Why I Need You in My Life

“But we have the mind of Christ” (1 Cor. 2:16).

It is amazing to think that God has given me the mind of Christ. That truth does not fill me with arrogance, but it does fill me with humility.  My own flashes of brilliance tend to be more flashes of what-were-you-thinking. (Case in point: pouring orange juice over your cereal when you discover you’re out of milk is not a flash of brilliance.)

I want to continually lean on Christ, depending on His Spirit to speak His mind to me. That truly is better than leaning on my own wisdom.

But consider this:

With our American individualistic mindset, we typically read the New Testament as though it was written to us as individuals. But most of the New Testament—including the Book of 1 Corinthians—was written to churches.  The Christian life was never intended to be lived alone—and God’s Word reflects that.

We each come to Christ individually, but we are immediately adopted into His body—the community of believers. I come to Christ and His church. The body of Christ is made up of many parts, but it is a single entity—which means I do not act apart from the body. I am not serving Christ if I am operating apart from His work in and through the body.

So I must read these amazing words—”We have the mind if Christ— with that understanding. We, the body of Christ together, possess the mind of Christ.

It’s not that Christ will not impart His wisdom on some matter solely to me. He certainly does. But should I assume I have all the wisdom of Christ? Because of the way He has gifted each of us,  God’s wisdom is also imparted to me through other believers. Through what Christ has shown me and what He has shown you, we have the mind of Christ.

I want to pray and lean heavily on the Holy Spirit’s presence and guidance in my life. But I also want to remain fully connected to other followers of Christ. When I am fully connected with His church, I more fully experience the mind of Christ.