The Mind of Jesus Christ

Paul writes, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” Phil. 2:5-8.

Satan said, “I will be like the Most High.” Jesus went in the opposite direction: He did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, and He humbled Himself. When Jesus was found in appearance as a man, He consecrated the way back through Satan’s poison in man by crushing it step by step—by going from self-denial to self-denial—right down to the point where the least trace of Satan’s poison was removed: He put sin in the flesh to death. Then He cried out, “It is finished!” Now everything that wanted to be something—that wanted to exalt itself—was crushed. Jesus went even further. He penetrated the consequences of sin—death—and loosed the pangs of death. He broke right through death to a resurrection life. What a marvelous way! He pursued sin to its deepest and original root: “Has God indeed said . . . .” Doubt! When it was crushed, faith conquered in its author and finisher. Even though He was forsaken by God and men, He left no room for doubt. Forsaken by the Father, He said to Him, “Into Your hands I commend My spirit.”

By going back through Satan’s poison—over its ruins and destruction—He inaugurated a way back to an unconditional relationship of obedience to the Father, from which the first man had deviated. By constantly crucifying His self-will—“not My will, but Yours, be done”—He suffered, but during this process He was perfected. Heb. 5:8. He learned obedience, which means that He was willing to go so far that He was crushed, as it is written: “It pleased the Lord to crush Him.” God’s will was Jesus’ food and greatest joy—even if it meant enduring sufferings and death.

Jesus says, “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.” John 10:17-18. Jesus laid down His life of Himself (He could choose); He received power to lay it down—and He received this commandment that He should do it. And He did it! This same commandment of laying down our life is now in Jesus’ Spirit, which we must follow.

Satan wanted to triumph by exalting himself and by getting mankind to exalt themselves. Jesus triumphed by crushing all this self-exaltation and by going down; for by going down—even to the lowest parts of the earth—He destroyed everything that wants to exalt itself. “All the way” means total subjection to God. The mind of Jesus Christ is to carry out God’s will in life—that is revelation of the truth.

Jesus said that He gives His life for the sheep. John 10:11. The strength of love pioneered a way through the deception of sin—Satan’s folly in man—to make a way that leads to liberty. Because Satan wanted to exalt himself, he was cast down to the deepest depth, but because Jesus went down, He was highly exalted to the Father’s right hand, and every knee will bow before Him. Phil. 2:9-11.