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The great Princeton theologian B.B. Warfield once wrote on Philippians 2 with the title “Imitating the Incarnation.” The title is arresting, prompting the curiosity of the reader, who might ask, “Is it really appropriate for us to speak of imitating Christ’s incarnation?” Preachers of God’s Word feel a bit as if they are walking a tightrope when addressing the incarnation of Christ.
On the one hand, Philippians 2 describes the humiliation of Christ in a manner that a sinner can contemplate only with wonderful awe. The eternal Son of God made Himself of no reputation and “humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross,” for us (Phil. 2:8). We are simply onlookers and receivers of such a gift from heaven.
On the other hand, the Apostle Paul’s purpose in presenting the humiliation of Christ is to inspire believers to “have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus” (v. 5). The presentation of Christ’s incarnation in Philippians 2 has the particular goal for Christians to exercise the same mind that was in Christ Jesus.
The old mind is to be done away with, and our new mind is to be renewed through the imitation of Christ’s incarnation that serves the interests of others before our own. On this foundation, we can begin to think about how the Christian mindset is to be sought for the sake of the glory of God and the edification of His church.
two kinds of minds
Christians are accustomed to speaking of the purpose of the Christian life as one that seeks the glory of God. Yet the pursuit of the Christian life as one that seeks God’s glory is often spoken of in such a vague, colloquial fashion that Christians may remain confused about how this great goal is achieved. When it comes to pursuing a Christian mindset, great attention must be given to help the believer appreciate precisely why this mindset should be pursued and how it is intended to glorify God.
After a glorious contemplation of the mind of Christ in Philippians 2, Paul directs the Christian to give great attention to the responsibility of cultivating the same mind that was in Christ Jesus. Here we face a radically different pursuit of what is natural to man in his unregenerate state. From the moment of conception, our minds are at enmity with God and defiled (Titus 1:15). Paul paints a sobering picture of the gentiles, who walk “in the futility of their minds” (Eph. 4:17–19). Similarly, in Philippians 3:19, Paul states that many serve “their belly” as their god, “with minds set on earthly things.” One cannot miss, in Paul’s assessment, the direct connection between a darkened mind and the serving of selfish ambition, sinful passion, and lust.
There is a certain quality to this new mindset that is more than merely meditating or thinking about something; it is one that leads to a specific way of life. “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 2:5). But what does this mindset set out to achieve? A darkened mind drives a self-serving life, but a redeemed mind, remade in Christ’s image, takes on an entirely new trajectory of sacrificial love. As Warfield observes, “This was the state of mind that led Him to so marvelous an act,—no compulsion from His Father, no desires for Himself, no hope of gain or fear of loss, but simple, unselfish, self- sacrificing love.” Thus, Warfield’s application of the goal of Christ’s mindset in us:
If we would follow Christ, we must, every one of us, not in pride but in humility, yet not in lowness but in lowliness, not degrade ourselves but forget ourselves, and seek every man not his own things but those of others.
In Romans 12:2, Paul speaks of the responsibility of a believer to “be transformed by the renewal of your mind” with an added encouragement to “discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” This verse does not stand alone. Paul defines how a renewed mind affects the course of the believer’s actions in the verses that immediately follow. We are not to “think” of ourselves more highly than we ought to think, and Paul sees this as being accomplished when we use our gifts according to the grace given to us and for the benefit of others (vv. 3–8).
The goal of a Christian mind, contrary to a darkened mind that serves sin, is to serve the interests of others. This mindset, as Paul describes, affects every aspect of the Christian life, especially Christian discipleship and witness. It is the same mind of Christ that drives us to become servants. As Jesus emphasized, “Whoever would be great among you must be your servant” (Matt. 20:26).
pursuing the Christian mindset
Paul wrote to the Philippians to address the concern that their peculiar Christian mindset was waning in the church because of internal conflict. The purpose was to encourage these Christians to cultivate the mind of Christ in the face of their conflicts. There appears to have been a division between two women in the church, Euodia and Syntyche (Phil. 4:2). We are not told about the nature of the division, but these Christians were in a dangerous place of compromising their witness and dividing Christ’s church. Bitterness, gossip, arguing, anger, and separation can ruin a church’s witness and ruin its gospel fellowship.
Repeatedly, Paul presents the Christian mindset to provide the solution. After describing the incarnation of Christ, along with the paramount call to let the mind of Christ be in them, he calls the Philippians to cease from disputing and complaining (Phil. 2:14) and to think of their lives in the kingdom of God as a sacrificial drink offering to be poured out for the benefit of their brethren’s faith (vv. 17–18).
Applying the mind of Christ to the Philippian church, Paul demonstrates how they are to “think” and act through their division. Paul states: “Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained” (3:15–16). We might summarize Paul’s solution with these words:
I know there is great division among you, but the solution is to exercise a Christian mindset, the very one you’ve been given in Christ, by becoming servants, and putting the interests of others before your own—for the greater good of your gospel fellowship and witness. Walk this way, with this mind, in the many things in which you already agree (and there are many!), and God will reveal to you the way forward in your disagreements. But walk with a Christian mindset; be of the same mind. That is the solution.
safeguarding the Christian mindset
This example illustrates why we must exercise a Christian mindset in all of life. When we become servants in the interests of others, the Christian mindset has a flourishing effect in our homes, churches, and communities. Paul was concerned that the church in Philippi would “shine as lights in the world” through the exercising of the mind of Christ (Phil. 2:15). This mind must be cultivated, practiced, and encouraged, as a witness, in the service of others.
We cannot afford to stray from this mindset or presume that our families and churches will develop it without effort on our part. This is precisely why the renewing of our own minds has as its goal the advancement of others in the faith. The more our individual minds are renewed in the goal of serving others, the more we will see a collective Christian mindset spread to make us shine as lights throughout the entire world.
I offer one final encouragement for Christians to exercise this mindset in a place that is often neglected: the family. Our children cannot develop a Christian mindset without parents’ taking the serious responsibility to exhibit and train their children with their example.
I recently heard the story of a young man who had been adopted into a Christian home. The father modeled to him the mind of Christ, read to him the Scriptures, discipled him in the faith, and sacrificially loved him. He was a servant to the young man. Today, that man testifies that without having a father like this who exhibited self-denying, sacrificial love, he is quite sure he wouldn’t be a Christian. This man is now a Reformed pastor.
As a young man, what he witnessed in his father was the mind of Christ serving him. As an adopted son, he learned what a true Christian mindset was intended to accomplish, and now he seeks to exhibit this same mind to his family and church. This is how Christianity flourishes in the world.
Christians have the stupendous privilege of exhibiting before all people the very mind that was in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Exercise this mind. Share this mind. And shine as lights in this dark world.