The mind of Christ

2 Corinthians 10:4-6 King James Version 

4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

Romans 11:33,34

O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 34For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counseller?

I constantly marvel at the Word of God, it's depth and it's compatibility across all of it's writing. From Genesis 1:1 to Revelations 22:21 there is no conflict in anything that it teaches, commands, or presents. It is perfect just like it's Author. That being True we can speak it, teach it, and preform it (by the Holy Spirit) with the utmost confidence that it "will not come back void". This is God's promise that would eliminate "mans" attitude for "presentation" whether it be for His Glory or in mock. God created man being well aware of our hearts and all the evil that they would contain over the millennia of our existence, therefore He "vouchsafed" His Words authenticity by sealing it with a body which is Jesus
Christ. As no one can "change" the visage of Jesus Christ, so no one can change the Word of God which became "His flesh", thereby sealing its "immutability" by the very Godhead's representation to creation "till Kingdom come." 

What then stands between the "forming" of God's Word into flesh (Jesus Christ) "in the beginning" and today? Not just man but the heart of man which is so easily deceived by vanity and pride. God promises us "Spiritual wisdom" if we have the simple discipline of "Loving God!" Again "He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." So the immutability of His Word is proved by the fact that it can only be "illuminated" upon by the teaching of the Holy Spirit, not the unassisted searching of the "mind of man." Read below one of many Scriptural proofs:

1 Corinthians 2:9-13

Rather, as it is written:“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no heart has imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.”a

10But God has revealed it to us by the Spirit.

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11For who among men knows the thoughts of man except his own spirit within him? So too, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13And this is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.

14The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15The spiritual man judges all things, but he himself is not subject to anyone’s judgment. 16“For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to instruct Him?”b But we have the mind of Christ.

As we have read already in 2 Corinthians 10:4-6, 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

Our weapons are not carnal but spiritual to the pulling down of our "vain imaginations" and everything that "exalteth itself against the knowledge of God." The vainest of all imaginations is that we can have "spiritual knowledge" without the Holy Spirit; using only our "carnal mind" through self guided studies. Whether in study or out, when it comes to the Word of God we cannot leave out the "influence" of the Holy Spirit. 13"And this is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words." Alas too many have based on the presentation of "divine diplomas" gained at "divine universities" to prove that "divine knowledge" is to attend their words when they speak or teach. Clearly in every verse represented above it takes the Holy Spirit (the mind of Christ) to give us the true attitude and expression of the intent of Scripture. If Holy men led by God wrote the Scriptures, then it will take Holy men led of God to "expound" the Scriptures. No form of carnal mind of man, regardless of all his crutches (Greek, Hebrew, or other helps), can get the smallest truth's out of His (Living) Word and make an accurate deliverance of His Holy Word. If you believe that any statement above is false then you need to read how to cast "down every (vain) imagination" and bring it into "submission/captivity to the obedience" of Christ." His Word is the knowledge of God, His Word is the "Word that became flesh (Jesus), His Word is Truth, and His Word cannot change! So if you have an argument against the above take it up with the Author in a quite place through prayer. 

As "no: eye, ear, and heart can imagine" the good things that God has for those that Love Him, even that can only be revealed by "His Spirit!"

Read: 12We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE SPIRIT OF GOD IT'S BECAUSE YOU DON'T SEARCH FOR HIM DILIGENTLY so as to receive His reward, then don't pretend because you "worked so hard" and that makes your exhortation right. All things come forth from God BY FAITH in God, NOT WORKS, our own efforts. 

Faith produces "REVELATION" through grace as most of the New Testament was written. "Men moved of God by the Holy Spirit", not men "figuring out" Spiritual Truth's with a carnal mind/spirit with the helps of books written by other men. Not to say "others" weren't led by the Spirit in their producing of support books to Scripture, but the only Books written that can be validated as Truth are included in the Bible (as for me KJV, now don't react you can read what you want), and that is the only "Book" that we can all agree on that "the Truth can set you free" in. 

13And this is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words."

Words taught by God through His Spirit takes the effort of "diligently seeking Him" not "looking up" a good sermon or Sunday School class lesson. Not only that but having the faith and patience to "wait on His timing", so that He can direct our paths, (not just physical), in teaching us what He wants us to know in "His time". We all can benefit by "waiting on the Lord" not rushing ahead or falling behind His will on our daily commune with Him, our Father in Heaven. Of course the "rushing ahead or falling behind" is purely a carnal application as one cannot "fool" or "change your mind" that the Almighty, Omniscient God didn't already know about before "in the beginning" was spoke.

