Clean Transcript

The Mind of Christ Part 1 of 2

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

• The mind of Christ. And I want us to read Philippians chapter 2, beginning with verse 1, and we'll read through verse 8. Philippians 2, verse 1: "If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfill ye my joy that you be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves."

  #1 | 0:14 to 0:50 | cleaned

• "Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which also was in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." The main theme and gist of this message, and especially more specifically, next Lord's Day, is going to be centered around verse 5, where the Apostle Paul said, "Let this mind be in you, which also was in Christ Jesus."

  #2 | 0:50 to 1:33 | cleaned

• So let me begin by asking a number of questions. The first one is this: Do you possess the mind of Christ? Can you define, delineate, or declare the mind of Christ? Can you tell me the essence of the mind of Christ? If you are unable to delineate and declare the mind of Christ, my question would be, how do you know whether or not you possess the mind of Christ? We have been specifically commanded in verse 5, "Let this mind be in you which also was in Christ Jesus." The goal of every child of God should be to possess the mind of Christ. When God commands, "Let this mind be in you which also was in Christ Jesus," He is not making a suggestion. He is not giving advice nor asking for consent.

  #3 | 1:34 to 2:36 | cleaned

• The truth of the matter is, the Greek construction here is a present passive imperative. Since it is an imperative, it means it is a command. Secondly, since it is a command and it is in the present tense, it means it is to be applied now and each and every moment of every day, since of course it is in the present tense. We're to seek, we're to ask for, we're to have and possess the mind of Jesus Christ in every situation and in every circumstance in our lives.

  #4 | 2:37 to 3:16 | cleaned

• Now the Apostle Paul asked a very important question, and then he makes a statement in 1 Corinthians 2 and verse 16. Listen carefully. In 1 Corinthians 2 and verse 16, the Apostle Paul asked, "For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him?" And then he makes his statement, "But we have the mind of Christ." Now when the Apostle Paul asks this question in 1 Corinthians 2 and verse 16, it should be obvious that the Apostle Paul is either alluding to or quoting from Isaiah 40 and verse 13. For in Isaiah 40 and verse 13 the question is asked, "Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counselor, hath taught him?" If you would look in your Bibles very quickly to the book of Romans chapter 11 and verse 34, you'll see the Apostle Paul asks basically this same question again. Romans 11 and verse 34. He asks, "For who hath known the mind of the Lord or who hath been his counselor?"

  #5 | 3:17 to 4:31 | cleaned

• Obviously, no one can know the mind of God that is totally and completely and absolutely, it requires God to comprehend and understand God. Likewise, in light of that truth, no one can counsel God, nor does God need any counsel, for He is omniscient. He knows absolutely everything. And how wicked and how blasphemous it is for a puny finite man to endeavor to counsel or to correct the sovereign God of heaven and earth. Do you understand that when man pits his mind against God, when man is either trying to counsel or correct God, or disparage the most perfect, most high God, it is a sin of the highest order. It is blasphemy.

  #6 | 4:32 to 5:25 | cleaned

• Some of you are aware of the controversy with Piers Morgan, the news commentator. Do you realize that this British subject just said, just this past week, that not only does the Constitution of the United States need amending, the Bible needs amending as well. And there's a petition now in the White House, it has over 80,000 signatures, to deport him and send him back to England. And one guy from England said, "No, it took us 40 years to get rid of him, don't send him back here." And then the same guy gave a tweet and he said, "Don't you Americans remember? You wrote the second amendment because the British tried to take away your guns years ago."

  #7 | 5:27 to 6:14 | cleaned

• And of course that's what he's advocating. So it's interesting, but here is this puny journalist thinking that he can correct the Bible and amend the Bible and make it mean whatever he wants it to mean. But the apostle Paul does say, "But we have the mind of Christ." Matthew Poole, one of the early commentators, says this, "We who have the Spirit of God given to us, dwelling and working in us, and instructing us, we have the mind of Christ. For the Spirit of Christ, which is our Teacher, knows His mind, and hath revealed it unto us." Now it is true that the Holy Spirit of God knows the mind of Christ. And it is true that the Holy Spirit is our teacher. And it is true that our minds are illuminated by the Holy Spirit of God. But while all of that is true, I believe that there is another obvious and very simple implication of Paul's statement. When Paul said, "We have the mind of Christ," listen carefully. We have the mind of Christ revealed in His Word.

