The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment: For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:15-16).
Good judgment. What would a wise man pay to buy good judgment? If we could know just what we ought to do in every situation, what a blessing it would be.
In his letter (“epistle”) to the church at Corinth, the Apostle Paul criticized them for not showing good judgment. They were not willing to punish an evil man in the church who was committing a terrible sin (chapter 5). So Paul wrote this letter to encourage them to exercise better judgment.
He told them that all Christians have “the mind of Christ.” Yes, even the spiritually weak Corinthians did. But they were not exercising good judgment. So he told them in chapter three that God will judge all men’s works, and He will reward men in terms of that they have accomplished with their lives on earth (verses 10-15). In other words, God is the heavenly judge. We do not understand God if we fail to see that He is a judge.
But we have the mind of Christ. That makes Christians judges of earthly things. In fact, Paul wrote, we are going to be judges of spiritual beings, the angels. “Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And it you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? Do you not know that we will judge the angels? How much more the things of this life!” (1 Corinthians 6:2-3).
Paul warned them that they were responsible before God to render Godly judgment. What is Godly judgment? It’s the same kind of judgment that Jesus Christ rendered when He walked on earth. So Paul told the Corinthians that they possessed the mind of Christ. They had the ability to render Godly judgment.
“The Mind of Christ”
The Bible speaks about the mind of Christ in several places. In his letter to the church at Rome, Paul proclaimed the riches of God’s wisdom. He made a testimony, what we sometimes call a confession–a confession of faith. Read Paul’s words, and don’t forget that we have been given the mind of Christ-the same sort of wisdom!
Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counsellor?” “Who has ever given to God that God should repay him?” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen (Romans 11:33-36).
Well, who has known the mind of the Lord? Jesus Christ, who is the incarnation of God in human form. He is both God and man, meaning a perfect man. When people become Christians by having faith in His work on the cross–the only source of salvation for sinful man–they are made new creatures, the Bible says. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
When men are redeemed (“bought back”) by the grace of God, through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9), they are changed. God declares them the possessors of the righteousness of Christ. Instead of looking at our sins, God looks at the perfect work of Jesus Christ, the perfect man, and He announces, in effect, “The righteousness of my Son Jesus Christ is now imparted to this formerly worthless sinner. He is now my adopted son.” God changes us. In what way? He changes us ethically. He lets us see what is right or wrong from God’s perspective. This is what is meant by receiving the mind of Christ.
Paul warned members of the church at Rome: “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing, and perfect will” (Romans 12:2). We can now test God’s will for ourselves, not as evil people who hate God and hate His will, but as saved people who have been granted eternal life.
(For the rest of my article, click the link.)