14The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 

Most here would say the "natural man" is unsaved, I would beg to differ. The natural man can be any man that does not "by faith" incorporate God's Spirit in "all his thoughts." Just because you were sealed with God's Spirit at salvation does not mean that you are "by faith" walking "in Him" daily." There by the need for the "baptism in the Holy Spirit" to be tarried for as in the Book of Acts with His disciples. This "baptism" is a separate experience from salvation even though they can both happen about the same time. One (sealed) is to claim you for the Kingdom of God through Christ, the other (baptism) is to empower you to "glorify your Father in heaven." The first is an act of God, the second is a surrendering of ourselves in obedience, (tarry till you receive), till the Holy Spirit "falls upon us full of glory" to serve with power the Living God and to glorify His name. Many say "if you are sealed with the Holy Spirit then He can't be any less or that you don't need any more." 

Ephesians 4:30

"And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption."

One (sealed) is to preserve us, Second (baptized) is to "receive power from on High" to walk in, be led by, imitate His life by, and glorify, our Father in Heaven. It's to be in agreement with the "entire" Word of God, by faith so that He can use us to "prove" His Word is True and that He is the only True and Living God of Creation without question or doubt. No other god can do that, and being complacent with the sealing of His Spirit, makes us useless to His Kingdom except in the articulation that "we are His." "A form of Godliness denying the power there of." 

The disciples hid in the upper room having known the teachings of Christ, walked with Him and believed in Him, being sealed by the Holy Spirit, as we believe that they were saved at the time. But they did not "go out" until they were "filled" with the promised Holy Spirit, having received "that boldness from God." You can sit in a pew all your life with your ticket to the golden roads and never do anything for your Savior. Yes you are saved and sealed but unless you receive the "baptism" you cannot go out with power to prove His Words are True and His claim of being "the only Living and True God." 

God always meant faith in Him was to be an experience! Period. You experience salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ, then you experience the "baptism in the Holy Spirit" to be endued with power from on high," then you experience "walking in the Spirit" as Jesus did, hearing Gods voice and speaking the same and seeing Him do His works and doing the same. It's the experience of "walking as Jesus walked, doing the things He did and greater things." 

Look around your church next time you are there together with the believer's in Christ who attend. Don't judge but how many are expressing the "joy of the Lord?" How many have something to praise God about? I'm not talking about "whipping the congregation up" to say can I have an Amen? I'm talking about a congregation that has individuals that "met with God during the week and come with something to share about the "manifold goodness of God." Worship services are just that. Worship services wherein the entire participating congregation comes together to share the goodness of our God. The service cannot be any more corporately than what the individuals are at home during the week. 

Again Christianity is an experiential daily walk with Our Father in Heaven through our Lord Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit. Personally at home then corporately in our meeting place.

So answer this: What are we adding individually? How is our corporate gathering? Let me tell you that if we are filled with the Holy Spirit during the week then our meetings together will be abundantly filled corporately.

There aught to be a command somewhere that demands that all deacons, pastors, teachers, evangelists, bishops be baptized in and filled with the Holy Spirit. So here comes the "by their fruits ye shall know them" verse. Not fruits of there own admission, but "by two or three" shall it be established. Anyone who is baptized in the Holy Spirit will need no introduction. God will introduce him. He cannot hide. He is sanctified for the Lord's use and his Love and life will prove out his calling by that "self same Spirit." Oh by the way there is such a command it's in the Book of Acts. Every would be leader that was instrumental in launching this "faith in God through Jesus Christ" was told to "tarry till they receive the baptism from on high." If good enough for them it's still good enough for us.

So lets wrap this up.

Are we diligently seeking Him so as to gain His reward?

Have we tarried for His Spirit?

Do we have the Mind of Christ?

Are we teaching, preaching, leading, evangelizing empowered by His Spirit?

Do we only rely on "my Word will not come back void?" Or do we speak "led of the Holy Spirit?

What are we going to do with "our vain imaginations" about how hard "we" work on our presentation?

Is our practice still to "lean on our own understandings?"

Have other "writings" taken precedence over the Word of God?

"As for me and my house we will serve the Lord."

I assay to know nothing but by the Spirit of God. 

Love

Jerry and Elise