Key verse: "Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:5)
In today's epistle Philippians 2:5-11, the apostle Paul seeks to persuade followers of Jesus Christ, to imitate Jesus by living their lives in the unity, humility, selflessness, truth and service of the mind of the spirit. Paul stresses that within witnessing paschal faith communities, the disunity, discord and personal ambitions and selfishness of the mind of the flesh should have no place. Paul stresses that Jesus Christ revealed humility and obedience as he proclaimed God's will and plan for all human life, here on earth. Jesus humbled himself and in the power of the Holy Spirit, emptied himself of the inappropriate dominion of the mind of the flesh. Jesus modeled human life in the mind of the spirit, while incarnate here on earth (Romans 8:1-11).
The bible teaches that Jesus Christ as Messiah and Way-shower was fully the Son of God and fully the Son of Man, while living in human flesh (John 14:6, Colossians 2:9). In Philippians 2:5, the apostle Paul gave this admonition to all who follow Jesus Christ in living the Paschal mystery. "Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus". As the full image and the full likeness of God in human flesh, Jesus Christ rejected the ideas of being equal to and one with God, as something to be confused, exploited, and distorted by the mind of the flesh (Romans 8:1-4, Philippians 2:5-6).
In 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12, Paul describes the mind of the flesh as the Man of Lawlessness, who must be cast down and destroyed. The mind of the flesh had produced inappropriate divisions, disunity, discord, personal ambitions and self-centeredness within this Philippian witnessing, paschal faith community (Philippians 2:1-4). The mind of the flesh has and will always misunderstand, distort and misappropriate the universal meaning and practical application of Gospel of Christ, as revealed in Jesus Christ, within all traditions, religions, cultures, ethnic and secular groups (John 3:14-17, Philippians 2:5-6).
Through the discernment, humility, obedience and truth of the mind of the spirit, Jesus Christ revealed, taught and manifested the mystery of the incarnation of Christ (Logos, ADONAI, JEHOVAH), in human flesh. In the power of the Holy Spirit, as the Son of Man, Jesus Christ emptied himself of the inappropriate influence and dominion of the mind of the flesh in his life (Matthew 4:1-11, Luke 4:16-21). By living his life in the mind of the spirit, as the Son of Man, Jesus Christ manifested the fully orbed Image and Likeness of God in human flesh. The bible declares that in death Jesus Christ actually died on the cross. Jesus died to sin once for all. The life Jesus now lives, he lives to the glory of God (Romans 6:9-11, Philippians 2:7-8).
In Romans 6:12 the apostle Paul has this reminder for believers, who follow Jesus Christ in living the Paschal Mystery, in the mind of the spirit. "So you must also consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God, in Jesus Christ". In this context the name Jesus Christ is mysterious, great, wonderful and unique, when understood and appropriately applied in every human encounter, experience and relationship of the believer. In the mind of the spirit, the name Jesus Christ is honored above ever name. The universal kingdom of Jesus Christ is found in all traditions, religions, cultures, ethnic and secular groups, who follow Jesus in living the Paschal Mystery in the mind of the spirit (Philippians 2:9-10). The mysterious kingdom of heaven, into which Jesus Christ as Messiah invites believers in all traditions, religions, cultures, ethnic and secular groups to enter, is within each person and in our midst (Luke 17:20-21, Colossians 1:15-29).
In the mind of the spirit, believers discern that Christ (Logos, ADONAI, JEHOVAH) as Spirit, is the Begotten and eternal Son of the Father. In the mystery of the incarnation, Christ became man in Jesus Christ, to set mankind free for the slavery, sin and death of the mind of the flesh. In the incarnation, Christ did not shun the Virgin's womb, but became fully incarnate in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ as the Son of Man is Master, Savior and Lord, here on earth. Jesus Christ lived the Paschal Mystery here on earth to the glory of the Godhead, as Being-Father, The Begotten-Son and Begetting-Holy Spirit (Philippians 2:11).
Are you willing to study and know who Jesus Christ really is, as the Revealed One? Are you willing to abide in Jesus Christ's mindset in living the Paschal Mystery, in the mind of the spirit? Are you willing to glorify the Godhead in your human flesh, as Jesus Christ glorified God, in his human flesh (Mark 8:31-34)?
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