Nathan Lewis - The Mind of Christ - Class 4: The Principle

Automatically transcribed. Accuracy is good but not perfect, and words are sometimes wrong. Trust the audio over the text.

1. 0:01

   Well we’re we’re here at the special effort and it’s really nice to have so many people here tonight to enjoy the next study. Study for the principle is the mind of Christ. So look forward to some words from brother Nathan the introduction in the. Study, outline that we had here talks about our Father’s desire to conform us all to this image or the mind of Christ as part of his future divine family.

2. 0:34

   And I’m sure that as we listen tonight, we’ll be able to put ourselves in the picture of what the future divine family is going to be. We are going to have an introductory reading tonight and that’s going to be Philippians Chapter 2 and the 1st 11 verses. And I will call forward Brother Steve Jeffress to come forward and read that to us.

3. 0:59

   Thanks, Steve. Reading together with your brother and sisters the 1st 11 Verses of Philippians, chapter 2 if there be there for any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love. If any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bows and mercies, fulfill ye my joy, that ye may be likeminded, having the same love being of 1 accord of 1 mind, let nothing be done through strife or Vainglory, but in loneliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

4. 1:37

   Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. That this mind being you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the lightness of men.

5. 2:01

   And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient, utter death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

6. 2:32

   It’s a pretty powerful section of scripture there, and we’ll use that as an introduction for Brother Nathan, you see. Continues the special effort for us. Study for the Mind of Christ. Thanks very much.

7. 2:46

   Well, thanks, Brother Craig, and good evening, brothers and sisters. Welcome to to one of our midweek classes this week. And now I suppose we come to the crux of our studies together and the wonderful mind of our Lord Jesus Christ. So tonight we really come to the mind of Christ proper. We’ve looked at the carnal mind, the problem that we all have the promise that our father has given us, of replacing that mind with a spiritual mind by a process of metamorphosis. And now we come to look at the mind of Christ in our next class, on Thursday night.

8. 3:26

   We want to look at how to practice having the mind of Christ. So we’re going to save any practical exhortation suggestions until Thursday night. But we know, don’t we? That principle comes before practice. And tonight we want to look at. We’ll ask ourselves the question, What is the central principle that governs this extraordinary mind that we’re all striving to have in us?

9. 3:53

   What does the mind of Christ look like? What is it in its essence? Because you see the promise of a spiritual mind. Is not an abstract, eerie, fiery idea. It’s not an intangible concept that’s difficult to grasp, a vapor that can never be tied down. And it’s not just a lofty sounding phrase. We all have to have the mind of Christ. It’s a solid destination.

10. 4:25

    Our minds are being renewed, regenerated, not in a random direction but with focus. And purpose by a Heavenly Father towards one goal, one objective. I’d like you to come to Romans chapter 8 as we start our evening together, because nothing could be more crystal clear than our Heavenly Father’s purpose with us in Romans chapter 8, Romans 8 and verse 28. And we know.

11. 5:01

    That all things work together for good to them that love God to them who are the called according to his purpose, for whom he did for know, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first born among many brethren. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, then he also called, and whom he called, then he also justified. And whom he justified, then he also glorified. Now sometimes we have difficulty with these words when we try to grapple with the intricacies of divine predestination and human free will.

12. 5:52

    Do we really have a choice? Or are those people to be in the Kingdom already predetermined as the word predestinated means predetermined in advance. But if we read carefully, it is abundantly clear. Isn’t it what Paul is saying? Paul is not saying that we are predetermined to be in the Kingdom and our free will is actually an illusion.

13. 6:18

    He is saying that what is predetermined? Is that everyone who will be there will have been through the exact same process of transformation. We are guaranteed to all go through the same process conformed to the image of his son. What is predestinated is that we are all being shaped to have one family likeness, that he might be the first born among many brethren. This is ultimately God manifestation, isn’t it? And the spiritual mind that is life in peace. The transformed mind is the mind of his Son. The predetermined destination for all of us is the mind of Christ.

14. 7:09

    It’s not an abstract spiritual journey with no end point. We’re all heading in the same direction. Just think, brothers and sisters, of the enormity of that task. All of us are so vastly different. Our minds are wildly divergent from each other, But our Heavenly Father is slowly conforming each one of us, pressing us gently but relentlessly into the mold of the special and unique mind of His Son. God will not give up on us.

15. 7:48

    It’s an immutable principle. We won’t be there if we’re not like him. He is our inevitable destination. Just look at these references together. You know, we often say, don’t we, that we’re we’re called upon to have one mind. But it’s not just anyone’s mind. It’s not even just a common mind. It’s his mind.

16. 8:12

    Be of 1 mind is really be of Christ’s mind. We’ve read some of these before. 1st of Corinthians 2 and verse 16 we have the mind of Christ Philippians 2 which we’ll look at tonight. Let this mind be in you, which was in Christ Jesus. Well, first of Peter 4. For as much then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind.

17. 8:40

    It’s Christ’s mind. Romans 15 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like minded one toward another, according to what the margin says after the example of Jesus Christ that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God. One mind is really the mind of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is our inevitable destination. Now I’d like you to come as we start our evening together to 1st of Samuel in chapter 14.

