Let This Mind Be in You…

Philippians 2:5-8 (NKJV) Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, ⁷ but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. ⁸ 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.

Just a short disclaimer: This post is not about Theology, though it will contain Theology, nor is it about some Humanistic ideology, though it may appear to be so. This post is about asking questions. Asking question can sure cause trouble can’t it? It’s what Jesus did to the Pharisees. The disciples did it. The beauty of a question lies in the fact that we don’t know something but want to know. A person who doesn’t ask questions doesn’t really care. The accept what someone has spoken without ever the unction to verify. In Theology there are strong Truths long-established. But in Theology there are other truths that none have even cared to question. That being said, let’s get on with it.

Have you ever looked at a verse? I mean really looked at it. Word by word, sentence by sentence. I have read and re-read many verses since I’ve started really reading and studying the Scriptures and it’s fascinating what you’ll find.

I’ve read, heard, seen this verse many of times but only recently (well not too recent since it’s been 6 months since I posted and this has been in Draft status since then) have I actually looked at the verse. Most, if not all of the time, people rattle off the verse and talk about Jesus in it. Jesus was humble and became a human and left Glory for the world. Most gloss over the beginning. “Let this mind be in you…” The verse starts off pointing to you and I. “Let this mind…” Here I’m wondering and asking the question, “Is this really the mind I’m suppose to have?” Why of course we are called to be humble and serving. But what about having no reputation? Do/did we have a reputation to begin with?

We have heard so much about Original Sin but have we ever heard of Original Glory? Did you know that the Adam, in the list of Jesus’ generational line in Luke 3:38, is called the son of God? The First Adam was the son of God and the Last Adam was also the Son of God. Jesus is called our Elder Brother. Hebrews 2:11 says, “For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren…” The beauty of the Incarnation is not only God becoming flesh but, in Jesus, Divinity and humanity is forever linked and integrated.

What exactly is this new creation, this new nature? We may never know exactly how or what happened/happens this side of eternity but I love to think about it and ask questions. If we are supposed to have the mind of Christ and Christ left behind some things in order to fulfill some other things then what have we left behind? I know full well about Original Sin and the depravity of man. Ask any SRA survivors or people with DID and they’ll tell you. Mankind is jacked big time…but that’s not the whole story. Have you ever asked yourself or God, “Am I worthy?” How could I, a sometimes despicable human being, be saved? To answer that there is this beautiful phrase in Scripture in Acts 3:21 that says, “…the restoration of all things…” Something/someone cannot be restored if there was never an original state.

What if in this verse the Holy Spirit is saying, “Let this mind be in you. I’m giving you the beginning, the starting place. A place where you were/are but have long been detached from. I’m letting you know who you are as a being apart from your doing.” I love how the Holy Spirit seems to be so subtle in Scripture sometimes. Oftentimes His subtlety is only due to our lack of attentiveness.

So again the question is, “What is the Mind that I have and am supposed to walk out? Where is this Mind located?” I believe this Mind is resident in our spirit. Our spirit is light and God has filled it with data, with the Word (logos, rhema, graphe) implanted. If we live primarily from our spirits instead of our souls we’ll find it. As we develop, nurture, strengthen, and give our spirit back the voice God gave it to have, then the Mind that we have and are suppose “let this be in you” we begin to manifest in our lives.

Scripture Ref: Job 32:8, 1 Cor.2:11;14, 2 Cor.4:16, Prov. 20:27, Prov. 18:14, 1 Thess. 5:23, 2 Tim. 4:22, Heb. 4:12, etc.