In our study today the apostle reaches one of the most exalted places in all of the New Testament, chapter 2 of this letter where he exhorts two women in the assembly to take Christ’s “mind” as their own. The exhortation provided touches on the central theme of the letter directly, that of the “mind” and its critical position in Paul’s teachings regarding the new life that we have in Christ under grace. His teachings here build on but go far beyond what has already been given regarding Paul’s own example for the believers. His “mind” is indeed to be their example. But here he reaches entirely into the heavenly realm, and not only that, but into the very heart of the redemptive plan of God as established in what has been called the “decree” by theologians. For here the apostle sets forth the very “mind” of Christ in heaven’s glory when he considered the necessity of entering into the human race and that for the purpose of the redemption of sinners through his own eventual death and resurrection. The exhortation is powerful indeed: will these two women in the church in Philippi condescend to one another as the Son of God did when he gave up so much in heaven for our sakes? That “mind”, he writes, is intended to be theirs (and ours) as well. That indeed would make all the difference. We might wonder if it in fact did. Amen.
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