In 1 Corinthians 2:16, Paul quotes Isaiah 40:13 and then makes the statement saying, “We have the mind of Christ.”
From the earlier verses of 1 Corinthians 2, we get an idea of what the mind of Christ is, what it is for, and who it is for.
The mind of Christ is not in line with the wisdom of man. It is wisdom that comes from God, this wisdom was once hidden but is now revealed. (verse 6-7).
We are now "partakers of the divine nature" (2 Peter 1:4). We no longer have the sinful nature within us, so we no longer think the way that the natural man does. We can access all things because of the knowledge that God gives to us.
We are now "partakers of the divine nature" (2 Peter 1:4). We no longer have the sinful nature within us, so we no longer think the way that the natural man does. We can access all things because of the knowledge that God gives to us.
We receive the mind of Christ through the Holy Spirit (verses 10-12). It is only through God's Spirit that we are able to know things about Him. Even when reading His word, it is the Holy Spirit that gives us understanding. This is why so many people misinterpret the bible. They try to use human wisdom to define what God is saying.
When we say we have the mind of Christ, this is not talking about our physical mind but instead, our spirit now has the same mind of Christ (1 John 2:20, 27). So the things God has freely given to us are ours to understand, but only through the Spirit.
When we say we have the mind of Christ, this is not talking about our physical mind but instead, our spirit now has the same mind of Christ (1 John 2:20, 27). So the things God has freely given to us are ours to understand, but only through the Spirit.
As well as the needing the Holy Spirit we also need to have faith in Jesus Christ, in order to have the mind of Christ. Once we are saved, the Holy Spirit comes to the believer (Acts 2:38). So it is the act of giving our lives over to Jesus that allows the Holy Spirit to dwell in us.
This means that the mind of Christ cannot be obtained by those who do not have the Spirit (verse 14). Spiritual things look foolish to the natural man. The person who is not saved will wonder why you go to church and miss out on double pay. The natural man will wonder why you don’t cheat when you know you won't get caught. They have no interest in the things of the Spirit.
The mind of Christ gives believers discernment in spiritual matters (verse 15). The natural man is unsaved, but even a believer can sometimes think like a natural man when they use human wisdom to try and discern spiritual things. But we have to let the Spirit transform and renew our mind and our thinking (Romans 12:1-2).
Thank God for the awesome wisdom he gives us. Who knows where we would be without it.
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