As we gathered once again in the house of God, we felt highly privileged to stand behind the podium of the Spirit. Our prayer is always that God moves upon our hearts and minds to point out the things we need to correct and to offer the help only He can provide.
In 1 Corinthians 2:14-16, the Bible draws a sharp line between the “natural man” and the “spiritual man.” The world—the natural man—cannot understand the things of God; to them, it is foolishness. But for those of us who are saved, we are given a miraculous gift: we have the mind of Christ.
1. A Mind That Isn’t Forced
God is all-powerful. He could force everyone to be saved if He wanted to, but He doesn’t work that way. Receiving the Spirit requires repentance and a willing heart. As Philippians 2:5 says, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” Notice that word “let.” You have to invite Him in. He won’t kick the door down, but when you let Him in, He sweeps the temple clean. You will never experience a “clean” like the day the Holy Ghost moves into your carcass and makes you whiter than snow.
2. A Different Mind for a Different Kind
We receive a different mind when we become a different kind of person. Before we were saved, the devil had the advantage. We had very little willpower against the “dope,” the liquor, or the worldly habits that plague this country. But when the spiritual man comes on the scene, the devil has to take a back seat.
If you can run with the world, dress like the world, and act like the world without it bothering your conscience, you have to ask: Do you really have the mind of Christ? The Bible doesn’t teach that we can enjoy the things of the world and still be right with God.
3. Evidence of the Mind of Christ
When the mind of Christ is doing the thinking for you, things change:
- You Think Right: Your mind is no longer fuzzy or carnal; it’s clear.
- You Dress Right: You’ll find yourself wanting to look right. You won’t want to be “naked” or immodest because God speaks to your heart about your appearance.
- You Work Right: You won’t just be “Johnny-on-the-spot” for your employer because they pay you; you’ll do it to please God. If we can get up at 3:30 AM for a paycheck, shouldn’t we have that same zeal for the house of God?
- You Give Right: Like the preacher’s father who once said he’d never give a tenth of his hard-earned money to a church, your heart changes when you’re saved. You become a peculiar person, zealous of good works.
4. Enduring Sound Doctrine
The Bible warns in 2 Timothy 4:3 that the time would come when people would not endure “sound doctrine.” We see it today—churches with black walls and flickering lights that look more like a saloon than a house of God.
But when you have the mind of Christ, you don’t mind “hard preaching.” You want the truth of the 1611 King James Bible, even when it reproves and rebukes. This Word is the only thing that’s going to get us out of this aggravating world!