  #8 | 6:15 to 7:27 | cleaned

• Do you want to know what Christ thinks about economics? Read His Word. See what He thinks. And then conform your thinking to what He says. Do you want to know what the Word of God says about a godly wife or a godly husband? Read the Word of God. See what He thinks. Conform your thoughts to His thoughts. Do you want to know the mind of Christ on self-defense? Read the Word of God. Find out, because in the Word of God we have the mind of Christ and we're required to conform our thinking to His Word. Now, I want to show you several specific areas in which we must conform our thinking and our lives to the Word of God in Christ. The Word of God, very generally, reveals the mind of Christ to us. But however, when we get to Philippians chapter 2, which I will show you next week, there are some specifics in possessing the mind of Christ.

  #9 | 7:29 to 8:35 | cleaned

• So let's begin first of all with this general revelation. I want you to notice today just one point, the exhortation to the mind of Christ. The exhortation to the mind of Christ actually begins in Philippians chapter 2 and verse 1. Look if you would what he says. Philippians 2 and verse 1. He says, "If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies." Now I want you to note, if, if, if, if. Four times. He says if. Now when the Apostle Paul uses the word if here and in many other instances in scripture as well, the Apostle Paul is not suggesting that there might not be any consolation or any comfort or any fellowship in Christ.

  #10 | 8:36 to 9:34 | cleaned

• The problem that most of us have is that we do not understand Greek construction. In this construction it is called "ei" with the indicative mode. And every time you see the little word "ei," with the indicative mode, it is an affirmation. Literally, you could read it like this: "Since there are consolations in Christ, and since there is comfort of love, and since there is fellowship of the Spirit, and since there are bowels of mercies." In other words, it is an absolute strong affirmation. The Apostle Paul is telling us this is where consolation and comfort really and truly are. Now, why would the Apostle Paul begin by talking about consolation and comfort and fellowship of the Spirit and bowels and mercies when he is admonishing us to the mind of Christ?

  #11 | 9:36 to 10:33 | cleaned

• Well, look in chapter 1 in verse 28. Chapter 1, verse 28. He says, "And in nothing terrified by your adversaries, which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation and that of God. For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake, having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear to be in me."

  #12 | 10:34 to 10:59 | cleaned

• So the Philippians at this particular time were going through some very trying circumstances and very difficult times. And so what Paul begins doing in Philippians 2 and verse 1, He begins directing their mind to the only source of true comfort, true consolation, true fellowship, and true mercies. He's telling us these are to be found in Christ alone. So, in suffering, in trials, in persecution, in troubles, the apostle is admonishing us to seek to have the mind of Christ. The apostle Paul had gone through many scenarios. The Apostle Paul experienced trouble like you and I have never experienced trouble. I want you to hold Philippians chapter 2, but look back in your Bibles to 2 Corinthians chapter 11, and let me just remind you of a few things that the Apostle Paul went through. Notice 2 Corinthians chapter 11, and let's begin reading there with verse 24. 2 Corinthians 11 and verse 24. Notice if you would, he says this.

  #13 | 11:00 to 12:12 | cleaned

• "Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes, save one." Now let me just tell you this. According to the law of God, if a man deserved to be beaten, he was not to be beaten over forty stripes. And so just to make sure that they did not go over forty, usually they would only go thirty-nine. But Paul said, "Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes, save one." They were really angry with Paul, so four out of the five times, he got the full 40. Then he says this, "Thrice was I beaten with rods. Three times was beaten with rods. Once was I stoned. Thrice have I suffered shipwreck."

  #14 | 12:13 to 12:57 | cleaned

• "A night and day I've spent in the deep." I don't know about you, but I don't like floating around in the ocean. Especially on a night and a day. He says, "In journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of mine own countrymen, in perils of the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren, in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness, beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. Who is weak? I'm not weak. Who is offended? I burn not."

  #15 | 12:57 to 13:38 | cleaned

• Notice if you would what the Apostle Paul is saying. All of these things He has endured. None of us have endured things and circumstances as the Apostle Paul endured. How did He make it through all of this suffering, and all of the trouble, and all the trial, and all the tribulation? And the answer is, He had the mind of Christ. I want you to stop and think about this. And if you really want to think about it, read Foxe's Book of Martyrs. Think of all the martyrs that have been beheaded, poisoned, stoned, burned at the stake, and have died absolutely horrible deaths. And you have to ask yourself, how in the world could anyone endure burning at the stake.

