Christ The Universal Goal In Living The Paschal Mystery

Reference scripture: Philippians 3: 4-14, 'Christ the one goal in the apostle Paul's life'


The paschal mystery describes the truth not yet understood, that is still unfolding about Christ, the Lamb of God, who came down from heaven, and became fully incarnate and fully manifested in Jesus Christ. It describes the truth not understood, that is still unfolding about the presence and regenerative work of Christ, the Lamb of God, in every human life. It is the mystery and truth about mankind passing from slavery to sin, in the mind of the flesh, into the glorious freedom of God's love, through faith in Christ, the image and likeness of God, in the spiritual body of Jesus Christ, and the spiritual body of every person (Genesis 1:26-27, Colossians 1:26-27).

In today's Epistle Philippians 3:4-6, the apostle Paul chooses to abandon his contemplation and trust in the false goals of mind of the flesh. He chose to centers his faith and religious practice in encountering and developing a personal relationship with the invisible, universal, indwelling Christ of Faith as his true goal. In the mind of the spirit, he followed Jesus Christ in living the Paschal Mystery. To Paul, the false goals of the mind of the flesh include the tradition of circumcision, in his religion his status as a Pharisee, his ethnic and cultural heritage an Israelite of the tribe of Benjamin. Concerning his falsely directed zeal, in the mind of the flesh, he persecuted the initial followers of Jesus Christ. Paul abandoned the false righteousness of keeping the letter and rejecting the spirit of God's universal law.

Paul chose to encounter and develop a personal relationship with Christ, by self-denial, taking up his cross daily, and following Jesus Christ in living the paschal mystery (Philippians 3:7). He recognized the universal excellency of the of Jesus Christ, as Messiah, Way-shower and Lord (Philippians 3:8). Paul welcomed and experienced the fear, suffering and loss of the mind of flesh for the sake of following Jesus Christ. He based his faith, true goal and righteousness in seeking and serving the universal indwelling Christ of Faith, the image and likeness of God, in the spiritual body of the historical Jesus, himself and all persons. Paul's righteousness is based on following Jesus Christ in living the Paschal mystery (Philippians 3:9).

 Paul's true goal was to know Jesus Christ, as the way, the truth and the life in spiritual resurrection from the spiritual death of the mind of the flesh. He desired to share fellowship in the historical Jesus', suffering and allowing death of the mind of the flesh (Philippians 3:10-12). He sought to experience and manifest  Christ likeness by following Jesus Christ in living the Paschal Mystery, in the mind of the spirit. Paul pressed toward the mark of the high calling of being born from above by casting down and casting out the mind of the flesh. In the mind of the spirit, he sought spiritual formation, spiritual growth and spiritual maturity in Christ (Philippians 3:13-14).


Do you like the apostle Paul, desire to be delivered from slavery to sin, in the mind of the flesh? Are you willing with God's help to suffer and allow the casting down and casting out of the mind of the flesh in your soul, heart, mind, relationships and life? Do you desire to practice kingdom living here on earth as it is in heaven, in the mind of the spirit (Matthew 6:9-10).  Will you seek spiritual resurrection, spiritual formation, spiritual growth and spiritual maturity by following Jesus Christ in living the Paschal Mystery, within a witnessing paschal faith community?

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Follow Jesus' Mindset In Living The Paschal Mystery

Scripture Text: Philippians 2:1-13, 'The mindset of Jesus Christ'.

In living the paschal mystery, Christ-centered believers in all traditions, religions, cultures, ethnic and secular groups are encouraged to follow the example of Jesus Christ. The paschal mystery is mankind deliverance from slavery to sin, in the bondage, suffering, limitation and death of mind of the flesh. It is mankind passing over into the freedom, joy, infinite possibilities and eternal life of Christ, in the mind of the spirit. Christ in the context of today's discussion is the invisible image and likeness of God, in the spiritual body of Jesus Christ and all persons (Genesis 1:26-27, Colossians 1:26-27).  

