Wednesday, February 27, 2013

The Mind Of Christ - 1Corinthians 2:12-16

1 Corinthians 2:12-16 ESV
Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.
The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

1 Corinthians 2:11-16 OSB
For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

There are two spirits before us in this passage. One is the spirit of the world, of the natural. The other is the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit which is supernatural. The natural cannot perceive the supernatural. The supernatural knows both. This is part of why no natural man is able to judge those filled with the Spirit. Those filled with the Spirit will not judge another. We answer to Jesus. He is the only judge.

The Spirit guides us into all truth. Those that say there is no truth cause me to think the Spirit is not present in their life, they are confused, or they mean something else. Can one understand anything without truth? There is one truth, that's one and an essential aspect of truth. Another attribute of truth is that it comes from God. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life". That is the Gospel.

We have the mind of Christ because we are one with Him, one in the Spirit. That's where we find unity with God and each other, in the body of Christ. We are of one mind.

The Spirit testifies and gives witness to these things.

John 15:15-17
No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another.

John 16:13-15
However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.

John 17:6-8
Christ's Prayer for the Apostles
“I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me.

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