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 In
fortifying God's people to meet suffering and persecution, Peter
says "arm ye yourselves also with the same mind" (the
mind of Christ, 1 Pet .4: 1) Nothing better equips us to suffer
for righteousness' sake than Christ-mindedness. That means
seeing things from the divine viewpoint.
Accordingly,
such suffering comes as no surprise to those who live Godly in
Christ Jesus (2 Tim. 3:17.). Not only is it expected, it is made
easier with an encouraging sense of purpose in recalling that we
become "joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer
with him, that we may be glorified together" Rom. 8:17).
With the mind of Christ we see our affliction as light,
temporary and even beneficial: "For our light affliction,
which is for the moment, worketh for us more and more
exceedingly an eternal weight of glory..." (2 Cor. 4:17).
Like Jesus, we must see a blessedness associated with
persecution for His sake. And more, to experience a sense of joy
and gladness with our endurance because of the great heavenly
reward that is promised the faithful (Matt. 5:10-12).
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However,
Christ-mindedness not only sees suffering in perspective, it
enables us to see things "as they are" in other areas
as well. From the divine viewpoint we see sin for what it is and
therefore "hate every false way” (Ps. 119:104). In
Contrast, the carnally minded minimize and lightly regard sin;
they usually "don't see anything wrong with it", much
less mourn about it (1 Cor. 5:2). The mind of Christ is
sensitive to sin. It sees every sin as serious; as a kind of
spiritual cancer in need of immediate attention — and they
appreciate the remedy provided by the Great Physician. Such a
view sees sinners with compassion, whether brethren who need
restoring or aliens needing to know the gospel. They not only
see sinners as needing help, they see self as the helper.
"To
have the mind of Christ is to see time as an expression of God's
longsuffering (2 Pet. 3:15); as opportunity to do the father's
will, knowing that the night cometh when no man can work.
Nothing will enhance life more than to "Have this mind in
you." Dan S. Shipley
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