1 Corinthians 2:16. “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
You may remember from yesterday’s reading that the Corinthian Christians were all about gaining special wisdom and knowledge in order to achieve a greater level of spirituality. Of course, only a few would ever reach the heights of this special knowledge. The select few. The “super-spiritual” Christians. But the gospel’s message is the exact opposite. Christ’s union with every believer by the Spirit means that every Christian has the same level of spirituality. Look at how Paul walks us through it here in 1 Corinthians 2:
1 Corinthians 2:10. the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God – The Spirit understands the things of God.
1 Corinthians 2:12. Now we have received…the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God – Each Christian has the Spirit and can understand the things of God.
1 Corinthians 2:13. [we are] taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual – The Spirit is teaching each Christian the things of God.
And then, in verse 16, Paul quotes Isaiah 40 asking, For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him? Answer: No one. No one can teach God anything. No one can give him instructions. He’s never been schooled by anyone. Why? Because his knowledge, wisdom, insight, and perception have always been way beyond ours.
That is until now. Until union with Christ – But we have the mind of Christ.
In Christ, for the first time in history, God is truly knowable. No, we still can’t instruct God (that’s impossible). But we can understand God. We can understand the things freely given to us by God. How? Because we have the mind of Christ. And the mind of Christ is the mind of God.
Let this sink in – Christian, you share a mind with God.
But what does this shared mind mean for us practically?
It means there is no more knowledge or wisdom that you need, that you don’t already have. God has not held anything back. All his wisdom is found in the shared mind of Christ. There is no further revelation needed. No waiting for further instructions. No “need to know” basis. Jesus is not the first clue on a lifelong spiritual scavenger hunt. He is the totality of God’s wisdom in you.
It means that Jesus (his incarnation, life, death, resurrection, and glory) answers all of life’s biggest questions and teaches us everything we need to know for daily living. Where did I come from? Why am I here? How should I live? Where am I going? Christ alone answers each of these questions. With Christ’s mind in you, you have the answer to the fundamental questions of life.
It means that you can think like Jesus today. His mindset is your mindset. The mindset of sacrifice, servanthood, humility, self-forgetfulness, worship, and love. As we meditate on the gospel of Christ we begin to see the world as Jesus does. We can evaluate truth through the revelation of his life. We can see spiritual realities beyond the physical world around us.
To live is Christ is to have the mind of Christ. His thoughts. His understanding. His knowledge. What if we all allowed Christ’s mindset of love and grace to rule our own minds? How might the world change?
You: Do you filter your thoughts through the cross of Christ?
You in Christ: Do you believe you have the mind of Christ? What makes this easy/difficult?
Christ in you: Is there a specific area of your life where you need to adopt the mind of Christ?
To Live is Christ 
We can certainly know God to the fullness of what He has revealed of Himself, but only to that point: Deuteronomy 29:29 “The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.”
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