Keeping Christ in Mind (1)
“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 2:5 (KJV)
Over the next few weeks, we are going to take a look at our minds, this marvellous gift that has so much potential within us for good and evil. We begin with this profound statement of Paul in the book of Philippians which gives us the most beautiful and challenging picture.
The Greek word used here for “mind” refers not merely to thinking, but to a whole mindset, a pattern of inner disposition. It is radically counter-cultural, especially in a world that prizes self-promotion, power, and recognition. It’s a relationship that fits in perfectly with the two hemispheres of the single brain. The left hemisphere is often associated with logical reasoning, language processing, and analytical tasks, while the right hemisphere tends to oversee creativity, spatial awareness, and emotional intuition. Despite their functional differences, both hemispheres work in harmony, interconnected by the brain’s communication bridge, ensuring an integrated experience of thought, perception, and action.
Christ comes to us by the Spirit, to live within us and bring us into a special and unique part in the whole creative passage of God’s universe.
Carl Jung (Psychiatrist and Psychoanalyst) said “Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams, who looks inside, awakes.”
To adopt the mind of Christ is to begin a lifelong journey of God-awareness, self-loving – not self-loathing, and a releasing of self- entitlement, and control. Jesus didn’t think equality with God was something to grasp. He didn’t need to prove anything. Instead, He trusted the Father’s purpose and poured Himself out in love.
This is the example he now urges us to follow,
The mind of Christ, then, is not only humble but hopeful. It knows that sacrificial love will ultimately be vindicated.
For us, this has both a personal and communal challenge. Personally, we are invited to examine where pride, fear, or self-preservation rule our thinking. What might it mean for me to “let go” today—to serve without needing recognition, to surrender without knowing the outcome?
Communally, Paul’s words are written to a church. He urges believers to be “like-minded,” sharing the same love, being united in spirit and purpose. The mind of Christ is not a private virtue but a shared culture. Imagine a church where everyone chooses humility, serves freely, and looks not to their own interests but to the interests of others. Such a church would reflect the very heart of Christ.
Let this mind be in you. Let it shape your thoughts, your actions, your relationships. We pray: “Come Spirit of the living God and live your life in me.”