Have This Mind Among You
“1 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.”
Paul explains that a life worthy of the gospel inevitably involves suffering. He then emphasizes that believers must be united through the encouragement and comfort found in Christ, the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, and the mercy and compassion they receive. He calls the church to be of one mind, sharing the same love, and rejecting selfish ambition or vanity. Instead, believers are to embrace humility, valuing others above themselves.
Conflicts within the church often arise from differences in opinion, judgment, and pride. Yet the church is the primary training ground for faith. If we cannot practice humility, patience, and respect within the body of Christ, how can we expect to live out the gospel in the world? The church is not simply a gathering of individuals but a reflection of Christ’s love, where relationships are shaped by the mind of Christ.
Paul then presents Jesus as the ultimate model of humility and self-sacrifice. Though He was in very nature God, Christ emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant and becoming obedient to death on a cross. His humility was not weakness but the path to ultimate glory, as God exalted Him and gave Him the name above every name. This is the paradox of the gospel: true greatness comes through humility, and exaltation comes through servanthood.
Church life is not about following mere principles of organizational management but about embodying Christ’s humility in community. When the church practices mutual love and servanthood, the gospel’s power becomes visible, and the world sees the reality of Christ. May we continually seek to have the mind of Christ, embracing His example of humility, obedience, and love.
Prayer: Lord, shape our hearts to reflect the mind of Christ. Teach us to walk in humility, setting aside pride and self-interest, that we may love and serve one another as Christ did. Renew our inner selves by Your Spirit, so that our church may be a true training ground for faith. May our lives testify to the power of the cross, as we follow the path of humility and obedience. Amen.
(Note: This summary was created based on an AI draft.)