In today's Epistle Philippians 2:1-13, believers are admonished to know, follow and imitate the mindset of the historical Jesus Christ, in their daily lives. They are advised to embrace Jesus' Christ-centered faith and total dependence as Messiah, on the Godhead (John 5:19, 30; 17:20-21). In the mind of the spirit, like Jesus Christ, they are encouraged to discern and appropriate their unity with the Godhead in Christ (John 10:30). In the meekness and humility of the mind of the spirit, they are to follow Jesus in allowing the full incarnation of the Godhead in their soul, mind, emotions, bodies, lives and relationships. They are admonished to imitate Jesus' obedience in manifesting God's vision of kingdom living on earth, as it is in heaven (Philippians 2:5)

In the mind of the spirit, Jesus Christ discerned that he was called and empowered by the Godhead to be the full incarnation and manifestation of Christ of Faith. Jesus revealed the Christ of Faith, as God's image and likeness, the Divine presence, in the human spirit, soul, mind, emotions and flesh. Jesus Christ reveal, taught and modeled mankind's hidden oneness with the Godhead, through the Divine pre-existent Christ of Faith, in the spiritual body of Jesus Christ and all persons (John 1:1-5, Philippians 2:6)

The bible declares that Jesus Christ is the image, likeness, full incarnation and full manifestation of the Godhead in human flesh (Colossians 2:9).  Jesus Christ emptied himself of the mind of the flesh. In his self-denial and self-sacrifice, Jesus allowed and embraced the full incarnation and manifestation of the eternal Christ of Faith, in his life. In the mind of the spirit, Jesus modeled God's universal plan of Christ-centered, Holy Spirit based faith, meekness, humility, obedience, worship and service, in human flesh (Philippians 2:7)

Jesus' sacrificial gift of his life on the cross, for the whole world is described in John 3:14-18. To believe in and bow to the name of Jesus is to discern in the life, message and ministry of Jesus Christ, God's universal Way, God's Truth, God's Life and God's eternal plan, for mankind's deliverance from slavery to sin. It is the recognition that Jesus taught and modeled the mind of the spirit, which is needed for mankind to pass over into the freedom, grace, love, glory and truth, of the Godhead, through in indwelling Christ of Faith, in the spiritual body of Jesus Christ and all persons (John 14:5-7). In the Gospel of Christ, repentance, the cross and resurrection are central. The way of the cross, crossing out the mind of the flesh, always leads home. 

In his resurrection and his ascension, God has exalted the name of Jesus above every name. Jesus Christ in his physical death fully crossed out the mind of the flesh. In his physical resurrection and ascension, Jesus Christ fully revealed and embraced the mind of the spirit. Jesus Christ is rightfully called mankind's Savior, Lord and Master.

Jesus Christ has revealed God's universal plan and model for mankind's Christ-centered, Holy Spirit-based worship, within Christ-centered, witnessing paschal faith communities. He has revealed the hidden kingdom of heaven amongst us, within us and in the midst of all persons. In living the Paschal Mystery, Jesus Christ fully manifested the life, suffering, death, resurrection, ascension and dominion of the universal Christ of Faith, in the spiritual body of the historical Jesus and all persons. Jesus Christ is Messiah and Lord, to the glory of Godhead (Philippians 2:8). 

Jesus taught and modeled God's love and abiding relationship with all Christ-centered, Holy Spirit-based witnessing paschal faith communities. He modeled mankind's ideal response to God's call for all mankind to work out one's own salvation with Godly fear and trembling. Believers who in the mind of the spirit follow Jesus Christ in living the Paschal Mystery, will know and fulfill God's good pleasure (Philippians 2: 9-13)

By embracing and imitating the mindset of Jesus Christ, human beings in all traditions, religions, cultures, ethnic and secular groups will re-discover and experience God's personal and collective, universal plan for mankind’s deliverance from slavery to sin. Those who imitate the mindset of Jesus Christ will discern, cast down and cast out the bondage, limitations, suffering and death of the mind of the flesh. By following Jesus Christ in the mind of the spirit, believers will pass over into the freedom of God's grace, love and truth, through the indwelling Christ of Faith, in the spiritual body of all persons. They will be guided and empowered by the Holy Spirit, to successfully follow the historical Jesus in kingdom living, here on earth, as it is in heaven (Matthew 6: 9-10).

God's Economy Of Grace And Living The Paschal Mystery

Reference Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16, 'Jesus' parable about workers in God's vineyard and kingdom living'

The parable of the vineyard is about God's call for all mankind to follow the historical Jesus in proclaiming and living the Paschal Mystery. God's universal promise to all laborers, in God's economy of grace, love and truth, is a fair wage as fishers of men. The universal fair wage is deliverance from bondage and slavery to sin and passing over into the glorious freedom of God's love, truth and grace, through the universal Christ of Faith, God's image and likeness in the spiritual body of the historical Jesus and all persons (John 3:16-17).

Many believe the householder's vineyard represent the diverse human traditions, religions, cultures, ethnic and secular groups, throughout our planet earth. Within each of these groups some adherent choose to live and dwell in the mind of the flesh, others in the mind of the spirit (Romans 8:1-11). Adherent who dwell in the mind of the flesh, do not and cannot seek, serve and worship the Godhead, through the Christ of Faith, within themselves and other persons. In believers and unbelievers alike, the mind of flesh blocks and destroys mankind's awareness and appropriation of God's divine presence, provision, providence, protection and promises, through the indwelling Christ of Faith, in the spiritual body of the historical Jesus and all persons.

