Set Your Mind on Christ ...

Monday, Nov 14, 2016. Studying the letter of Paul to the Philippians, we find quite basic and important words. It is very important to read them carefully when we want to develop a mature and balanced idea of what our faith is. Here, we find the same Paul writing who confirms that when we believe, we are saved. But he also clarifies that he is not perfect yet, that he did not reach the goal!

Not Yet …

Let us read into a passage in this letter which tries to talk to us on a level of maturity:

12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. 16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained. 17 Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. 18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. (from Philippians 3)

Paul is writing all these words, since in particular as Christians we have a lot of freedom. But we can use our freedom to our own destruction. We can loose what we have gained, when we walk away from the Lord. We can loose the salvation in Christ, when we choose other Gods to be in the center of our life.

Minds set on …

What is your mind set on? What are those things in life which are important to you? What is it that is troubling you, that is catching your attention day by day? What is your inner core, what is holding you? What is shaping your dreams and your fears?

Paul is urging us to set our mind on Christ Jesus. He is urging us to live in faith, to set our mind on heavenly things, not on the things of this earth. Of course, setting our mind on heavenly things does not mean to pull us out of this world. It means to be there in the middle of it, but not addicted to it. It means to be there, but filled by the Holy Spirit. It means to live in it, but to be free.

Christ means so much, yet we are also in many difficulties. We are troubled, since our world is troubled, and we are a part of it. Humans do many things to each other which are terrible. But there is also healing power in the name of Jesus, there is healing power by the spirit, which he calls holy. There is a father who is beyond our imagination, full of love, truth and mercy. He wants you, to live with him in full freedom! (Roland Potthast) ... more texts