Please turn with me in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 2.

It is the devil’s job to tempt us, to frustrate us, to drive us away from our Shepherd Jesus. He does very well at his job. The darkness of the world pulls at us. Pastor Bill Winston (Living Word Christian Center) made a statement that I really liked. He said to the Christian:

“You are not from this world … you were born from above. Act like you are from home. Talk like God (not like the world). The whole earth is waiting for you to manifest. The enemy’s job is to keep us in a place where we won’t grow up.”

We live in bad days, but they are no worse than that which the first century Church went through. In fact, they are better. Though the Church is frequently infiltrated with godless “wolves in sheep’s clothing”, this has always been the case. Of the first twelve Apostles, one, Judas Iscariot, though chose by Jesus “was a devil” (John 6:70). Though Judas walked with Jesus, his mind was always on money, on the things of this world. The Apostle said:

John 12:6 {Judas Iscariot} was a thief, and had the bag {the disciple’s treasury}, and bare what was put therein.

The Church at Corinth was infiltrated by worldly, ungodly people. The Church was divided, sectarian, fighting among themselves. The Church was tolerating incest and grievous sexual sins among it’s members. The Church members were suing one another in court. Lovelessness abounded in Corinth. The Apostle addressed the Church, saying:

1 Corinthians 2:12-16 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy {Spirit} teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. 16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ.

Which Spirit Is In You?

The Apostle gives an indicator as to how the Church can know which of it’s members are of God, and which are not. Those who belong to the world are called “natural man”. This is the Greek psychikos anthrōpos, the “sensual person”, the person who approaches the world around them based on feelings and self satisfaction. The animal is sensualistic. Animals will mate within their own family to satisfy their sensual urges. The psychikos anthrōpos approaches life with “Just do you” and “defy logic – be yourself” attitudes. The natural or sensual person seeks immediate gratification, and cares nothing for others unless helping others helps themselves.

What is the difference between the “natural man” and the “supernatural man”? It is whether the Holy Spirit of God is in that person or not. The Apostle quotes a text:

1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

The phrase “as it is written” tells us that the Apostle is quoting scripture – which for Paul, would be the Old Testament. He is quoting:

Isaiah 64:4 For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.

In 1 Corinthians 2:9 and Isaiah 64:4, when the Bible says “men have not heard nor seen”, it is referring to the lost world, those who are without the Holy Spirit.

The unspiritual or “natural” person cannot picture the glories of what God has prepared for His children. But the spiritual or Spirit Filled Christian can begin to grasp the glories that await us because of Christ Jesus. The Apostle said:

1 Corinthians 2:10 But God hath revealed THEM {the things which God hath prepared for them that love him, mention in vs 9} unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

The Spirit of God knows the mind of God, because the Spirit of God is Himself God. The Holy Spirit is not an “it”, but a Person, a Divine Person. It is the Holy Spirit Who moved the Prophets and Apostles to write Scripture:

2 Peter 1:21 … holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy {Spirit}.

It is the Holy Spirit that causes a believer in Christ to be “born again”. Jesus said:

John 3:5-7 … Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

As Jesus Himself was incarnate through the virgin Mary because of the Holy Spirit (see Luke 1:35) – a wondrous miracle – the Christian is made a son of God by the operation of the Spirit. The Spirit is NOT just a power – He is a PERSON. In Acts chapter 5 Ananias and Sapphira tried to deceive God. The Apostle Peter said:

Acts 5:3-4 Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy {Spirit}, … why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.

You cannot “lie” to a power, but only to a Person. Ananias and Sapphira lied to God the Holy Spirit. There are other Scriptures that speak to the Person of the Holy Spirit. The Apostle wrote:

Ephesians 4:30 (ESV) … do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

The word “grieve” is the Greek lypéō, which means “to cause sadness, to offend, to make uneasy and sorrowful”. Like any Person, the Holy Spirit can be emotionally offended or hurt. The Apostle wrote in:

2 Corinthians 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

We have “fellowship” or a rapport with the Holy Spirit. As we read the Word of God, and come together as believers, the Holy Spirit guides us into being more like Christ. The Apostle said “we have the mind of Christ”. What does this mean? Jesus said that when the Holy Spirit came, that the function of the Spirit would be to tell us more about Jesus.

John 14:26 (ESV) … the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

John 15:26 … when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me

John 16:7-15 … Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. 12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. 15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

The function of God the Holy Spirit is to make us more like Jesus in our walk. The Holy Spirit has the mind of God, and He leads us toward that mind. Christians,

We Have The Mind of Christ

The saved person “has the mind of Christ”, that is, the Holy Spirit indwelling us, and the Holy Word of God available to us. When we read His Word, God the Holy Spirit reveals the deeper things of God. We HAVE the mind of Christ. What does the Spirit want of us? He wants us to be more like Jesus.

Turn with me in your Bibles to Ephesians 4:17-20

Ephesians 4:17-20 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, 18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: 19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20 But ye have not so learned Christ;

The world walks (lives it’s life) according to the spirit of this age, the spirit of anti-Christ. It chases after self and selfishness, greed and uncleanliness. The Apostle says, “ye have not so learned Christ”. We do not belong to this world. We belong to Jesus. The Apostle said:

Ephesians 4:22-24 … put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

We “put on the new man”. We follow the Word of God and the leading of the Spirit of God. Finally, turn with me in your Bibles to Philippians 2.

Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

We have the mind of Christ, the Holy Spirit in us. “LET this mind be in you”. The word “LET” emphasizes a choice. You who are saved are Holy Spirit indwelt, but you must choose to follow His leading. “LET”. We are to be like Jesus. How was Jesus like?

Philippians 2:6-8 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Jesus is “in the form of God”, morphḗ, “by nature or apparently God”. The Strong’s New Testament Commentary notes:

“{Jesus} bore the form (in which he appeared to the inhabitants of heaven) of God … yet did not think that this equality with God was to be eagerly clung to or retained … but emptied himself of it … so as to assume the form of a servant, in that he became like unto men”

Jesus willingly left the glories of Heaven, and lowered Himself to be part of His own creation. He did this so that He could save humanity, by offering Himself on the cruel Cross of Calvary. Jesus “humbled himself” for the betterment of others. He sacrificed Himself. Jesus did not sacrifice Himself in order to enable sin, but did so that we could be freed from sin. The Apostle said:

Philippians 2:2-4 Fulfill ye my joy, that ye be like minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

Jesus considered His life less and us better, that we might be saved. As Jesus willingly sacrificed His rights for our righteousness, so is our love to be. When there are battles in the Church, it always comes about because because members are elevating themselves above other members. The Apostle said:

Philippians 2:14-16 Do all things without murmurings and disputings: 15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; 16 Holding forth the word of life…

As Jesus was and is, we are to be. We are sons of God, made so by the Spirit of God and by the sacrifice of the Son of God. We do not live as the world lives, but live as God says. We are Kingdom people.

“We have the mind of Christ”. The mind of Christ is not like the world.

This is the standard we must lean toward, to love others as we have been loved. We are to be lights of Christ in this present evil world, shining to the glory of Christ. May Jesus help us do so, through His Spirit and His Word. Amen and Amen!