. . . whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises
. . . whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises
whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises
1 Corinthians 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
The Bible tells us that as believers in Christ we have the mind of Christ. What does that mean? In what way does that manifest itself in us and what impact does it have upon our lives?
This verse in 1 Corinthians 2:16 are the words of Paul the Apostle, and he tells us that we have the mind, the (Greek: nous, noose) of the Lord, which is defined in the concordance as the intellectual faculty, or the understanding.
We have the intellectual thinking faculty and the understanding of the Lord. Could that possibly mean what it sounds like it means? Does it mean that believers in Christ have the ability to think the thoughts of God and to understand the deeper things of His kingdom?
Paul is quoting Isaiah 40:13. Let’s look at the verse he is referring to.
Isaiah 40:13 Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him?
Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD? The word “Spirit” here is referred to in Paul’s reference of this verse in Corinthians as the “mind of the Lord”. As Paul puts it “Who has known the mind (Spirit) of the LORD?” And so, Paul is making reference to the Holy Spirit Who resides in every believer. By the Holy Spirit we have the mind of Christ.
And who has given Him counsel? Who has given Him advice? The answer is, of course, is that no one has. But, as Paul puts it, we have the mind of Christ. We have the Spirit of the Lord. This is an almost startling statement. He is saying that, by the Spirit of God, we have God’s mind, that we have the ability to participate in God’s thoughts.
Let’s look at another verse that seems to relate to this notion that by the Spirit of God that believers have the mind of Christ.
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.
For them that love Him. What does that mean exactly? “Love” is the Greek word agapao (ag-ap-ah'-o) meaning to welcome, to entertain, to be fond of, to love dearly, to love. To love God is to entertain Him, to welcome Him, to be fond of Him.
This quote is a reference to Isaiah 64:4. So, let’s look at Isaiah’s wording.
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.
Isaiah uses the word “waits” for Him. It’s the Hebrew word chakah (khaw-kaw') which means to wait, to wait for, to await, to tarry, to wait (in ambush), to long for.
So, Paul renders it as “them that love Him” or welcomes and entertains Him. The verse he is quoting from in Isaiah renders it as “waits for Him” or tarries or waits for longingly, as if to ambush.
This is talking about time set aside waiting to hear from the Lord. We might call it our quiet time, or our prayer time, or even our meditation time. It is time waiting on Him in some way, through talking with Him, pondering His word, or perhaps just sitting and listening, or maybe worshiping Him.
Paul calls it loving God, but Isaiah calls it waiting for God. And there is another similar word used by David in Psalm 34.
1 Psalm 34:10 The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.
Notice that this is a thing one can do so as to never suffer lack or to want for anything. The Psalmist, David, calls it seeking the Lord. It is the Hebrew word darash (daw-rash'), a verb, meaning to resort to, to seek, to seek with care, to enquire of.
We are still talking about having the mind of the Lord. And this verse, spoken by David in Psalm 34, reveals another aspect or element in having God’s mind.
David is talking about asking for or seeking counsel and advice from the Lord. And it is something that he himself did quite often as he faced battles that he came up against. He would enquire of the Lord about what to do. He would ask, should I go up against them or not? And the Lord would answer him, sometimes with a yes and sometimes with a no.
David successfully fought wars by enquiring of the LORD. How often do we actively enquire of the Lord in prayer about what to do in our daily lives? Do we ask Him for solutions to the problems and situations we face? Do we ask for His wisdom? Or do we just plough on through using our own limited understanding? We have the mind of Christ, but do we use it?
James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
This verse promises that God will give wisdom to anyone who asks. What a mistake it would be to never enquire of Him for wisdom and counsel. And, on the other hand, what a wise thing it would be to ask Him for wisdom and advice for everything we are attempting to do.
And, if God indeed gives wisdom to anyone who asks Him for it, is not asking Him for wisdom one of the ways we tap into the mind of Christ? Yes, it is.
We read earlier in 1 Corinthians 2:9 about the marvelous things that God has prepared for them that love Him.
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.
But the thought does not end there but is continued in verse 10.
1 Corinthians 2:10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
Eye has not seen them, ear has not heard them, neither has it entered into the heart of man . . . the things which God hath prepared for them that love him . . .
. . . BUT . . . God has revealed them unto us by His Spirit.
The Spirit of God, the mind of Christ, is in us to reveal the deep things of God to us. He searches them, or examines into them and shows them to us.
We are connected to the heart and mind of God. And it is His desire to reveal deep things to us.
The Spirit of God will show them to us as we give Him the time and the opportunity to do so. This is what meditation in the word is all about.
1:1 Corinthians 2:11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
What man knows the things of a man’s heart but the man himself. The inner thoughts of a man are hidden from everyone else. In the same way, the Spirit of God knows the things of God. He knows the thoughts of God. And He is inside of us to reveal them to us. Only a person who has the Spirit of God can see and understand the things of God.
Who can know the mind of the Lord? Who can know the things He has prepared for those who love him and wait for Him? Who can have the wisdom and counsel of God for every situation?
The answer is those who have received His Spirit. They can know His heart and His mind.