THE MIND OF CHRIST
[p. 293] THE MIND OF CHRIST
Ques What is your thought as to the mind of Christ in verse 5?
FER If we are going to be here for the glory of God, we have like Christ to die out of the present order of things; that is what we are not always prepared for. People want to be something in the order of this world, and they use christianity to that end.
Rem Like the Corinthians.
FER Christ came down into this order, humbling Himself and becoming obedient to death; He came into it for the will of God but died out of it, and it was as out of it that He received exaltation, and that is the path for us. People would like a recognition from God well enough in this order of things, but that is not the divine way; if you get recognition on the part of God, it is outside of this order of things — you must die to it. Christ took that path, He humbled Himself to the death of the cross. It is a great thing while in this world not to want a place in it.
Ques Is it as an example that Christ is brought before us here?
FER It is His mind, and you are to be partaker of it; Christ coming into this world gives us light as to what the divine way is.
Ques What is the difference between this and the “mind of Christ” in 1 Corinthians 2: 16?
FER Here it is more the purpose of mind; in 1 Corinthians it is more the intelligent faculty: the “mind of the flesh” is not the intelligence but what lies in the flesh. This mind of Christ would lead us to humble ourselves. As long as the present order of things exists you can only expect to be nothing; few are prepared for that.
Ques What is the “consolation in Christ” (verse 1)?
FER Paul is referring to what he had experienced [p. 294] at the hand of the Philippians — their care for him; the point with him was that they should complete his joy. They had been united in heart about him, but the test was with regard to each other. Their fellowship in the gospel was expressed by their gift to him, and he acknowledges this and goes on to say — “Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded”.
Rem We are tested in our relations with each other.
FER Yes; the point is to get out of death; all is cold in death; we want to get into life where everything is warm. As long as people are detained by the world they are chilled by it. People in the world are in the chill of death. “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren”, 1 John 3: 14. It is impossible to get the true thought of love to the brethren as long as people are in the world.
Rem If we have “this mind” it will take us out of that chilly region.
FER Yes; for Christ is out of it.
Rem I was thinking what marvellous grace that it should be open to us to have this mind.
FER I think so; but people often want to remain in that in which Christ is not; they cannot get on if they seek to be conspicuous in that which Christ has left. Christ had the right to be something here, but He went down; we cannot go down, for we cannot be lower than we are; we have to accept where we are; the effort of people is to get up. Christ could go down because He was so great. We cannot become obedient unto death for it is the portion of us all, it is where we start; we cannot go lower than we are. Until Christ came into death there was no such thing with man as the acceptance of death; man could never have accepted it apart from Christ’s death.
Rem Death was the end of Christ’s path, but it is the beginning of ours.
FER Well, it is the end of the path in this world, but it is our beginning with God. Christ has come into death that we might accept the fact that death is on us;
[p. 295] we could not do it otherwise. What you get out of it is, that it becomes death to the world and to sin, the way of deliverance. Nevertheless you only accept what is on you; it was not on Christ.
Ques Is not affection for Him behind the acceptance?
FER Yes; I can accept it since He went into it. If man could see nothing beyond death it is not likely that he could accept it: “All that a man hath will be give for his life”, Job 2: 4.
Rem People would not like to go into the Severn tunnel if they did not think there was a way out.
FER Until death is accepted, you do not get exaltation on the part of God. People like providential exaltation; but it is through the death of Christ you get true exaltation; it could not be connected with the order of things here.
Ques What is the force of “even the death of the cross” (verse 8)?
FER It refers to the shame of it; but it was no lower than man was; it was the expression of the curse of a broken law, under which man lay, and Christ went as low as man was. It is a great thing to see that death is the only true way to exaltation. The mind of man is diametrically opposed to the mind of Christ. What has been a stumbling-block to many christians is looking for prosperity as a sign of divine favour. Riches are a hindrance. A great deal of prosperity is the result of will; they will it; God permits it. I think prosperity and exaltation are to be looked for; but let it be true prosperity; it is not wrong to look for that.
Ques What is true exaltation?
FER When a man gets appreciated among those who are spiritual; I see no real exaltation except what is moral — a man making advance in the knowledge of God; but he will not be marked as one in whom Christ lives unless he is prepared to take the path that Christ took, which was to die out of all the greatness of this world. We go down on one side while going up on the other.
Rem Then chapter 3 is the answer to [p. 296] chapter 2?
FER Yes; the apostle was getting exaltation in chapter 3 even as Christ did. It is remarkable that the exaltation of Paul was accompanied by stripping himself and counting all dross. If a man takes that path in the obedience of faith he will get exaltation from God; and where? In God’s world: we all ought to covet exaltation in the christian circle which belongs to that world. All true exaltation is found in the christian circle. What place has a man among the saints? That is his true measure; a man who tries to be something would be measured very soon. The Corinthians did not think much of Paul, the Philippians did, because they were spiritual. The “goal” the apostle had in view in chapter 3 refers undoubtedly to the future, but if a man is going on in that line he gets moral exaltation here. The man who is going on is appreciated among the saints, for he is not only going on himself, but he is beneficial to others. If one member suffer, all suffer with it, and if one is honoured, all rejoice. If a man who has been distinguished among the saints drops behind, all suffer with him; he does not suffer alone; you cannot bear to see a saint declining; and on the contrary, if he is going on, all rejoice with him.