18. 9:14

    First of Samuel in chapter 14, because there’s a really nice expression here in the story of Jonathan and his armor bearer. Now for those young people and children at the Sunday School on Sunday morning, we’d look, didn’t we, at? The fact that really the story of the Bible is the story of Jesus Christ, just with different characters and different circumstances, and there’s clues in the record to show us that it’s talking about Christ.

19. 9:49

    And most of the time, often it’ll be talking about the crucifixion of Christ. And here’s another example in First and Samuel 14 and verse four. Listen to these little phrases and between the passages. By which Jonathan sought to go over unto the Philistines Garrison. There was a sharp rock on the one side and a sharp rock on the other side.

20. 10:16

    In the name of the one was Bozes, and the name of the other was Sina. That’s a picture of the Crucifixion. Jonathan’s in the middle, and there’s a sharp rock either side. It’s typical of the two thieves. And look what Jonathan says, verse 6 unto the young man that bear his armor. Come, let us go over unto the Garrison of these Philistines, these uncircumcised it may be that Yahweh will work for us, For there is no restraint to Yahweh to save by many or by few. And his armor bearer said unto him, Do all that is in thine heart turn thee?

21. 10:52

    Behold, I am with thee according to thy heart. You know the Revised Standard Version puts it this way. And his armor bearer said unto him, Do all that thy mind inclines to behold. I am with you. As is your mind. So is mine. And in the battle against the Philistines, Jonathan the Prince is our Lord Jesus Christ, and we are his servants, his armor bearers. And this is our response to his battle cry. We are one.

22. 11:27

    We’re of the same mind we are with him in this battle against sin. What a. What a lovely thought. There’s a growing family likeness between the captain of our salvation and his armor bearers. Well, what defines the mind of Christ? What is this mind? What defines this way of thinking that we’re all striving to have? What is the?

23. 11:54

    Distinguishing characteristic of the mind of Christ. Could it be his humility? He humbled himself, and therefore God hath highly exalted him. Maybe it’s the fact that he loved righteousness and hated iniquity. Hebrews 1 says we’re for because of this God has anointed him above his brethren. Maybe it’s his compassion First of Peter says be of like mind, be of 1 mind have compassion 1 towards another.

24. 12:31

    Maybe it’s his faith. The life which I live, I live by the faith of the Son of God. Second of Thessalonians 3 And verse 5 talks about the patience of Jesus Christ. Well perhaps it’s his love. Greater love hath no man. This is a new commandment that I give unto you that you love one another as I have loved you. There was something very special, wasn’t there, about the love of Jesus Christ.

25. 13:04

    He trusted in his Heavenly Father that says that about him when he’s on the cross. In his diarist need, the characteristic that kept him going was he trusted in God. Jude talks about the mercy of Jesus Christ. It was because of the joy that he kept in the forefront of his mind that enabled him to endure. Hebrews 12, seeking A Corinthians 10, talks about the meekness and gentleness of Christ. Well, he says himself, My peace I leave with you. My peace I give unto you.

26. 13:39

    What is the distinguishing feature of this mind that makes it so special? Well, I don’t know if I can give you a definitive answer, but I’m going to suggest to you tonight that it’s none of these things. I want to share some thoughts with you on what might be at the heart at the center of this remarkable mind. And I want to start by taking you back to Mark Chapter 5 and the story of Legion where we were in our exhortation. Because.

27. 14:16

    We left something out at the end of the story of Mark chapter 5, obviously, I suppose. But we left it out and I want to go back here to this story, the giving of a spiritual mind to replace a carnal mind and see if we can see if we can pick up the threads of what is the essential characteristic of the mind of Christ. Mark chapter 5 and verse 15 and they come to Jesus. And instead of seeing Jesus, it seems that they saw him who was possessed of the devil.

28. 14:48

    He had put on Christ, and he was sitting and clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. His evil conscience, fear, shame, and concealment was replaced with a right mind, spiritual mind, calm and at peace. And the carnal mind, the reptilian mind, was sent into the animals and. Christ miraculously replaced it with a mindset.

29. 15:15

    Right now we didn’t go to 2nd of Timothy chapter one in our first class because I wanted to go there. Now out of Mark chapter 5, because this little phrase in his right mind is the Greek word Sophrenio Sophrenio and it’s almost exactly the same. As another very similar expression in second of Timothy and chapter one, so springboard out of Mark, chapter 5 in the story of Legion, the replacement of the carnal mind with a right mind, and come to 2nd of Timothy in chapter one, second of Timothy one and verse 7.

30. 16:01

    For God hath not given to us the spirit of fear, but of power. And of love and of a sound mind. And the phrase sound mind is the Greek Sophrenice Moss. It’s almost the same as Sophren Neo from Mark chapter 5 verse 15. In fact both of them mean a sound mind, a self controlled mind. Because before Legion was of unsound mind he had no control, but now he is of a sound mind and this is God’s promise. For all of us to share the mind of Christ. So if Christ shared his mind with Legion and it was a sound mind, what is it?