Before sharing this parable about workers the vineyard with his disciple, in Matthew 19:13-30, the historical Jesus responds to a wealthy, powerful, elite questioner, about what good deed he must do to have eternal life and partake in God's eternal kingdom and economy of grace. First, Jesus reminded the questioner that only Godhead was all good. He then admonishes the questioner to sell his possessions, give them to the poor, and follow him in kingdom living. The man refused to repent. He maintained his carnal minded outlook, attitudes, mindsets and actions. He did not follow the historical Jesus in denying self, taking up his cross and follow Jesus in kingdom living (Matthew 16:24).

To Jesus, the attitudes, mindsets, responses and actions of this wealthy questioner reflected the dominion of the mind of the flesh. This young ruler chose to dwell in the kingdom and empire of Satan (Matthew 16:23-24). His focus and love were not on divine things, but on the things of men. He was preoccupied and overly obsessed with his personal wealth, heritage, privilege, power, skills, education, his social status and exclusiveness. He had no time or place for heavenly things and the things and mind of the spirit in his life  (Romans 8:1-11).

The rich man's response was quite different from Jesus' disciples, who immediately left their nets and followed Jesus (Mark 1:16-18). Peter therefore challenged Jesus, "Look, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have? Now Jesus previously assured his disciples that those who follow him, as fishers of men, will be rewarded with a new spiritual family. They will live within a new, witnessing paschal faith community. They will share in God's economy of grace, love and truth, in which present hierarchical social structures are reversed. They will join him as Messiah, in revealing God's universal presence, promises, provisions, providence and protection, to all people. They will be empowered by the Holy Spirit to follow the historical Jesus in living the Paschal Mystery, in the mind of the spirit (Matthew 16:24).    

Jesus recognized that within his witnessing, paschal, faith community, many who believed and responded to his call, never embraced living in the mind of the spirit. They continued to live their lives, in the mind of the flesh. In the parable of the laborers in the vineyard, the historical Jesus addresses these carnal minded, spiritually blind, spiritually deaf and spiritually asleep believers. There are workers within present day witnessing paschal faith communities, who are still preoccupied with the things of men. Their minds are also centered in their wealth, education, social status, tradition, heritage, power, privilege and exclusiveness.

The historical Jesus honored Christ-centered, Holy Spirit-based believers, in all traditions, religions, cultures, ethnic and secular groups, who choose to truly repent, by casting out the mind of the flesh and put on the mind of the spirit. Jesus promised that those believers who choose to follow him in living the Paschal Mystery in the mind of the spirit, will discern and embrace God's original inclusive design for kingdom living here on earth. In the mind of the spirit, they will in Christ-centered faith, humility, forgiveness, love, grace, truth, and civility, manifest kingdom living, on earth, as it is in heaven (Genesis 1:26-31, Luke 17:20-21).

In the spiritual kingdom of heaven and God's economy of grace, there are no favorites. Unfortunately, the spiritual kingdom of heaven, which Jesus revealed and modeled has remained hidden from our discernment, experience and practical application in our daily lives. Down through the ages and generations, too few fishers of men, in all traditions, religions, cultures, ethnic and secular groups, have focussed on divine things and centered their lives the mind of the spirit, as revealed and modeled by the historical Jesus (Colossians 1:26-27) .

In the beginning, the Godhead originally designed and equipped mankind for kingdom living and building in and through the Christ of Faith, His image and likeness, in all persons. In God's original design, mankind lived in the mind of the spirit. Mankind's life on earth, through repentance, faith, humility and obedience to the indwelling Christ of Faith, is described as very good (Genesis 1:26-31). Human life lived in the mind of the spirit is egalitarian, inclusive, loving, civil, compassionate, Christ-centered and Holy Spirit-based.

God's universal fair wage for Christ-centered spiritually awake fishers of men is deliverance from slavery and bondage to the sin and spiritual death of the mind of the flesh. In faith, humility, self-denial and obedience, believers are passing over from life on earth in the mind of the flesh, into the glorious freedom of God grace, love, and truth, through life the mind of the spirit. They experience the same proper mental alignment and incarnation of the universal Christ of Faith, which the historical Jesus experienced and proclaimed, by following Jesus in living the Paschal Mystery, in the mind of the spirit.

