Do you think like Christ?

My favorite description of the Holy Spirit is found in Paul’s word to the church at Corinth. He was writing about the wisdom that the Spirit imparts to believers. The Holy Spirit is able to know our thoughts and the thoughts of God. Paul concluded that lesson by writing “we have the mind of Christ.”

It’s common for us to think of ourselves in human ways. We know we aren’t perfect and make mistakes. How then could we have “the mind of Christ”? Scripture promises that we do, but it’s always important to remember that our minds are being perfected but not yet perfect. We can’t be fully like Christ until we live with him in heaven.

Humility is necessary when we want to truly know the Lord. Jesus humbled himself to be born in a manger. We need to think with the humility of Christ’s humanity.

Knowing God is our Father is necessary if we want to live as God’s child and consider ourselves the way Jesus sees us. We are “joint heirs” with Christ, his brothers and sisters through faith.

Scripture is necessary if we want to know the character and capacity of God. Jesus was present with God when the world was created. Jesus left heaven to become our Savior. There is nothing in the Bible more difficult to understand than the need for the death of God’s Son on the cross. Even Jesus struggled in the Garden. Yet Jesus knew God’s perfection and knew he could say, “Not my will, but yours.” Jesus didn’t question God’s perfection, even when he struggled to accept his plan.

Can we think like Christ? The answer is yes because we have been given the mind of Christ.

It’s important to allow the word of Christ to dwell in us richly so we can then think his thoughts and come to trust the perfection of God, who is our Father.