31. 16:51

    Well, as it happens, the New Testament talks about three types of mind, and the first one is this one here that we’ve just looked at a sound mind. 2nd of Timothy one verse 7. This is the mind of Christ. And notice how in verse 7 the Old Spirit was a spirit of fear. That’s the carnal mind, isn’t it? One of its chief attributes is fear. But now we have a sound mind.

32. 17:22

    But you know there’s another two minds or type of minds that are mentioned in the New Testament. And the second one we want to look at is on the same page. It’s at the end of First of Timothy in chapter six. Look at verse 17. Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high minded nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy.

33. 17:54

    There’s those who are high minded. These are people who have a superiority complex. They’ve got an inflated view of their own worth. Do you know Romans chapter 12 and verse 3 describes the man who thinks of himself more highly than he ought to think. In other words, he’s high minded and it goes on in in.

34. 18:20

    In Romans chapter 12 to say instead think soberly and it uses the same word as mark. Chapter 5 and verse 15 have a right mind. So Romans 12 says don’t be high minded, be sound minded. Now we don’t we know this as self righteousness. This is the person who thinks he is better than others. It’s those who are high minded.

35. 18:51

    But you see there’s another group of people and they are back in first of Thessalonians in chapter 5 and verse 14. These are the feeble minded. Just 4 pages back and we read in first of Thessalonians 5 and verse 14. Now we exhort you brethren, warn them that are unruly comfort the feeble minded. Who are the feeble minded?

36. 19:21

    Well, those are the people who have an inferiority complex. Literally, it means small souled. It’s exactly the same word actually in Proverbs 18 and verse 14 in the secturigant version where it’s translated wounded spirit. In fact, Rotherams in in Proverbs 18 and verse 14 translates that verse The spirit of a man sustaineth his sickness, but a dejected spirit who can bear it. These are people who are guilty, if you like, or who suffer from self pity.

37. 20:03

    It might look a little bit like humility, but it is self pity. These are the people who think they’re not as good. As others, have you ever felt brothers and sisters and young people just a little bit better than someone else, or not quite so good? We are experts at this. We can walk into a room and in a couple of minutes we pig ourselves on what I call the ladder of importance.

38. 20:39

    You know that women are especially good at this, and especially women in the world. Whether it’s looks or clothes, jewelry, how good your skin is, how much money you have, what your husband is like when they walk into a room in a couple of minutes, they know, don’t they, where they are on the ladder of importance. And you know, sadly, we do this in the truth as well, don’t we? I I’m a little, I’m a little better than that brother over there.

39. 21:16

    I’m a little funnier, a little smarter, and may maybe a little more spiritually minded. Maybe. Probably not as good as this brother over here. He, well, he has a real talent with words and prayers. He’s very good at approaching strangers. Preaching the truth, making friends. And he has a full head of here, whatever it is, whatever it is, We pig everybody, don’t we? And ourselves on this ladder of importance. Now I’d like you to come to 2nd of Corinthians and chapter 10, because the Apostle Paul has something very important to say about the ladder of importance.

40. 22:00

    Second of Corinthians and chapter 10. And look what Paul says in verse 12. For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves, but they measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves among themselves. Are not wise and Paul says when we do this we are not wise. Because you see both self righteousness and self pity have one thing in common they are equally self. The self-righteous eldest son was number better or by the way no worse than the self pitying prodigal son. You know, it’s really easy, isn’t it? To spot self righteousness.

41. 23:06

    We can smell self righteousness a mile away, especially in others. And sometimes self pity is also easy to see. You remember the story of King soul at Gibian under the tree first of Samuel 22 and verse 8. Why is no one sorry for me? Pathetic self pity, but you see self pity often. Masquerades under the guise of humility, self deprecation, timidness, shyness, a reserved piety. But I think we all know from our experiences in life that self pity is often the result of disappointed ambition. In wounded vanity it can be just as much self as self righteousness.

42. 24:04

    It’s just not as easy to spot, not as obvious, but in fact both the superiority complex and the inferiority complex are both pride. Both pride because they both worship self, do you know, in Hozier chapter 10, we’re told. Israel is an empty vine. He bringeth forth fruit unto himself. See the point When Christ came looking for fruit for God there was nothing.

43. 24:39

    They were laden down only with fruits for themselves, whether they were overcome by the arrogance and the pride and the self righteousness of the Jew. Or whether they were weighed down with self pity that they were dominated by the Romans. They were only concerned about worshipping and serving themselves. And the point is that neither of these extremes is the mind of Christ.

44. 25:07

    Neither is a sound mind because while we are busy measuring ourselves against each other. To either feel a little better about ourselves because we are clearly superior in some way, or to feel sorry about ourselves because we aren’t as good, We aren’t as good looking, we aren’t as wealthy, we’re not as blessed or successful either way.

45. 25:34

    We are pandering to self and the sound mind doesn’t measure itself against everybody else. It measures itself. By one yardstick, the example and the measure of Jesus Christ, Ephesians 4, verse 13. Till we all come unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. And wow do we fall short.

