In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus. (Philippians 2:5)
There is a huge difference between secular sense and spiritual sense, and it is the duty of the Christian to shift from the first to the second. Before Jesus showed up, we thought as the world thinks, and we reasoned as the world reasons. But after we say, “I believe,” we are to exchange our old way of secular thinking for the new way of spiritual thinking. We are to have the mind of Christ, not the mindset of our culture.
So . . . how different is your thinking today?
Our Lord’s entire life was marked by thinking of others. He came to this earth for others. He lived a sinless life for others. He died on a cross for others. He rose from the dead for others. And He is seated at the right hand of God the Father right now, interceding for others . . . for you and me!
Everything in the secular sense is marked by self-centeredness:
- What goals do I want to accomplish?
- What dreams do I want to pursue?
- What possessions do I want to accumulate?
- How do I believe others should treat me?
To exchange a secular sense for a spiritual sense is to be marked by other-orientation. The world no longer revolves around me, because I am no longer the center of the universe! Then I begin thinking spiritually. Our thoughts rise above the things of this life as we begin thinking of the life to come. We start living in the light of eternity because we realize that what we do right now will echo there.
All the great saints of the Bible went through this transformation—moving from a secular sense to a spiritual sense. Perhaps the greatest example of this is the author of the letter to the Philippians. Paul went from persecuting Christians to pastoring them. He went from slaying Christians to serving them. Paul began living for Someone infinitely greater than Paul; His name is Jesus Christ. God gave Paul a spiritual sense that set the world on fire for Jesus.
The apostle Paul wanted to know nothing other than Christ crucified. Now that is a spiritual sense that is second to none! This can be the confession of our lives also . . . when we shift our focus from the secular to the spiritual and center all of our thoughts on Christ.
This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!
Grace for the Race 