Are you willing to respond to God universal call to work in His vineyard as a fisher of men, in God's Economy of Grace? Are you willing with God's help to cast out the mind of the flesh? Will you with God's help embrace and dwell in the mind of the spirit? Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons? Will you with a grateful heart and mind, thank God for his universal wage and gifts of deliverance from bondage and slavery to sin? Will you by faith pass over into the freedom and glory of God's love, through the incarnation and manifestation of the indwelling Christ of Faith, through your spiritual body? Will you follow the historical Jesus in proclaiming, sharing and living the Paschal Mystery, in the mind of the spirit?      

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Forgiving One Another And Living The Paschal Mystery

Scripture text: Matthew 18:21-35, 'God demands forgiving one another within witnessing paschal faith community'.

In 1709, the poet Alexander Pope wrote these words, "To err is human, to forgive is divine".  In today's Gospel reading Matthew 18:21, the apostle Peter came to Jesus asking this question about forgiveness. "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times? Jesus responded, "I say not unto you seven times, but seventy times seven"(Matthew 18:22).

In Matthew 18:23-26, Jesus then proceeded to explain the nature of God's command, that believers within witnessing paschal faith communities, must forgive one another. He used the example (parable) of a king, granting relief from repayment of a large monetary debt, to explain not only God's demand, but also the Godhead's provision and empowerment of believers to practice unlimited forgiving one another, when they have occasion to feel resentment against one another.

Throughout his ministry, the historical Jesus always stressed his absolute faith in, total dependence on, and unity with the indwelling and incarnate Godhead (John 10:30). In John 5:19, as Messiah Jesus declared, "Very truly, the Son can do nothing on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise. In John 5:30 Jesus again declared, "I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek to do, not my own will, but the will of him who sent me".

Now love, grace, forgiveness and truth are the divine initiatives and attributes of the indwelling Christ of Faith, God's image and likeness, in the spiritual body of the historical Jesus and all persons (Genesis 1:26-27, John 1:14-18, Colossians 1:26-27, 2:9). Through faith, humility, obedience and following the works and judgment of indwelling Godhead, the historical Jesus passed over from life on earth, in the mind of the flesh, into a new and glorified life with the Godhead, in the mind of the spirit. In this Paschal Mystery, his life, passion, death, resurrection and ascension, Jesus modeled God's metanoia model for effective kingdom living on earth, as it is in heaven.

In the Gospel of Christ and kingdom living, the human initiative of repentance and the divine initiative of forgiveness are closely related (Mark 1:14-15). Repentance and forgiveness are foundational steps in God's universal, metanoia model, for mankind's deliverance from bondage and slavery to sin, in the mind of the flesh. Repentance and forgiveness are also essential in mankind passing over into the freedom of God's love, through the indwelling and incarnate Christ of Faith, in the mind of the spirit.

In Matthew 6:12, Jesus taught his disciples and his followers to pray, "And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors". In John 17:21, Jesus prayed this prayer for his disciples and all believers. "That they may all be one, as you Father are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us". In Matthew 16:24, Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone wants to become my followers, let them deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow me".

Within witnessing paschal faith communities, in all traditions, religions, cultures, ethnic and secular groups, to err is human, to forgive is divine. Matthew 16:21 declares that from the time Jesus told his disciples to tell no man that he was the Christ, he began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders, chief priests and scribes and be killed, and on the third day be raised from the dead".

Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him saying, 'God forbid it Lord! This must never happen to you." But Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but human things"(Matthew 16:22). In the Gospel of Christ, the mind of the flesh, was discerned and described by Jesus as Satan, and the mind of the spirit, has been discerned and described as the mind of Christ.

When Jesus was offended by Peter's rejection of his description of his experience of the Paschal Mystery, Jesus did not get angry, reject or condemn Peter for his erroneous thoughts, attitudes,words and actions. In forgiveness, love, grace and truth, Jesus reminded his disciple Peter about his need to repent. He made it clear to Peter that he needed to change his thoughts, attitudes, words and reactions about the Paschal Mystery, because they were based in the mind of the flesh. Jesus lovingly challenged Peter to repent and instead, center his thoughts, attitudes, words and reactions to the Paschal Mystery, in the mind of the spirit.      

With God's help and dependent on God's divine initiative, Christ-centered, Holy Spirit-based believers in all traditions, religions, cultures, ethnic and secular groups discern and embrace their duty to be honest, forgiving and merciful to brethren, who offend them, within their witnessing paschal faith community, and within the universal body of Christ, throughout our planet. In faith, humility and obedience, they steadfastly follow the historical Jesus in declaring and living the Paschal Mystery. They follow the historical Jesus in discerning and reminding offending brethren about their need to repent, when their offending, and erroneous thoughts, attitudes, words and actions, are not based in the mind of the spirit, but in the mind of the flesh (Satan).

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