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If we would know Christ as the pattern, we should let the mind which was in Christ Jesus be in us—Phil. 2:5:
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We need to take Christ's mind as our mind, opening ourselves to “let this mind” be in us—vv. 3-5:
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This in verse 5 refers to the considering in verse 3 and the regarding in verse 4.
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Lowliness of mind is in contrast to both selfish ambition and vainglory (v. 3); this must not be our natural lowliness but the lowliness of Christ (v. 8).
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This kind of mind, this kind of thinking, was in Christ when He emptied Himself and humbled Himself—vv. 7-8.
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To have “this mind” requires us to be one with Christ in His inward parts, in His tender, inward feeling and in His thinking—1:8.
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For the mind of Christ to be in us means that this mind is something living; actually, the mind of Christ is Christ Himself, for the person of Christ is manifested in His mind—2:5; cf. 1 Cor. 2:16, footnote 1.
Morning Nourishment
Phil. 2:3-5 Doing nothing by way of selfish ambition nor by way of vainglory, but in lowliness of mind considering one another more excellent than yourselves; not regarding each his own virtues, but each the virtues of others also. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.Chapter 2 of Philippians contains several crucial points. The first is found in verse 5, which says, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” This verse is similar to Colossians 3:16, which says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.” Something that can dwell in you must be living. The word there is personified; it is the word as a person. We must let this person dwell in us. For the mind which was in Christ Jesus to be in us means that this mind is something living. To translate this phrase as “take the mind of Christ” or “possess the mind of Christ” would be to lose the proper significance of this verse. The mind of Christ actually is just Christ Himself. However, Paul does not say, “Let Christ be in you.” Rather, he says to let this mind, this particular mind which was in Christ Jesus, be in you. (CWWL, 1985, vol. 3, “Elders' Training, Book 6: The Crucial Points of the Truth in Paul's Epistles,” p. 521)
Today's Reading
The subject of the book of Philippians is the experience of Christ. This book first tells us in chapter 1 that we need the all-inclusive, bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Furthermore, this bountiful supply is for us to live Christ and to magnify Christ. The means for us to live Christ is the bountiful supply of the Spirit. Following this, chapter 2 gives us another point concerning our experience of Christ. The second means for us to experience Christ is to let the living mind that was in Christ Jesus be in us. There is in the universe a living mind, a mind that Paul calls “this mind.” This living mind is waiting for you to open yourself up and let Him in. It is not simply that you take Christ as a pattern to imitate Him. The point here is that the Christ whom we experience is very practical and available. His mind especially is so living and active.In Paul's writings he sometimes refers to Christ's meekness and Christ's gentleness (2 Cor. 10:1). However, meekness and gentleness are not personified. But here His mind is likened to a person. You cannot say that the meekness or the gentleness of Christ dwell in you. Paul does not use this expression. Rather, he says to let this mind which is in Christ Jesus be in you. This means, practically speaking, the person of Christ is manifested in His mind. We must take the practical Christ. He is living, and His mind is living and waiting for us to open to Him. We must open ourselves to let such a mind be in us.
Once we let the living mind of Christ be in us, this mind will transform us. Ephesians 4:23 says that we need to be renewed in the spirit of our mind, and Romans 12:2 says, “Be transformed by the renewing of the mind.” The renewed mind, the mind with the spirit, is the mind indwelt by the mind of Christ. This mind which was in Christ is a transforming mind, a renewing mind. To have the mind of Christ in us is for our transformation. We do not merely follow Christ's steps outwardly, but we let Christ's living mind be in us inwardly to transform us. By this we will live a life that is a mingled life, a life of divinity mingled with humanity.
Christ is revealed here [in Philippians 2] to be both God and man. The life lived by this God-man is a mingled life. It is not an exchanged life but two lives in one union. He was God, yet He did not live in the form of God. Rather, He took the form of a slave and was found in fashion as a man. Such a one was God living in humanity with the form of a slave in the fashion of a man….For thirty-three and a half years He was found in the fashion of a man. His living was His work. In Philippians 3:9 Paul desired to “be found in Him.” In chapter 2 Christ was found in the fashion of a man, and in chapter 3 Paul desired to be found in Him. This refers to his living. (CWWL, 1985, vol. 3, “Elders' Training, Book 6: The Crucial Points of the Truth in Paul's Epistles,” pp. 522-523)
Further Reading: CWWL, 1985, vol. 3, “Elders' Training, Book 6: The Crucial Points of the Truth in Paul's Epistles,” ch. 7