  #16 | 13:38 to 14:42 | cleaned

• Some women were staked out at the edge of the ocean. And as the tide came in, it drowned them. And they had to be tied to that stake until finally they were drowned to death. How can you stand those things? I understand that there has to be an awful lot of grace and mercy given to those individuals, but I can assure you of one thing. I believe that during those circumstances, those people were able to endure by having the mind of Jesus Christ. And viewing the sacrifice of their lives and the suffering that they were enduring, as Jesus Christ endured that suffering as well.

  #17 | 14:44 to 15:30 | cleaned

• Now, none of us in here are looking towards a martyr's death, as far as we know. But do you realize that each one of us is required by God to live a martyr's life? Here's a passage everyone can quote. Listen carefully. Romans 12, 1 and 2. The Apostle Paul said, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies, what? A living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."

  #18 | 15:32 to 16:07 | cleaned

• "And be not conformed to this world, but be you transformed, how? By the renewing of your minds, that is by having the mind of Christ, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." So he said we are to have our bodies presented to him as a living sacrifice. We may not face the same trials the Apostle Paul faced, and we may not face the same persecutions that other Christians face. However, we are facing our own trials. We are facing our own difficulties.

  #19 | 16:08 to 16:43 | cleaned

• And how do we endure? How do we successfully go through those tests and those trials? And the answer is, by possessing the mind of Christ. So in Philippians chapter 2 and verse 1, the Apostle Paul is telling these Philippians where consolation and comfort and mercy and fellowship are really found. Look at verse 2. Philippians 2 verse 2. He says, "Fulfill you my joy that you may be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, being of one mind."

  #20 | 16:44 to 17:21 | cleaned

• Now, I'm going to come back to this verse and I'm going to tie it in with a number of other verses as well. So I want you to just hang on for a little while in regards to verse 2. But at this particular time, I do want you to take note of the fact that the apostle is here speaking about being like-minded, of having the same love, of being in one accord, and being in one mind.

  #21 | 17:22 to 17:46 | cleaned

• Meditate on these subjects and think how it is possible to accomplish these commands. And by the way, in verse 2, when the Apostle Paul says, "Fulfill ye my joy," it's an aristocratic imperative, which means, once again, he is commanding us to do this, and the way that we are to obey is by conforming to his commands. Now look at verse 3. He says, "Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves." Now the Apostle Paul here gives us two of the most dangerous dispositions that a Christian can face. And they are strife and vainglory. Strife is when we are opposed to each other.

  #22 | 17:46 to 18:44 | cleaned

• We're acting selfishly, we're seeking our own interest, and we're failing to consider others. It is a denial of our unity in Christ. Strife and vainglory separates the body of Christ as effectively as a chainsaw separates the human body. Strife divides families, it splits churches, and it also severs fellowships and friendships. If you could just stop for a moment and think of all the families that you know that have been separated because of strife. Think of the churches that have been split and destroyed because of strife. Over and over in the Bible, God condemns strife. I want you to take a moment and hold Philippians 2 and turn in your Bibles first of all to the book of Proverbs chapter 15. And I'm going to take you very quickly just through Proverbs and show you what the Word of God says concerning strife. Look in Proverbs chapter 15 and let's begin there with verse 18. Proverbs chapter 15 and verse 18. And then we'll turn to a number of other passages. Proverbs 15 and verse 18.

  #23 | 18:44 to 20:14 | cleaned

• Look what the Bible says. "A wrathful man stirreth up strife, but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife." What does a wrathful man do? What does an angry man do? He stirs up strife. But then God says, "He that is slow to anger, appeases strife." Look in Proverbs 16 and verse 28. Proverbs 16 and verse 28. "A froward man soweth strife, and a whisperer separated the chief friends." A froward man. A man that's evil and wicked, what does he do? He sows strife.

  #24 | 20:14 to 20:58 | cleaned

• He likes to see fights and divisions. Look in chapter 17 verse 1. "Better is a dry morsel and quietness therewith, than a house full of sacrifices with strife." You know, when I read this, "Better is a dry morsel and quietness therewith," I couldn't help but think of that dry dog food that our dogs eat. I sure would hate to have to munch on that stuff, you know. But when he talks about a house full of sacrifices, you know, you've got lambs that are slain, you've got bullocks that are slain. In other words, you've got plenty of good things to eat. But God said it's better to munch on dry dog food or dry biscuit without strife than it is to have a house full of sacrifices and have strife. Look in chapter 17 and verse 14. "The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water."

