Ep 898 – Sanctification – Philippians 2:5-11

You’re familiar with the phrase, “think before you speak.” Most of us have heard it after we have said something particularly stupid, that was lacking tact, or a case of bad timing. It always pays to engage the mind before you put the mouth in gear. And the apostle Paul puts a high priority on the mind as well. Except, he wants believers to put thought into the reality of their relationship with Christ and all that it makes possible in their lives. In Philippians 2, he challenges us to have the same mind that Christ had. Rather than calling us to follow the example of Christ by emulating His behavior, Paul encourages us to think like Jesus did. And the thoughts Paul has in mind are focused on Jesus’ understanding of His identity. He knew who He was and what He had come to do. And that knowledge influenced His actions. Jesus never lost sight of His identity and never stopped thinking about His God-given mission. And neither should we.