46. 26:07

    Brothers and sisters, there’s no pandering to self when we compare ourselves only with him. When we only use Him as our measure, our yardstick on the ladder of importance. Because if there is one characteristic that defines the sound mind, the mind of Christ, as opposed to the two thieves that are flanking him on either side that are all about self, it is that the sound mind is all about putting self to death.

47. 26:46

    A sound mind, The mind of Christ does not indulge in self righteousness, nor does it wallow in self pity. It kills self, it crucifies it. It puts self to death. And I’m going to suggest that tonight this is the chief characteristic, the central principle. The defining quality of the mind of Christ. Remember what Romans 15 and verse three says.

48. 27:18

    Even Christ pleased not himself. It’s the essence of his mind. It’s a summary of his thinking. This is what made the mind of Christ so unique in the history of the world, so valuable in the eyes of God it puts self to death.

49. 27:39

    You know, sometimes we think it’s got to be enormously complicated and difficult to understand just because it’s so difficult to do. But actually it’s so simple and out of this essential characteristics brings everything else that we might normally think of as the qualities of the mind of Christ. Just think about it if you put yourself to death, or if Christ when Christ put himself to death. Of course he can exhibit humility and meekness because he’s put himself to death.

50. 28:15

    He’s empty of himself. Of course he can show care and love and compassion if he’s put himself to death. The only thing to trust in, to have faith in, is in his Heavenly Father. Of course he can be free to have mercy. It all springs out of the fact that he put himself to death every day.

51. 28:35

    He was free from the bondage of serving. Or trusting in self. And So what happened on Golgotha on the cross was just a gruesome symbol, wasn’t it? Of what he had done to his own carnal mind every day. He didn’t really put sin to death, because then while self could have been triumphant, it could be construed that self had had the victory. No, he put self to death.

52. 29:07

    Our Lord understood the extraordinary freedom that comes from a life where self is not king, where the tyrant that is. Our carnal mind is crucified each day, every moment. That’s why, isn’t it? We celebrate every Sunday morning this principle in the breaking of bread and drinking of wine. First of Corinthians 11 says we come to show the Lord’s death. Till he come, we declare publicly a grand and abiding truth.

53. 29:40

    He put himself to death. His central principle never wavered. Not my will, but thine be done. He was prepared to utterly become subject to his father’s will, because his own was dead. He’s what brother LG Sergeant says in his book. On this very subject, the sound mind. A mind is sound when it is humbled and brought into subjection by being centered on one outside itself. It happens when we put ourselves to death and center our affections on something other than ourself. Perhaps the truest definition would be that wherever a false center.

54. 30:32

    Is set up in the mind, attracting to that spot more than its due share of emotional energy. The mind is unsound. So this is the new center of our minds, death to self. If we allow self to creep back to the center from either side, then our minds become unsound. They are no longer scented, rooted, grounded on one outside ourselves. Now we know that death to self is the central principle of our Lord’s mind, because these two thieves on each side, these two unsound ways of thinking, have very similar results on our faith.

55. 31:20

    In fact, they’re both toxic to our ability to trust God. Albeit for different reasons. And let me show you how. If we are subject to high mindedness or self righteousness, do you know that really becomes well, we’re characterized by trusting in ourselves. We’re so self absorbed that we trust ourselves. Remember the parable of the self-righteous Pharisee and Luke 18 and verse 9? I thank thee that I am not as other men are. It was said to condemn those who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others. But you see the people who are feeble minded, these people feel so sorry for themselves, that’s so self absorbed in their own problems that they can’t, they’re not. They can’t find it in themselves to trust God. In fact, Psalm 72 verse 2078, verse 22 describes the wilderness generation as being so feeble in faith that they trusted not in God’s salvation.

56. 32:32

    So the high minded people trust in themselves and the feeble minded people can’t trust in God. Both of these ways of thinking are toxic to faith. Self, whether it’s self righteousness or self pity, robs us of our ability to have faith. And remember we said that the carnal mind was like being without faith.

57. 32:54

    It’s essential to have faith and both of these ways of thinking robust of the ability to have faith. Look at the difference in the middle. This is second to Corinthians chapter one and verse 9. But we had the sentence. The margin says the answer. Of death in ourselves that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead there it is the answer of death to ourselves. We don’t trust in ourselves because we have put ourselves to death.

58. 33:30

    It’s the answer. It is the answer. It is the central defining characteristic of the mind of Christ. It’s the only thing that enables us to trust. In God and not in ourselves. Well, I’d like you to come to John chapter 8, because this is how our Lord Jesus Christ puts it. And it’s so clear, so clear. John chapter 8 and verse 28,

59. 34:08

    John 8 and verse 28. And just listen to these words and see if you can see a progression of thought, then said Jesus unto them. When ye have lifted up the son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself. But as my father hath taught me, I speak these things, and he that sent me is with me.

60. 34:36

    The Father hath not left me alone, for I do always those things that please him. As he spiked these words, many believed on him. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him. If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed, and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. See the progression when we realize that it has nothing to do with our self.