  #25 | 20:59 to 21:59 | cleaned

• "Therefore leave off contention before it be meddled with." Now this is one of my favorite verses. I love to illustrate this verse. Let me just tell you what this verse says. Put a plug in it. Now listen to what he says. I love it. "The beginning of strife is when one letteth out water." Well, here you are in the bathtub, you've just finished your bath, and you reach over, and you pull the plug, and as that water starts to swirl, it goes down the drain, it goes... If you don't like that sound, says God, put the plug back in it. The water will stop going out. Now, this is exactly what He says. When He talks about the beginning of strife, is this when one letteth out water? "Leave off contention, therefore, before it be meddled with." So, when you see things are starting to get out of hand, God says, just put a plug in it. Just be quiet. Just shut up. Just walk away. You don't have to have it. Look in chapter 17 and verse 19.

  #26 | 22:01 to 23:11 | cleaned

• "He loveth transgression that loveth strife. And he that exalted his gates seeketh destruction." He loveth transgression that loveth strife. Transgression is a violation of God's law. So he's saying, if you love to violate God's law, then you're going to love strife. Look in chapter 17 and verse 19. "He loveth transgression that loveth strife, and he that exalted his gate seeketh destruction." So if you don't want to violate God's law, stay away from strife. Look, if you would, in Proverbs chapter 20 and verse 3. Proverbs 20 and verse 3. "It is an honor for a man to cease from strife, but every fool will be meddling." So it's an honor to put a plug in it. That's what God says. Look in Proverbs 22 and verse 10. Proverbs 22 and verse 10. He says, "Cast out the scorner and contention shall go out, yea, strife and reproach shall cease." So get rid of the scorner, get rid of the one causing it, and the strife is going to cease. So, the apostle tells us then in Philippians chapter 2, that we're to stay away from strife and vain glory.

  #27 | 23:11 to 24:31 | cleaned

• Vain glory is often times the cause of strife. Vain glory is empty pride, it is empty self-esteem, it is a useless and worthless exaltation of self. Vain glory is when we think that we are something when in reality we are nothing. Let me point something out. Vain glory will always lead to tyranny and lording it over other individuals. Let me give you an illustration. Turn in your Bibles to 3rd John. 3rd John and let's begin reading there with verse 9.

  #28 | 24:32 to 25:10 | cleaned

• I want you to see the Diotrephes complex. Notice if you would, 3rd John, and beginning there with verse 9. Right before the book of Jude, you have 3rd John, 3rd John verse 9, and Jude right before Revelation. Notice 3rd John verse 9. Here the apostle says, "I wrote unto the church, but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, received us not. Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words, and not content therewith, neither doth he receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church." So here's a man who loves to have the preeminence. He will not receive the apostles. He will not receive Christian brothers. He will not allow anyone in that church to do so. And if they do, he'll cast them out of the church. And John said, "When I come, I will remember his prating deeds which he doeth." Now I want you to note, the Bible says in verse 9, "I wrote unto the church, but Diotrephes who loveth to have the preeminence."

  #29 | 25:10 to 26:29 | cleaned

• Did you know that the word preeminence occurs only twice in the New Testament? The first time it occurs is in Colossians 1, where it refers to Christ and His preeminence. The second time, Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence. In other words, Diotrephes, if he could displace Christ, he would do so. That's what vainglory is. That's like vainglory saying, "I have the right to tell everyone what they can do and what they cannot do." Here, the Word of God is condemning the Diotrephes complex.

  #30 | 26:31 to 27:17 | cleaned

• So instead of vain glory, there should be a humbleness and lowliness of mind, which leaves us to understand our own smallness, and calls us to be sober and modest. Do you remember the passage, you don't have to turn there, but do you remember the passage in Isaiah chapter 6 and verse 5? When Isaiah saw, first of all, the glory of God, and secondly, he saw his own sinfulness.

  #31 | 27:18 to 27:45 | cleaned

• He said, "Woe is me, for I am undone, I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips, for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts." If you ever really see the holiness and the righteousness and the majesty of God, you cannot but help have a small view of yourself. We need to soberly assess our lives in accordance to the Word of God. The Apostle Paul commanded in Romans chapter 12 and verse 3, listen carefully, he said, "For I say through the grace of God given unto me, to every man that is among you, to not think more highly of himself than he ought to think, but to think soberly according as God hath dealt to every man a measure of grace." Don't think of yourself more highly than you ought to think.