Rem It has been said you must be extinguished to be distinguished.
FER Yes; but you do not have to be extinguished, you extinguish yourself, you accept death. It is a dangerous thing when a christian, who is in the path of the truth, gets worldly distinction. In most cases he will be smaller, less distinguished among the saints. The point is, Where would you like to be conspicuous? A man entering on any course in the world naturally would like to be distinguished; but if he is distinguished in the world he will not be distinguished in the christian circle; he must die out of the world for that. You cannot be built up in Adam and in Christ at the same time. Christ might have been distinguished here; His brethren said, “If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world”, John 7: 4. And Satan said, “All these things will I give [p. 297] thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me” (Matthew 4: 9). The principle of the world is that it will praise you if you do well to yourself. We are as much in danger as others, and have to regard the word, “Let this mind be in you;” this needs to be cultivated. Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; it was in a way the mind of Christ in him.
Ques Is not cultivating it that I admire and enjoy it in Christ?
FER Yes, there is nothing in you. It never could be accomplished in you if it were not true in Christ. It is as you appreciate Christ that it is true in you. Man has nothing of his own.
Ques Is there not misunderstanding as to the expression “in you”, as if it were a sort of deposit transferred from somewhere else?
FER Yes; but that is a practical denial that everything is in Christ. It is wrought in us by the appreciation of that particular thing in Christ: till you have that it never could be wrought in you. It does not belong to you, it belongs to Christ. The general thought with christians is of a converted, reformed, changed man; but that is not the truth — it is that you have another man. My will is not changed but judged. Where can you find a man that is always for God? Only One; and we get nothing agreeable to God but by the Spirit of Christ. “If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his”, (Romans 8: 9), let a man be as good as he may. Christ in us is a very great reality, there is nothing so real.
Ques Is not salvation a chief thought in Philippians?
FER I think so; but you get it by being out of the scene of this world. It was on the principle of obedience the Philippians were to work out their own salvation.
Ques What is “the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ?” (chapter 1: 19).
FER There is no limit to it, but one is kept dependent, you cannot command the supply but you get it, an unlimited supply. We are never looked at as self-contained, but dependent, kept by the power of God [p. 298] through faith.
Ques So the thought here of God working in them is love?
FER It is the good pleasure of God that you come out distinctly in the christian circle; that is how the will of God comes into expression; all lawlessness gone, children of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. It is in that way that the will of God gets its expression. It contemplates two generations as existing, the generation of God’s children and a crooked and perverse generation. I would like to see my own children without rebuke and united, it would be my pleasure for them, but I could not bring it about.
Rem What would produce it naturally is their coming under the influence of your love.
FER We have had to learn as to our children that God is sovereign, but where they are not what one would wish, I think it is largely attributable to defect in ourselves. There must be love and authority, but you will never get result without exercise on their part. The great thing is that children should be held by conscience, and if not by conscience, by affection; but the greater thing is that it should be conscience.
Ques “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling”? (verse 12).
FER Salvation becomes a reality to you. It comes out into result.
Ques Would it deliver you from the domination of the present order of things?
FER You get salvation from the one order of things by coming out distinctly and definitely in the other; many are in border land, not fully in one or the other. This is a very important aspect of salvation. It is what Scripture treats of as salvation. We are made to feel that there are many who are not saved from the fear of man and the power of things through which we are passing. The children of Israel were not in the completeness of salvation till they were in the land, and even then the two and a half tribes were detained. It is on the other [p. 299] side of Jordan that you get the fulness of salvation — resurrection ground. It is connected with the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Spirit.
Ques What is “the salvation which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 2: 10)?
FER It is not to be found in the world but in Christ Jesus, and that takes you a good way for it takes you to heaven — “in heavenly places in Christ Jesus”, (Ephesians 2: 6), and that is connected in Ephesians with salvation.
Ques What is the force of working it out?
FER Coming out very distinctly according to God, not an endeavour to find some border land.
Ques Does it not imply purpose?
FER One is set for it. When people come into fellowship the question I am inclined to put to them is — What are you going to give up? I do not know what, but I think they must have to give up something, and I do not think it is much good coming into fellowship if they do not give up. It used to mean giving up a good deal. I do not believe even the young can come in without giving up; you may depend upon it people have something to surrender.
Ques What is “holding forth the word of life” (verse 16)?
FER I think it is moral; life is expressed in us, the truth comes out in what is life, the thing is demonstrated. Christ was “the word of life” not simply in what He said but in what He was.
Ques Is it the unconscious effect of what is there?
FER Well, it is spontaneous; the first thing is shining as lights — you are no longer lawless. The earth could not exhibit one bit of light if it were lawless, nor would the moon; and so with us. It should be one thing or the other; either make up your mind to be distinguished in the world, or to pass out of it and be distinguished in the circle where God exalts.