61. 35:05

    Verse 28 That of our self we can do nothing. In fact, the only thing we can do is put ourselves to death when we realize that. We give up pleasing ourselves and we seek only to please Him. Verse 29 And when we do that, we get freedom, verse 32 freedom from ourself, the carnal mind.

62. 35:28

    It’s so simple. This is God’s promise explained for us, death to self. And so the epistles are abundantly clear. With a very consistent message as to what Christ did to self. Romans 15 and verse 3 But even Christ pleased not himself. Galatians one He gave himself for our sins. Ephesians 5 given himself an offering in a sacrifice. Philippians 2.

63. 36:02

    He made himself of no reputation. He humbled himself to the death. Of the cross first of Timothy two. He gave himself a ransom. He glorified not himself. He offered up himself, he sacrificed himself. He in himself bear ass sins. It’s not an exhaustive list, but it’s clear, isn’t it? He sacrificed and humbled and offered up himself.

64. 36:29

    This is the defining characteristic of his mind. He put self to death. Because you see, when we tease out this idea just a little further, this is the solution, isn’t it? To the oldest battle in the history of the world. If you cast your minds back to Genesis Chapter 3, where we have the first battle of wills, the first rivalry of ideas, this is how Christ brought a solution to that first battle. When Eve listened to the serpent and took the fruit and ate, it wasn’t just that she disobeyed.

65. 37:11

    It was far, far more at stake in the Garden of Eden than just a piece of fruit. This was a battle over who got to decide what was right and wrong. It was really a battle for who would be God and when Eve took the fruit. She was in effect saying, I know God has commanded this and that, but I am the absolute arbiter of what is right and wrong, and I will worship myself, the creature, more than the creator. It was the first instance of idolatry and we know, don’t we, that God is 1.

66. 37:57

    He cannot tolerate another God beside himself. So the punishment for Eve and for Adam had to be death. Had to be, because this was a question of supremacy. Who would be God? Just who would be the sole source of truth in an Eve’s deceived mind? She chose herself. She didn’t put herself to death.

67. 38:21

    She grasped at equality with the angels. She pleased herself. She glorified herself. She set herself up as a rival God. And so when Christ came and he thought it not a thing to be grasped at to be equal with God, he reversed the thinking of the entire human race. He handed over complete supremacy to his Father. He ended the battle, the battle for the mind, and he gave the victory to his heavenly Father.

68. 38:57

    You know, I think sometimes I don’t know about you, but I know this is true. In my own life. I think sometimes we deceive ourselves into what the battle for our minds really actually is. This is how I kind of imagined life before kind of looked like this. There was God on the one hand, everything that was right and true.

69. 39:24

    And there was evil. The thinking of the serpent, on the other hand. And here I was in the middle, and I had to make a choice. I had to decide, would I give my life to God, or would I abandon myself to the thinking of the world and evil. But you know, that picture there is utterly false. That’s not true at all.

70. 39:46

    This is the truth. Certainly God is one side of the picture, but it’s not really evil. It’s us. It’s self, actually. It’s God versus self. That’s the great battle, not God versus evil. When we’re in the middle making some grand decision which way we will fall off the fence. No, this is a battle between God and our own minds.

71. 40:18

    Fact This is how Philippians 3 puts it. For many are the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly and whose glory is in their shame. Who mind earthly things. The people who mind earthly things are the people that worship themselves. Their God is themselves their own belly. This is a battle between God.

72. 40:48

    And self. And see how simple it is. If we put self to death, then in the battle for the mind only God can win. So the portrait of the carnal mind is really worship of self, worship of ourselves as God.

73. 41:12

    Look at this. Here’s two lists of sins. One of them is from Second of Timothy chapter 3 and verses one to four which describe perilous times coming.

74. 41:25

    And as an aside, that word perilous only occurs twice in the New Testament, and the other time it’s used is Matthew chapter 8 and verse 28 where it’s translated fierce in describing Legion. It’s the portrait of a demented carnal reprobate mind, fierce the fierce mind of legion, perilous times and Romans. Chapter one is really the portrait of a reprobate mind itself.

75. 41:59

    Very similar lists. We won’t go through them, but look what stands out when you compare these two lists. Second of Timothy 3 talks about men who are lovers of their own selves. In Romans chapter one talks about haters of God. They are one in the same thing. We hate God because we love ourselves.

76. 42:27

    See how clear that is? We love ourselves and we hate God. We can’t serve 2 masters. The ancient battle of for the mind begun in Genesis 3, Who will be God still rages down the ages of time. We either love God or ourselves, you know, it says of a lie. Who in when he when his anger was kindled against Job and Job 32 and verse two, he got angry against Job because he saw that Job was justifying himself rather than God.

77. 42:59

    It’s simple, isn’t it? We either serve him or our self. And Christ came to end the conflict, to lay down the sword to fight no more. He put self to death. What are mine, brothers and sisters? No wonder our Heavenly Father loved that boy. No wonder his blood was precious blood, the power that lies in a full self sacrifice. John chapter 10 and verse 17 says, Therefore doth my father loved me because I laid down my life. He put self to death and the value of that sacrifice was priceless, priceless in the eyes of God. Remember what we said on the weekend about all the no man prophecies?