  #32 | 27:45 to 28:42 | cleaned

• You know, I could have a card made up. I could send flyers out to various churches and saying, "John Weaver, soloist and vocalist, invite me for your Christian music." Well, somebody who may not know me, might be foolish enough to invite me, but after I sang one song, they would disinvite me. Would it not be foolish for me to think that I have musical talent when I have none? Would it not be foolish of me to think that I have many talents when I do not?

  #33 | 28:44 to 29:34 | cleaned

• All the apostle's saying, look, if you will deal honestly with yourself and soberly and righteously with yourself, you're going to realize you're not the greatest person in the entire world and that the universe does not revolve around you. What will lead us to think more soberly of ourselves? What will lead us to think more greatly of others? I'll tell you what, not only must we see God and His righteousness and His majesty, we must see our own sins. Do you realize everyone in this room has secret sins? You have secret faults. You have secret failures. And with your knowledge of your secret sins, it ought to lead you to esteem others better than yourself. But the others have their secret sins as well, which ought to lead them to esteem you more highly than themselves. Once we are aware of our sins, once we are aware of who God is, we should be willing to fight the Apostle Paul for his position as chief of sinners. Because we know that we are indeed sinners. If we had such a disposition, it would lead us to esteem others more excellent and seek their promotion and their edification.

  #34 | 29:38 to 31:17 | cleaned

• Such a right view of self is going to seek the blessing of others and will be true humility. Look in your Bibles to Philippians chapter 2 again and verse 4. Philippians 2 and verse 4. We just looked at verse 3. Look at verse 4. When he says, "Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory," that's verse 3. "But in lowliness of mind, let each esteem others better than themselves." That's what he's telling. And by the way now, all of these are building up to verse 5. Now he says in verse 4, "Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others." Now when the apostle Paul tells us to look on the things of others, He's not telling us to have a covetous attitude. He's not telling us to say, "Wow, I wish I had a truck like Dr. Holmes." That's not what he's saying. "Wow, I wish I had a full head of hair like Ed." It's about gone, I know Ed. That's not what he's saying.

  #35 | 31:18 to 32:31 | cleaned

• What in the world does it mean when He says, "Look, not every man on his own things, but every man on the things of others"? Literally, the Apostle is commanding us not to be selfish by considering only ourselves and our advantages. We're to look out for our brethren as well. We're to consider their welfare and how we may benefit them and help them. John Trapp, an old Puritan, said this.

  #36 | 32:31 to 32:59 | cleaned

• I want you to listen. I'll explain. But listen to what he said. "It is his pleasure, his profit, and his preferment that is the natural man's trinity. The unsaved man thinks of his profit, his pleasure, and his preferment. That is the unsaved man's trinity and his carnal self that is these in unity." It's me, me, me. Indeed, it is that flesh that is the principal idol, the others are deified in relation to ourselves. In other words, when we're thinking only of ourselves, what John Trapp is saying, we're setting ourselves up as God. And all we're looking for is our pleasure, our profit, and our preferment. So when the Apostle Paul says, "Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others," the idea is that we're not just simply looking out for number one. We're looking out for the good of our brethren as well. We cannot and we must not make ourselves an idol selfishly considering only ourselves.

  #37 | 32:59 to 34:13 | cleaned

• So he's giving this leading us up to verse 5. I want you to look at verse 5. I'm going to come back to this next week, but I'm not through with verse 2 yet. He said, "Let this mind be in you which also was in Christ Jesus." Now what I'm going to share with you around verse 2 hopefully will prepare us for verse 5 next Sunday. So go back to verse 2 if you would. I told you I was going to come back there.

  #38 | 34:15 to 34:45 | cleaned

• The Apostle Paul says, "Fulfill ye my joy" and that is a command. He's commanding them to fulfill his joy that you may be like minded having the same love, being of one accord, and being of one mind. Now, I want you to notice how in verse 2, the Apostle Paul emphasizes the same basic truth over and over. He tells them to be like-minded, to be of one accord, and to be of one mind. Now, to have the same mind, to have the same love. The truth is simply this, folks. Listen carefully. If we think alike, we love alike.

