unforgiveness; resentment; bitterness; entitlement; envy; fear and pride can destroy any good garden!
The Process: Ephesians 4:23-24
This scripture offers insight into the process: “And be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” This passage speaks to the continual renewal required to maintain the mind of Christ. It’s a call to shed our old selves, our pre-conversion patterns of thinking and being, and to clothe ourselves in a new identity that reflects God’s nature. This is not a one-time event but a daily, even momentary, discipline of consciously choosing thoughts and attitudes congruent with our new nature in Christ.
This means that we continually “reckon ourselves dead” (Rom 6:11) and choose to forget about ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him (Mat 16:24). This is our reasonable service and daily religion. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 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 (Rom 12:1-2).
Salvation is a journey of being saved daily from a corrupt mind until we begin to think and act like God.
The Examination: 2 Corinthians 13:5-6
Paul urges us to “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves.” This examination is a crucial aspect of maintaining the mind of Christ. It involves a rigorous self-assessment to ensure that Christ indeed lives within us, guiding our thoughts and actions. This introspection allows us to identify and root out any discordant elements in our hearts, ensuring our alignment with Christ’s spirit. Like someone has to be awake, to appreciate sleep. He who is asleep knows not the enjoyment of sleep. So, one knows that the mind has gone corrupted.
The Holy Spirit, The Word, and the Body of Christ are constant reminders and witnesses to make us aware of our folly! The moment you recognise the fleshly, carnal thought for what it is, that moment, one is delivered. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God (Rom 8:5-6).
The Meditation: Philippians 4:8-9
“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” is a template for meditation. This exhortation to focus our thoughts on the noble, the pure, and the praiseworthy acts as a bulwark against the negativity and despair that can so easily entangle us. It’s a reminder that the content of our thoughts directly influences our ability to maintain the mind of Christ.
The Mind is like our muscles; it can become weak and lazy because of lack of exercise! The more one begins to think RIGHT, according to the WISDOM of God, the Spirit of Christ, the more agile the mind becomes to harness itself against parasitic thoughts. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled (2 Cor 10:3-6). This verse explains the battlefield of the mind!
First, there is a thought; second, it is raised against the knowledge of God. If one does not know God’s heart and divine will, these thoughts are believed to become arguments and strongholds!
One does not simply vanquish a negative thought with a counterthought; the most effective method to dispel a harmful notion is to engage in action that embodies the contrary spirit. When besieged by feelings of self-pity, the path to transcendence lies in performing a meaningful act of kindness for another.
The Perspective: Colossians 3:1-2
Finally, Colossians 3:1-2 invites us to adopt a heavenly perspective: “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.” This perspective is the lens through which we view our circumstances, choosing to focus not on the transient troubles of this world but on the eternal realities of the kingdom of God. It’s a call to live as citizens of heaven, letting that identity shape our responses to the challenges of earthly life. This verse offers us the reality of living, abiding, sitting with God in heavenly places. (Eph 2:6).
Jesus understood this principle well throughout His existence here on earth. “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am” (Joh 8:58) This is why He could sleep in a storm. (Mark 4:37-38). By being closely joined in the Spirit with Christ, in the consciousness of Christ within me, the hope of glory (Col 1:27), we experience a spiritual connection that transcends this carnal, temporary world with the Eternal. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. (2 Cor 4:18). It is in this intentional holy union that He gives us an eternal perspective on life!
In conclusion, maintaining the mind of Christ is a spiritual endeavor that encompasses our:
- thoughts
- spiritual renewal
- self-examination
- meditative focus
- perspective.
It’s a journey of transformation that requires vigilance, dedication, and grace.
As we navigate the complexities of life, let us cling to these scriptural principles, allowing them to guide us in embodying the mind of Christ in all circumstances. This is not merely a lofty ideal but a practical pathway to living out our faith with integrity, resilience, and joy.