78. 43:52

    God was looking, wasn’t he, for the perfect sacrifice that could take away sins. And there was no man. There was no man. There was no man. And finally, as our Lord sacrificed himself, our Heavenly Father received a person, a mind who had put himself to death. Finally, there was a man. You know.

79. 44:17

    Isn’t this the power of the new commandment? When we think about it just a little bit, we’ve got an instinctive brain and the new commandment says love. We say, of course I I’m very familiar with that. I love myself very fine with that. No, no, you need to love one another. Oh well, I can probably stretch my love for myself to include a few other people, my family and a few friends.

80. 44:50

    No, no, no. You need to love one another as I have loved you. This is a calling that goes from self preservation to self sacrifice. It’s a whole new paradigm, a whole new way of thinking. Happiness, fulfillment, joy and freedom will never come by loving ourselves more, by buying more things, by indulging in self righteousness. Or wallowing and self pity by being totally obsessed about ourselves.

81. 45:24

    Jeremiah says about mankind it is not in man to direct his steps. Jeremiah 10 verse 23. It will only come from being like him as I have loved you sacrificing self. It’s what Paul describes in Romans chapter 12 and verse one. Remember just before we talked about metamorphosis the other day? He says present your bodies a living sacrifice.

82. 45:51

    And he puts his finger right on the key. If we want to transform our minds in our lives to be like Christ, we have to do what he did, be a living sacrifice of ourselves daily. Actually, it’s exactly what Christ said himself. Let’s. Touchdown in the Gospels, in Matthew’s Gospel in chapter 16, and just consider what our Lord said to Peter

83. 46:31

    Matthew chapter 16. And let’s just read a few verses beginning from verse 21. From that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples how he must go unto Jerusalem and suffer. Many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the 3rd day. Then Peter took him and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord, this shall not be unto thee. But he turned and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan, thou art an offence unto me. For thou savorest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

84. 47:22

    Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it, and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?

85. 47:48

    Well, what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Do you know? The word savorest? There in verse 23 literally means mindest. Young’s literal translation puts it this way. That does not mind. The things of God, it’s so clear, we’re either minding the things of God or of men of ourselves self here Peter was frustrating the purpose of Christ’s mind to go through with the cross.

86. 48:20

    Christ was determined to put self to death. And Peter was saying no, no, no, no, no, no, you don’t have to do that. But putting self to death was an immutable principle of Christ’s mind. Peter was going to be taken on that journey by his Lord as his master relentlessly impressed upon his good friend’s mind the unchangeability of this principle.

87. 48:50

    Death to self. Do you know in Luke 22, in the upper room, Peter was going to loudly proclaim I’m ready to die with you, Lord, only for Christ to declare. But not not only would he not die for him, but he would run away and fail miserably three times in one night in the garden just hours later it was Peter who drew out his sword in self-defense, only for Christ to gently put it back in the scabbard with a reproving look and heal the man’s ear.

88. 49:28

    Peter, we’re not here for self-defense. Be here to put self to death in the courtyard. Peter was going to save his own skin before admitting he knew anything about the Galilean preacher, only for Christ to give him a look that would haunt his dreams for the rest of his life as he willingly went to his own death.

89. 49:53

    Oh yes, Peter, he would learn this letter, this lesson by and by and by his own death, his own death. Glorify God. And so verse 24 is going to be Christ’s answer to Peter. Deny self. Take up the cross. Take up the cross. This is language of crucifixion. It’s not just a metaphor.

90. 50:20

    Like a nice way of speaking. Christ knew. He knew he would die by crucifixion because later on, just a few chapters later in chapter 20 and verse 19, he makes that abundantly clear. This was not just a metaphor or manner of speaking. Taking up the cross meant one thing in the mind of Christ, Death, Death.

91. 50:43

    Luke 9 verse 23 adds, as we know, take up the cross daily to the point verse 25. Where we lose our life. See the point? Now it’s clear that there are two parts to these instructions by Christ in verse 24. And this is like a well, kind of like a chiasmus ABBA. Firstly, we have those things that are negative.

92. 51:12

    Put off the old man. It’s the things in the middle. Deny himself, take up his cross. That’s death to self. And secondarily, on the outside, we have what’s positive. Put on the Newman come after me, follow me, Life to Christ. And clearly both are necessary. We’ll talk about this a little more later in our last study. But it is also powerfully true that we cannot truly follow if we’re not holding a cross, if we wish to be a disciple. Death to self is not.

93. 51:50

    An optional step. It’s not something that’s just advisable. It’s not something we’re not at liberty to choose. This step or not putting ourselves to death is an immutable principle of having His mind. It’s at the very core of who we are as followers of Him. We are His disciples only if we carry crosses on which we have crucified ourselves.