  #39 | 34:46 to 35:29 | cleaned

• Now let me break these things down for you and show you how they work out. First of all, when he commands in verse 2, "Fulfill you my joy that you be like-minded." Like-mindedness means that you think the same thing. It implies unity of sentiment, opinion, and plans. Listen carefully. Like-mindedness prevents discord, schism, contention, and strife in the church and in communities, so that there may be harmony in the work and in the ministry. So he says, "Fulfill ye my joy that you be like-minded." Secondly, he says, "having the same love." The same love refers to loving the same objects. If you think alike, you're going to ultimately love the same object. So, we're to love Christ, His Word, His people, and we're to have the same love one for another. Our thoughts and our opinions may differ on some points, yet we should always be united in love for Christ and His ministry. Thirdly, he says in verse 2, "one accord." Now, one accord speaks of being one soul. That is having our souls knit together.

  #40 | 35:32 to 36:52 | cleaned

• The word here is used only in this instance in the New Testament. And it means a union of soul in the sense that when we move, we move as one body. We have such union that we move as one body. If we have the same mind, if we have the same love, if we're knit together, we will move as a body. And then he says, "one mind" again, Philippians 2 and verse 2, "being of one accord, of one mind." And once again, the one mind refers to thinking the same thing. So what the Apostle Paul is doing is basically using various expressions to denote the same truth. And the object that he is aiming at here, is that we have a union of heart, a feeling of plan, and purpose. What he wanted for the Philippians was for them to avoid all the division, all the strife, and to show the power of Christ by their common life and common cause. Now, it should be obvious if we're thinking the same thing, that we're going to be loving the same thing, we're going to be knit together for the same purpose, and the result will be that we will move in one accord.

  #41 | 36:53 to 38:20 | cleaned

• Now, my question is, how is that possible? How is that possible for a church group? For a church body? Let me go further. How is this possible for a community? Let's suppose that all of us decided that we're going to have our own Christian community. We get our property and all of us come and build homes on that property. And we're next door neighbors.

  #42 | 38:20 to 38:56 | cleaned

• Now my question is, how in the world are we going to have the same mind, the same love, how are we going to think alike and be united as one soul? I'm going to give you an illustration. In the Philippian church, I'll show you the scripture in just a moment. In the Philippian church, there were two women that were at odds with each other. Their names were Euodias and Syntyche. I told you in time past that sometimes I slip up and mispronounce their names and call them Odious and Stinky. Because they were fussing and fighting, they were at odds with each other. Let me show you.

  #43 | 38:58 to 39:38 | cleaned

• Look in Philippians chapter 4. Notice if you would please verses 1 and 2. Philippians 4 verses 1 and 2. The Apostle Paul says, "Therefore, my brethren, dearly beloved and longed for my joy and my crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved. I beseech you, Euodias, and I beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord."

  #44 | 39:38 to 40:02 | cleaned

• Now, let me tell you something funny. The word, Euodias, or the name Euodias, is from the Greek word euodia, which literally means prosperous journey. Syntyche is from the Greek word which literally means pleasant acquaintance. And these ladies were having anything but a pleasant acquaintance and a prosperous journey. They were fussing and they were fighting. So how then did the Apostle Paul expect to get Euodias and Syntyche to come together?

  #45 | 40:03 to 40:43 | cleaned

• Watch it in verse 2. "I beseech you, Euodias, and I beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord." Here's what the Apostle Paul is saying. Euodias and Syntyche, you must be of the same mind in the Lord. What does that mean? Put away your foolish thinking. Put away your selfish conduct. Put away your strife and your pride and your vain glory and you both submit your minds to the Word of God.

  #46 | 40:43 to 41:18 | cleaned

• You come up and think the way Christ thought. Be of the same mind in the Lord. Do you realize, listen carefully, do you realize that every problem, every difficulty, every occasion of strife and turmoil would instantly cease if we just simply submitted our minds to the Word of God and came up with the mind of Christ. That would be the answer for every problem, every turmoil, every situation.

  #47 | 41:19 to 41:59 | cleaned

• Now, let me remind you of something. It would do no good for Euodias to submit her mind to the mind of Christ, if Syntyche did not.

