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The mind of man is an amazing thing. It is the organ of our mental perception, and it contains what is referred to in the Bible as our emotions and passions, our identity, our logical reasoning and even our heart (not the physical heart, but the metaphysical, thinking and feeling and believing heart). But this mind of man has serious limitations as regards the things of God.
But the natural man receives not the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know (gnosko – know experientially) them, because they are spiritually discerned. I Corinthians 2:14
There is only one mind which can grasp as a reality and thus live in the truths of the things of the spirit of God, and that is the mind of Christ, which is a spiritual mind. This mind of Christ is also known as the holy spirit (Holy Spirit), which Jesus sent us from the Father once he ascended off the earth and was seated at the right hand of God in his glory. This holy spirit of God (or Christ) is our connection, our relationship with our spiritual Father, made possible by the faith of Jesus Christ, what he accomplished for us, and what he now wants to accomplish in us.
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ; even we have believed in (eis – unto) Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:16,20
Christ lives in me. The holy spirit lives in me. Are they different things? No. They are different aspects of the same thing; the life of God, the nature of God, the faith of Christ, the spirit of Christ, Christ, the mind of Christ.
For it is God who works (energeo – energizes) in you both to will and to do (energeo – energize) of His good pleasure. Philippians 2:13
God, via the holy spirit of the Christ within, energizes within us so that we can know what God desires (will) and so that we can carry out (do) that will. Will and do. Wisdom and power.
But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them who are called, both Jews and Greeks; Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God. I Corinthians 1:23,24
The birthing of this spirit of Christ within us creates a new mind, also known as a new man. This holy spirit immediately goes to work relaying to us the will and the energizing of God, by developing within us the nature and the thinking of the Christ. It does so by revealing the truths of Christ to us. Below are a number of verses which, with the above in mind, should make more sense.
But when the Comforter is come, which I will send unto you from the Father, even the spirit of truth, which proceeds from the Father, he shall testify of me. John 15:26
Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you, but when I depart, I will send him unto you. I have yet many things to say unto you, but you cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth; for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear (from me), that shall he speak; and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me; for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. All things that the Father has are mine; therefore said I that he shall take of mine and shall show it unto you. John 16:7,12-15
(The pronoun he in the above verses modifies the masculine noun spirit, in the Greek, and can just as easily be translated it. The Comforter is the life of Christ, and conveys to us the nature and will of Jesus Christ himself)
But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by His grace, To reveal His son in me, Galatians 1:15,16a
My little children, of whom I travail in birth again, until Christ be formed in you. Galatians 4:19
But you have not so learned Christ; If so be that you have heard him, and have been taught by (en – in) him (as the truth is in Jesus); That you put off concerning the former behavior the old man, which is corrupt according to the overdesires of deceit; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that you put on the new man, which according to God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Ephesians 4:20-24
Having the mind of Christ birthed within us is just the beginning of a conscientious and eternal love affair with God as our Father and Jesus Christ as our brother. After the birth comes the growth! And it is the spirit of Christ himself which is responsible to see to that growth within us! Will and do! Wisdom and power!
But God has revealed them (the things which has God has prepared for them that love him) unto us by His spirit; for the spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. But he that is spiritual discerns all things, yet he himself is discerned by no man. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
I Corinthians 2:10,12,15,16
The holy spirit within us, also known as the Christ within , is our spiritual radio receiver, specially designed to be able to pick up the spiritual radio signals which Jesus himself, on behalf of his Father, sends our way.
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord (the spirit of Christ) shall be saved. How then shall they call on him whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe him whom they have not heard? (in, in and of are not in the original text) and how shall they hear without a preacher? So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word (rema – what is spoken directly to you) of God. Romans 10:13,14,17
Recognizing, putting into practice, living by the mind of Christ is a developing thing. Putting off the old and putting on this new, developing spiritual man and his thinking is so other than what we have been used to. Don’t worry. God is infinitely patient, as you become accustomed to being instructed by Jesus Christ regarding the things of God.
And don’t conform yourself to this world, but be transformed (changed) toward the renewing of the mind; so that you may prove (see developed by practice) what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:2I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind (of Christ) I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. Romans 7:25
Walking with God is never an “all or none” effort. Rather, learning to walk, to live our lives, in the energizing of the spirit of God within, and seeing the wisdom of God develop within us so that we can understand our Father’s desirous will and experientially realize the dynamic energizing of His spirit, can be a slow process. But a process it is, and one which is gloriously rewarding. Be patient with the process and thankful for the chance to walk as children of God, energized by the spirit of God working in the mind of Christ which has been gifted us when we first believed.