94. 52:20

    And what he did in crucifixion, In fact, we his followers do in principle. Do you know when Paul came to Corinth in first of Corinthians 2IN verse two he said, I’m determined to know nothing among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified. It was the essence of everything putting self to death. This central principle is at the very heart, the core, the center of what we describe as the mind of Christ. It’s the key to discipleship, happiness, freedom. It’s God’s way to freedom from ourselves, death to self. This is how Brother Dennis Gillett puts it in his book, just on the second page of Genius of Discipleship. A central thing is the denial of self. It is utterly radical.

95. 53:26

    Denial of self is the inward thing. Taking up the cross daily is an external manifestation of the inward condition. To talk of it is not to realize it. To write about it is not to achieve it. The use of the word daily emphasizes that it is not just a theory, but something that is real and practical. In practice it means giving unhindered access to the master into every chamber and especially into every dark corner.

96. 54:04

    To think of that possibility might make some of us feel ashamed, but at the same time. May do us some good beautiful words. We started our class in Romans chapter 8 and before we conclude in Philippians, I’d like you just to come back through Romans chapter 8 and see how clear this is now in Romans chapter 8 in verse 29 we saw, didn’t we, that it was God’s will to conform us.

97. 54:47

    Gently but relentlessly into the shape, the image, the family likeness, the mind of his Son, He desperately wants all his children in the Kingdom. He wants to give us the mind of Christ. And so verse 31 to 39, if we just paraphrase it together, what should we say to these things? If God’s for us, who will be against us? He didn’t even spare his own Son. Nobody offered him up.

98. 55:18

    He’ll freely give us all things. Who’s going to accuse us? God that justifies us? Who’s going to condemn us? Christ that died? Yeah, rather that’s risen and sits at the right hand of God, the one that makes intercession for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ. Not tribulation or distress or persecution or nakedness or anything of these outside circumstances, No. I’m persuaded, verse 38.

99. 55:48

    Nothing, neither death, nor life, nor angels, principalities, powers, things present, things to come, high depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. There’s only one thing, one thing that stands in the way of God’s purpose with us, brothers and sisters.

100. 56:16

     And it’s not another creature. It’s ourselves. We need to get rid of ourselves. The only solution is to put ourselves to death. That’s Paul’s plea right here in Romans chapter 8. Get yourself out of the way of God’s transforming power, and he will do great things in our lives. You know, it’s exactly the same when we that we looked at in our last session back in Romans chapter 12. If we want to be transformed, if we want to have our minds renewed, then the very next verse in Romans 12 says don’t think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, Get ourselves out of God’s way, you know, This is a wonderful quote from Brother John Marshall in his book Portrait of the Saint. There is always the danger that our ego, the eye, the self in each of us will continue to assert itself and so frustrate our spiritual purposes as to destroy our hope of life everlasting.

101. 57:29

     Whilst it’s true, brothers and sisters, that we need to put off the old man and we need to be clothed with the Newman. You know what the reality is for us? The reality is that our part is just simply to put the old man to death. The new man in us, the mind of Christ, is God’s work. He creates that in us.

102. 57:56

     We become a new creature in him. It’s like the Caterpillar that we looked at on Sunday. Our job is just to eat, eat, eat. And then we hang upside down. We put ourselves to death, and God changes us into a butterfly. He creates something new in us. We are transformed by His power, not our own. Our job is just to put ourselves to death, get ourselves out of the way so that Christ can be formed in us. And if we asked ourselves honestly, honestly, what will stop us?

103. 58:38

     From developing the mind of Christ? What’s going to hinder our spiritual progress? What’s going to prevent us from getting into God’s Kingdom? The answer is not a lack of love or mercy or willingness to transform from God. The answer is not a lack of empathy or compassion or intercession from Christ. It’s us. It’s ourselves.

104. 59:06

     We are the problem, not the solution. If we want transformation, if we want life and peace, we need to get ourselves out of the way, put ourselves to death. And do you know what the ironic thing is? The irony of it is, is that if we put ourselves to death, we are actually only doing what God.

105. 59:33

     Has determined to ultimately do to our carnal minds anyway. We’re not doing anything special. God was already going to destroy the carnal mind in us. That’s his promise. We’re not doing anything special of ourselves. We’re just being asked to put ourselves to death. You know, It’s beautifully summarized actually, in. Chapter 8 of Romans and verse 13. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die, but if ye through the Spirit, do mortify the deeds of the body, put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live. So simple lucky to come.

106. 1:00:21

     In conclusion to our reading in Philippines 2 where Paul is going to lay this out in unblinking clarity. If it wasn’t clear before what the central defining characteristic of the mind of Christ was, this really, I suppose, is the quintessential section in the New Testament about the mind of Christ. And see how wonderfully simple and consistent these things are with what we’ve already seen this evening. Philippians Chapter 2 and verse one. If there be there for any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bells and mercies, fulfill ye my joy, that ye be like minded having the same love, being of 1 accord of 1 mind, let nothing be done through strife or vain glory, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other.

107. 1:01:27

     Better than themselves. Look, not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. And if we were to ask ourselves what mind the answer is, well, it’s the mind at the end of verse 3. It’s a mind that esteems other better than ourselves.