  #48 | 42:02 to 42:17 | cleaned

• Now, it would do Euodias some good, because the strife and the turmoil would cease in her life, but it would not solve the problem. For the problem to be generally solved, both must submit their minds to the Word of God and come up with the mind of Christ. If they do not, the strife is going to continue to rage. I want you to understand, and I'm going to show you this from the Scripture. It is your duty, it is your responsibility, to have the mind of Christ. And I want to take the time to show you the absolute importance in having the mind of Christ. I want you to turn, first of all, hold Philippians 2, but turn to the book of Romans chapter 12. We're going to go through a number of passages, and then we're going to come back to the book of Romans. So look in Romans chapter 12 and verse 16, and look at what the Apostle Paul writes. Romans 12 verse 16.

  #49 | 42:19 to 43:28 | cleaned

• He tells these Roman Christians, "Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits." Notice, "Be of the same mind, one toward another." So that means, my mind should be toward Joe, in a biblical sense of the word, and his mind should be toward me, in a biblical sense of the word. We are to be of the same mind, one toward another. Notice if you would, 1 Corinthians chapter 1 and verse 10. And by the way, I hope you remember that the Corinthian church was racked with divisions, and strife, and vainglory. So in 1 Corinthians 1 and verse 10, the apostle Paul writes the Corinthian church and he says, "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, and that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment." Now my question is this, how is a church going to come together in the same mind and in the same judgment?

  #50 | 43:28 to 44:49 | cleaned

• How are we going to speak the same thing so that there be no divisions among us? And the answer is, each one of us must submit his mind to the Word of God and come up with the mind of Christ. Look in 2nd Corinthians chapter 13 and verse 11. 2nd Corinthians 13 and verse 11. 2nd Corinthians 13 verse 11. Watch what he says. 2nd Corinthians 13 verse 11. "Finally brethren, farewell. Be perfect. Be of good comfort. Be of one mind. Live in peace. And the God of love and peace shall be with you." By the way, I hope you understand it's impossible to live in peace unless you are of one mind. What causes fusses and fights and divisions? Having different minds. Thinking differently. Look in the book of Philippians. Chapter 1 in verse 27. Turn right over to Philippians 1 in verse 27. It is amazing how many times this same truth occurs in Scripture. Philippians 1, notice if you would please, verse 27. The Apostle Paul now writes the Philippians and he says this, "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 you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel."

  #51 | 44:50 to 46:33 | cleaned

• Standing together in one mind. Look in chapter 3, verse 1 of the book of Philippians. Chapter 3, verse 1, he said, "Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me, indeed, is not grievous, but for you it is safe." That's not the verse that I wanted. Let me skip down. Well, I don't see it. Okay, verse 15 it is. There it is, verse 15.

  #52 | 46:33 to 47:14 | cleaned

• "Let us therefore as many as be perfect, be thus minded. Be thus minded, if anything you be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you as well." So once again, He's talking about being like-minded. Look in your Bibles, if you would, please, to 1 Peter, chapter 4, and verse 1. 1 Peter, chapter 4, and verse 1. 1 Peter, chapter 4, and verse 1. Look what the Scripture says.

  #53 | 47:14 to 47:53 | cleaned

• "For as much as Christ has suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind, for he that has suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin." But notice he says, "Arm yourselves likewise with the same mind." Over and over in Scriptures, we're told that we're to have the same mind. The Apostle Paul also said, "Nevertheless, whereunto we have already attained, let us walk by this rule, let us mind the same." I want you to go back in your Bibles to Romans chapter 15. I told you we would come back there. I want to show you another passage and then try to tie this message together.

  #54 | 47:55 to 48:43 | cleaned

• Building up Lord willing for verse 5 next Sunday. Look in Romans chapter 15 and we're going to begin reading there with verse 5. Romans 15 verse 5. He says, "Now the God of patience and consolation grants you to be like-minded one toward another according to Christ Jesus. That you may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore receive you one another as Christ also received us to the glory of God."

  #55 | 48:44 to 49:24 | cleaned

• Now let me ask you a question. Why does God require us to have the mind of Christ? I know there are plenty of answers. I know you can say that way we can be holy, we can be godly, we can be obedient. I understand that. But I want you to think about some things. First of all, He requires us to have one mind. If we have one mind, we think alike. Alice and I will soon be married 50 years, and I can assure you that we think alike. We like the same things.

  #56 | 49:25 to 50:11 | cleaned

• Our ideas on most subjects are identical. Now, there may be a difference in the sense that she likes girl stuff and I like man stuff, but everything else, we're basically the same. Theologically and practically, we think alike. What does that do for us? What would thinking alike do for every Christian in every church? If we have one mind, look if you would, Romans 15 verse 6, "That you may with one mind and one mouth." If you think alike, if you have one mind, you're going to have one mouth. You're going to speak alike. You're going to say the same thing. You're going to have the same words. If you think alike, it will naturally lead to speaking alike. Our words are reflection of our minds.

  #57 | 50:12 to 51:16 | cleaned

• David said in Psalm 116 verse 10, "I believe, therefore have I spoken." His mouth uttered what His mind thought. The Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians chapter 4 and verse 13 says this, listen carefully, "We having the same spirit of faith according as it is written, I believe, therefore have I spoken, we also believe and therefore speak." Our mind will always control our mouth. If we think wrongly, we will speak wrongly. If we think biblically, we will speak biblically. So God requires us to have one mind, that we may have one mouth. That's not all. Look in verse 6. "That you may with one mind and one mouth, here it is, glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." One mind and one mouth will lead you to one motive. And that motive is to glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

  #58 | 51:17 to 52:29 | cleaned

• Have you ever stopped to think the reason Christians are running in so many different directions is because they don't think alike? They don't have the same mind. They don't have the same mouth. And consequently, they don't have the same motive. Our ultimate motive is found in 1 Corinthians 10 and verse 31 where the Apostle Paul says, "Whether therefore you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all for the glory of God." It is one mind that will lead to one mouth that will lead to one motive. That's not all. Look at verse 7 and verse 8. "Wherefore receive you one another as Christ also received us to the glory of God."

  #59 | 52:29 to 53:24 | cleaned

• Now, I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God to confirm the promises made unto the fathers. One mind, one mouth, one motive will lead you to one mission. What is our mission as Christians? First of all, it's learning to receive each other as God, for Christ's sake, hath received us. Years ago I preached on this text. I probably need to preach on it again.

  #60 | 53:25 to 54:03 | cleaned

• And demonstrate from the Bible what real biblical receiving is. When He said, "Receive you one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God." There is a biblical way to receive each other in faith, in obedience. And the other mission he mentions, the other part of that mission is found in verse 8.

  #61 | 54:05 to 54:30 | cleaned

• "Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God to confirm the promises made unto the fathers." I want you to note here is the one mission. We learn not only to receive each other and work with each other, but we also confirm the promises made to the fathers. In other words, by living obediently and submissively, by having the mind of Christ, we demonstrate that all the promises that God gave to our fathers are true. Redemption is real. Salvation is genuine. God does deliver from sin.

  #62 | 54:30 to 55:08 | cleaned

• It does make a difference how we think. It does make a difference how we speak. We can confirm those promises by our lives. That's why in 2 Corinthians 1 and verse 20 the Bible says, "For all the promises of God in Him are yea, and in Him amen to the glory of God the Father." So we confirm that with our lives. It is impossible to live as we should. It is impossible to obey as we should. It is impossible to glorify God as we should without having the mind of Christ. I want you to see one last verse. I want you to turn to John 8 and look at verse 29. John 8, verse 29. I've quoted this verse so many times. John 8 verse 29, Our Lord said, "And He that sent Me is with Me."

  #63 | 55:09 to 56:25 | cleaned

• "The Father hath not left Me alone, for I do always those things that please Him." Let me ask you a question. Would it not be the joy and delight of your life to be able to say, "I do always those things which please my Heavenly Father"? You can only do that with the mind of Christ. We must learn to think like Christ, to talk like Christ, to walk like Christ, to act like Christ, so that we can truthfully and honestly say, "I do those things which please my Heavenly Father." That is why Philippians 2 verse 5 says, "Let this mind be in you, which also was in Christ Jesus." And Lord willing, next week I'm going to show you the specifics that were in His mind that God requires to be in our lives. Would you consider making it a matter of prayer that God would give you the mind of Christ in every area of your life and stop and think, how would Christ think? How would Christ act? How would He walk? How would He talk?

  #64 | 56:27 to 58:06 | cleaned

• How would He live? I want to do that, so that I may always please my Heavenly Father. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee this day. We thank You. We love You. And Lord, how desperately we need the mind of Christ. We ask, Father, that You would help us to submit our minds to the Word of God, to develop a biblical worldview, a biblical perspective so that we may walk and talk and act and live the way our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, did, so that we may please Thee in all things. Give us grace, Father, to serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. In Thy name we pray, Amen.

  #65 | 58:07 to 59:01 | cleaned

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T17:59:53Z