108. 1:01:56

     Now you might not know this, but the word better in verse three actually is a very interesting word and it actually means hyper better. In fact, it’s used three times in Philippians. It’s translated in chapter 3 and verse eight as Excellency, and it’s translated in chapter 4 and verse seven as passive. All understanding, it has the idea of beyond value. This is the key When we esteem everybody else better than ourselves, it’s not just a shade better. It’s not just a touch better.

109. 1:02:38

     It’s not just a smidgen better than ourselves. It’s passing all excellence for value. This is a complete change of mindset. Do you know why, brothers and sisters? Because if we have put ourselves to death, there is not a single person who’s alive who’s not of infinitely more value because we’re dead and they’re alive. See Paul’s point?

110. 1:03:14

     This is a complete change of mindset. Now, you might think that verse 5 is an impossibility. I mean, how could Christ honestly think that others were better than himself when, well, he knew the truth about men? He knew what was in men. How could Christ think, honestly that other people were better than himself?

111. 1:03:41

     Did he just have to pretend that others were better than himself? How was this mind in Christ? And the answer is that the Greek word for mind is the word fronio, and it means thinking. But the diaglot translates it as disposition. Disposition. It’s an attitude. It’s an A disposition that implies a choice, and Christ chose. To think a certain way, look at all the words that speak of choice.

112. 1:04:19

     He made himself of no reputation. He took upon himself the form of a servant. He humbled himself. He became obedient. It was all his choice. He volunteered to have this mind. He chose to have this disposition, Despite his greatness he chose. To think like this verse seven He made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant was made in the likeness of men, and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. He made himself of no reputation. Do you know literally those words mean he emptied himself. He voluntarily stripped himself of self importance. Do you know Isaiah puts it this way? He poured out his soul.

113. 1:05:25

     He emptied his soul unto death. Isaiah 53 and verse 12. This was his disposition, his unique attitude in the history of the world, filled with billions of people obsessed about themselves. And he emptied himself of self. He put himself to death, and Philippians chapter 2 is going to outline the deepening levels of Christ’s humility.

114. 1:05:58

     He could have enjoyed a divine status above every other human being because he was God’s son. Verse 6 But he acknowledged. That his humanity made him just like every other man. Verse 7. But he chose to volunteer to be not just like every other man, but the bond slave of everyone. Verse 7 And more than that, he humbled himself further, not just to be lower than everybody else, but to.

115. 1:06:41

     Die for them, verse 8. But not to Not just to die. It was not to be an honorable death. The death of a hero, a legend, a martyr with a grand monument to honor his great deeds. This man volunteered to die. The death of an abject criminal outside the rubbish dump of Jerusalem. Rejected, Despised, Lonely.

116. 1:07:10

     Abandoned, ridiculed, spat on. Let that mind be in. You see the point here is a man who willingly put himself to death in the most humiliating, embarrassing, painful way, so that everyone coming after could be an absolutely no doubt. As to what was deserving to self and the only way he could go through with such a humiliating experience is because self was already dead. So Philippians chapter 2 is very clear. The mind of Christ is characterized by a lifelong journey in which we slowly progress in our thinking. We esteem others better than ourselves. Verse 3.

117. 1:08:09

     To the point that we don’t even look to our own interests anymore, verse 4. To the point that we abandon our own reputation and importance. Verse 7. To the point that we volunteer to become the slaves of everybody else, Verse 7. To the point that we put ourselves to death in order to help others.

118. 1:08:46

     This is the essence of having His mind in us. This is being conformed to His image. This is following in his footsteps. This is the great calling of discipleship. This is the secret to the truth being prepared to be conformed to his example of death to self. This is the glorious liberty, the immense freedom of the mind of Christ.

119. 1:09:13

     Have you ever asked yourself or wondered, how could he concentrate enough to do just his father’s will and never once rebel? How could he go without sleep for an entire night in prayer and didn’t carry on the next day without being grumpy or easily irritated? How could he just keep giving and giving and giving to the crowds, endlessly teaching, healing the sick?

120. 1:09:45

     Well, he’d learned the secret brothers and sisters of being dead to himself, of not pleasing himself. This is the essential characteristic of his mind, and it’s our inevitable destination. As we submit to God’s mighty hand, patiently conforming us all to His image, as hard as it is brothers and sisters and young people on our own egos, this is the standard He is set for us.

121. 1:10:18

     Let this mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus. Well, what a fantastic night tonight. Thanks Brother Nathan. Very simple message. In the end, a a clear change, a complete change of our mindset. Lots to think about, lots to chat about over supper and over the next few days, over the the the course of the special effort and actually by the Nathan just finished.

122. 1:10:48

     As I was thinking during tonight, what would the world think if they came in tonight and listened to this message? They would think. They would think. You’re a bit of a loony, I think. Just it’s not it’s not about us. It’s about everyone else. And I think that’s the power and and I guess it’s a simple message but it’s really hard sometimes to put into practice.

123. 1:11:08

     So completely opposite to what we get bombarded to out there in the world. But it’s a very important message and of course as we conclude there how much freedom that we have in Christ because of this.